United States and Worldwide Stamps, Covers, and Collections

George Washington (1732-99; American General and 1st President of the United States), free frank "President U.S." as President on Dec. 3, 1793 folded letter from Philadelphia Pa. addressed in his hand to "Andrew Ellicott, George Town Md., Philadelphia" a "3 DE" Franklin mark with matching "FREE" rating handstamp, letter written and signed by his secretary Tobias Lear reading "Dear Sir, The President directs me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter to him of the 26 Ultimo, and to request your acceptance of his best thanks for the almanac which you had the politeness to send him, and which the President hopes may answer the good end interested by its calculations. With very great esteem, I am, Dear Sir, Your Most Ovient. Serv. Tobias Lear", Very FinernSo much has been written about George Washington that we needn't summarize it here but just throw out a few obscurities: he had no middle name, had only a grade school education, one of his actions in the Virginia militia spawned the French and Indian Wars, is the only President to go into battle as President (in 1794), he was an honorary citizen of France, he owned a profitable whiskey distillery at Mount Vernon. rnThe addressee, Andrew Ellicott (1754-1820), Ellicott first worked as a surveyor in 1784, helping to determine the boundary between Virginia and Maryland. President Washington commissioned Ellicott in 1790 to survey the boundary of the newly established Federal Territory on the Potomac. In 1801, he refused an appointment as Surveyor General of the United States because he preferred field work to being an administrator. He accepted an appointment in 1813 as professor of mathematics at the United States Military Academy at West Point, a position which he held until his death in 1820.Sale 3054: Session 3 - United States Stamps and Covers