DENEWCAS-L Archives

From: Debbie <>
Subject: [NewCastle] Armstrong Addressed Letters Left at Post Offices, 1748-1780
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 15:26:36 -0500

I transcribed just the Armstrong's but if you'd like a lookup, let me
know. Obviously, the content of the letters is not given, just the
addressee, date published in the Gazette, and sometimes some sort of
address:

"Postmaster General Spotswood in 1737 removed William Bradford from the
office of Postmaster of Philadelphia and appointed in his stead Benjamin
Franklin. Up until that time letters were held at a post office until
called for, but Franklin, desirous of improving the system, began the
publication of the names of persons for whom unclaimed letters were in
the office under his jurisdiction. The first list appeared in
Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette of 21-Mar-1738 and, as a result,
addressees, their friends or messengers, picked up much of the mail.

These lists, which were printed from time to time throughout the
Colonial Period, with occasional lapses, provide a wealth of
genealogical information by locating thousands of individuals at various
times and, upon occasion, identifying their trade, profession, or
military rank. Sometimes the Gazette published lists from towns other
than Philadelphia, specifically Chester, Lancaster, New Castle,
Wilmington and Trenton.
The capital letter designations P, C, L, N, W, T, following the
addressee's name signify respectively the post offices in Philadelphia,
Chester, Lancaster, New Castle, Wilmington and Trenton in which letters
remained unclaimed." For example, all these letters were left in the
Philadelphia Post Office although addressed to "Pa", "Forks of the
Delaware", "New Castle County", etc.:

Thomas P: Forks of the Delaware 18-Mar-1762, Carlisle 13-Jan-1763 &
24-Feb-1763, Wilmingon 13-Oct-1763, New Castle Co. 31-Mar-1763, Pa.
28-Oct-1762 & 2-Feb-1764, Cumberland Co. 15-Mar-1764, Phila.
16-Jul-1767 & 30-Apr-1777.

"In instances where specific locality is given, it is understood that
the letters were so addressed. The dates which complete each entry
indicate the day of publication in the Gazette."

ARMSTRONG, Aaron P: Pa. 5-Aug-1762
Andrew P: Cumberland Co. 18-Mar-1762, Carlisle 24-Feb-1763, Phila.
30-Jan-1766.
Ann P: Plymouth 20-Oct-1768
Archibald P: New-Castle County 12-Jan-1758 & 3-Jan-1760
Francis L: Peach Bottom 20-Jan-1773. P: Little Britain 13-May-1756,
4-Aug-1763
George P: Cumberland Co. 18-Mar-1762, Phila. 30-Apr-1767. L: Carlisle
14-May-1772
Henry P: Lancaster C. 13-Jan-1763
Col. J. P: Carlisle 31-Dec-1761
James P: Whiteland Township 12-Jan-1758, Cumberland County 3-Sep-1761,
Baltimore County 31-Mar-1763, Phila. 16-Jul-1772. L: Peach Bottom
2-Mar-1774.
John N: c/o Rev. M'Cannon , Mill Creek Hundred, 4-Dec-1766;
12-Feb-1767. L: 31-Jan-1771 (Colonel); student, Pequea, 2-Mar-1774. P:
Conegocheague 3-Jan-1760, Cumberland County 18-Mar-1762, 18-Mar-1762
(Colonel); New Castle County 13-Jan-1763; PA 19-May-1763, 13-Oct-1763.
Josiah P: 3-Jan-1776.
Martin T: Somerset Court House 1-Sep-1768.
Robert P: Pa 2-Feb-1764, Phila. 20-Oct-1768.
Samuel P: Phila. 26-Jul-1753
Thomas P: Forks of the Delaware 18-Mar-1762, Carlisle 13-Jan-1763 &
24-Feb-1763, Wilmingon 13-Oct-1763, New Castle Co. 31-Mar-1763, Pa.
28-Oct-1762 & 2-Feb-1764, Cumberland Co. 15-Mar-1764, Phila.
16-Jul-1767 & 30-Apr-1777.
W. P: New-Castle Co. 12-Jan-1758.
William P: Delaware Forks 24-Oct-1754, , 12-Feb-1761, New Castle
3-Sep-1761, Paxton 4-Feb-1768; N: 29-Nov-1764. L: Carlisle
29-Jul-1772; Juniata, Cumberland Co. 31-Jan-1771 & 19-Dec-1771.

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