5c Red Brown (1). Sharp early impression, large margins to full, tied by pen cross-hatching, "Houston Txs. Dec. 24" (1847) circular datestamp on blue folded letter datelined "Houston Dec. 23, 1847" to Austin, Texas, addressed to Thomas William Ward, contents an application for a land patent for someone who is deceased, stamp with small toned spots at top, cover with minor edgewear

VERY FINE. THE EARLIEST RECORDED USE OF THE 1847 ISSUE IN TEXAS, AND A REMARKABLE USE ENTIRELY WITHIN TEXAS.

According to official distribution records from the post office, Houston did not receive any supplies of the 1847 Issue until May 1848, and no post offices in Texas received any before January 2, 1848 (Galveston). This stamp must have been carried privately from some place outside of Texas. The next earliest confirmed date of use is November 13, 1849. The yeardate is unknown on five but all are used earlier than July and so cannot be used in 1847. New Orleans received a supply on August 27, 1847, so it is possible this was acquired there. The recipient, Thomas Ward, is a prominent figure in Texas history. After losing an arm and a leg to a cannon misfire during Texas Independence Day in 1840, he was later mayor of Austin on three separate occasions (each lasted less than a year) and served as U.S. Consul to Panama under President Franklin Pierce.

Ex Craveri. With copy of 1990 P.F. certificate

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