Summerville Parcel Fragment
Although the 14¢ American Indian stamp was issued primarily for use in combination with other stamps, it was occasionally used by itself on parcel post items. This parcel fragment mailed from Summerville, South Carolina, to Jacksonville, Florida, is an outstanding example.
The stamp, which is from the rotary press printing, is tied to piece by a boxed Summerville cancellation. It was postmarked on April 24, 1937, and traveled between 150 and 300 miles, making it eligibile for the zone 3 parcel post rate of 9¢ for a package weighing up to one pound.1 The fragment also bears an “Insured” handstamp, and the least expensive insurance rate in effect in 1937—5¢ for up to $5 of coverage—combined with the basic postage exactly equals the 14¢ face value of the American Indian stamp.
The parcel was addressed to a Mrs. L.G. Lieghton of Jacksonville. One Leroy G. Leighton of Jacksonville took a job as an engineer with General Electric in 1937 and later helped design a bulb used for movie set lighting, but he had married an Edythe Atkinson less than a year prior to when the item was mailed.2 While we cannot know for certain, it is possible the name written on the fragment was misspelled and that it was sent to Mr. Leighton’s new bride prior to their relocation.
References
- Beecher, Henry W., and Anthony S. Wawrukiewicz. U.S. Domestic Postal Rates, 1872–2011. 3rd ed. Bellefonte, Pennsylvania: American Philatelic Society, 2011.
- Covington, Edward. Leroy G. Leighton. Lamptech. Accessed 16 Jan. 2024.
Published 2024-01-16 Last updated 2024-01-19