70 January 2002 La Posta
Figure 1 This
manuscript letter dated
27 Feb 1858 is the
earliest recorded from
Ft. Worth. It is from
Col. Nathaniel Terry, a
former lieutenant
governor of Alabama.
Early Fort Worth, Texas Covers
By Thomas J. Alexander
At the close of the Mexican War, General Winfield Scott sent a troop of soldiers into northern Texas to establish
a base for protection of the few settlers in the area. The post, originally called Camp Worth, after Brig. Gen.
Worth was established in 1849. After a few months, the post was renamed Fort Worth even though no fort was
ever erected. In September, 1853, soldiers were transferred from Fort Worth to Fort Belknap. After the garrison
was removed from Fort Worth, settlers moved into the abandoned military buildings and a trading post was
established. The town grew slowly from this nucleus, and the first post office was established in 1856.
The first letter with the manuscript cancel is dated Feb. 27, 1858 (figure 1). It is the earliest recorded cancel from
Fort Worth. It is from Col. Nathaniel Terry, a former Lieutenant Governor of Alabama. He was the largest slave
holder in the little town. The second cover bears the first hand-stamped town mark used in Fort Worth (figure 2).
It is the only recorded example of this particular marking.
Figure 2 This
letter bears the
first handstamped
town mark used in
Fort Worth. It is
the only recorded
example of the
marking.
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