A monograph published in 1936 concludes: "Is there anyone of mature age in this United States who hasn't heard of 'The Pony Express' and been fascinated by it?" Edward A. Knapp's Pony Express has only 28 pages, but it is a fine foundation with which to examine the postal history of the Pony Express. It is a little gem of philatelic literature I found buried on a dealer shelf.
Although my background is Canadian, I grew up in the time of matinee westerns when the forces of good always overcame those of evil. The Pony Express was often part of that fictional lore, so my fascination takes good measure with that of Edward Knapp. My image of those mail carriers on horseback was, for the most part, romantic until I researched the hard facts about those pioneer mail riders of the American west.
Edward Knapp's little book scraps all fantasy and presents an accurate history of the Pony Express. He points out the company started at the suggestion of California Senator William M. Gwin to the firm of Russell, Majors, and Waddell. Headed by William H. Russell, the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Co. commenced the first run of the Pony Express on April 3, 1860. He also emphasizes the Wells-Fargo Company had nothing to do with the first Pony Express, which is a common myth. Wells-Fargo got involved 1861 when Russell and his partners "were no longer able to meet the terrific expenses of running" their company.
Knapp's exposition concentrates on the covers and cover markings of mail carried by Pony Express. Genuine Pony Express covers, therefore, bear both Central Overland and Wells-Fargo markings. Authenticity is determined by operation dates. Central Overland ran the mail by horseback from April 1860 until March 1861, while Wells-Fargo took control from April 1861 until the demise of the project in November 1861. The original Pony Express route ran through what is now California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri. The opposite points extended from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California.
Myth has it that the Pony Express was a major, long-lived service, but it actually was of very short duration. After telegraph communications were completed beyond the Mississippi to California, the need for a speedy mail service was gone. A third version of the Pony Express was operated by Wells-Fargo from 1862-1864, known as Virginia City Pony.
Edward Knapp's selection of covers is amazing, and many of them are still in collections today. The illustrations accompanying this column feature one of Knapp's covers whose markings are superb. It is the November 28, 1860 trip out of San Francisco. It is cancelled with the 'Frisco Running Horse in blue while the St. Joseph receiving Pony mark is in black. Note also the Central Overland oval marking. This is a remarkable piece of postal history.
To find genuine undiscovered Pony Express covers, however, is probably next to impossible. In this hobby, nonetheless, it is dangerous to say unknown or new items will “never” be found. A Pony Express topical collection, however, is still possible.
In March 1860, when William Russell was setting up the Pony Express, he advertised the following in newspapers:
WANTED Young, skinny, wiry fellows not over 18. Must be expert riders willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred.
One of those skinny, wiry fellows was William “Buffalo Bill” Cody who was only 15 years old. Cody's exploits are the stuff of legend, so it is difficult to determine how many are true and how much comes purely from a fictional imagination. Bill Cody, however, was one of the great pioneers of the “wild west.” One of the unquestioned feats of young Cody involved a non-stop ride from Red Buttes Station to Rocky Ridge, Wyoming and back when he discovered the relief rider had been killed. It was a total distance of 322 miles covered in 21 hours.
For his many exploits, Cody is honored on a stamp. The United States Postal Service Great Americans Series 15-cent (Scott 2177) stamp issued June 6, 1988 bears Cody's image, not the skinny, wiry 15-year-old Pony Express rider, but a veteran of the frontier.
The Pony Express also gets attention on two United States anniversary commemoratives. An April 3, 1940 three-cent stamp (Scott 894) honors the 80th birthday of the famed mail carriers. The stamp depicts a mounted Pony Express rider leaving a relay station. A four-cent stamp (Scott 1154) issued July 19,1960 paid tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Pony Express. The design has a Pony Express rider racing toward his destination against a background map featuring the route from St. Joseph to Sacramento. It is of interest that the rider on the 1940 stamp is racing eastward, while the rider on the 1960 stamp is going west.
On July 30, 1993, the Pony Express made a third appearance on a United States commemorative. One of the four stamps (Scott 2780) issued to mark the opening of the National Postal Museum in Washington hailed the Pony Express as a significant factor in the transportation of early American mail. The stamp depicts a Pony Express rider, a Civil War Soldier writing a letter, and a Concord Stagecoach.
The four stamps cited above are very inexpensive, and covers bearing them are rather easy to come by from dealers or at stamp shows. So your collection starts there! Getting the real thing as outlined in Edward Knapp's monograph will not be simple, but keep watching the auctions. One or more Pony Express items are bound to come up, so save your dollars for the big day.
That's not all. Today, the spirit and memory of the Pony Express is kept alive by the National Pony Express Association, whose headquarters is located at Pollock Pines, California. There is an exceptional web site which outlines the goings on of the association as well as special events. The most special activity is the Re-Ride over the historic Pony Express trail between St. Joseph and Sacramento. It is a 10-day excursion with over 550 riders and horses that carry mochila filled with commemorative letters. The next Re-Ride will be held June 13-23, 2000.
Covers and special cancellations from the annual ride are often in demand. It definitely adds to the opportunity to build a special topic that has historic and legendary significance. The National Pony Express Association membership is not expensive, but could be rewarding.
As we settle into a new century, it is safe to say the Pony Express still captivates imaginations, especially of stamp collectors, 140 years after its establishment.
What are your Pony Express interests? There must be a descendent of the Pony Express riders among collectors. Write me at Stamp Universe. Unusual or special tales will be re-told here in a future column.
Michael O. Nowlan was born in Chatham, New Brunswick Canada. He grew up on a nearby farm, was educated, and became a teacher. In retirement, he follows his life-long avocation of writing. His credits include 16 books (four books of poems, two children's titles, and anthologies for schools). In recent years, he has written extensively about stamp collecting for CANADIAN STAMP NEWS, GIBBONS INTERNATIONAL STAMP NEWS, and other philatelic publications.
