1840 John M. Niles Signed Post Office Draft to Gideon Welles, Hartford CT #1511

A distinctive piece of early American postal history, this United States Post Office Department payment draft is dated August 6, 1840, and orders payment of $36.66 to A. H. Pease. Numbered 1924, the document is directed to “G. Welles,” Postmaster at Hartford, Connecticut, and retains handwritten entries, signatures, and an endorsement on the reverse. The lower signature lines read “John M. Niles,” Postmaster General, and “C. K. Gardner,” Auditor of the Post Office Department. John Milton Niles served as Postmaster General under President Martin Van Buren from 1840 to 1841, placing this document within his tenure. The Hartford connection adds another layer of historical interest: Gideon Welles served as Hartford’s postmaster from 1836 to 1841, matching the name, location, and date on this draft. Welles later became Secretary of the Navy under Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. His connection to this document is through the payment instructions addressed to him as postmaster. An elaborate blue-green engraved border, mounted postal-rider vignette, decorative lettering, and flowing handwritten script give the piece strong display appeal. The reverse bears an “A. H. Pease” endorsement together with additional accounting notations, preserving details of the draft’s use. An appealing addition to a collection of early American documents, postal history, historical autographs, Connecticut memorabilia, or antique financial paper. Signature note: The signatures are attributed to John M. Niles, C. K. Gardner, and A. H. Pease and have not been independently authenticated. Condition: Please review all photographs carefully to assess the item’s condition and details. Photos are an integral part of the description. The exact item pictured is the one you will receive.