1860 Clipped Signed Free Frank of Abolitionist Vermont U.S. Senator Jacob Collamer -Civil War Postmarked Vermont Congressman Signature

This listing is for the clipped envelope of a free frank signed by Jacob Collamer while he was a U.S. Senator for the state of Vermont. The letter that was mailed inside of this envelope was sent in 1860, just before the beginning of the Civil War, as identified by the gray "free" postmark on the left end of the clipping. The letter was sent to Norman Williams, Esquire of Woodstock, Vermont. The letter was signed by Collamer only 5 years before his death in 1865. Amazing piece of history!

A free frank was a special mailing privilege in the United States that allowed certain government officials, most famously members of Congress, to send mail without paying postage. Instead of a stamp, they simply signed their name (their “frank”) on the envelope to show it qualified for free delivery. The idea was to let officials communicate easily with constituents and handle government business without personal cost, though it was sometimes criticized because it could be used for self-promotion.

Jacob Collamer was born in Troy, NY in 1791 and was raised in Burlington, VT. He graduated from the University of Vermont studying Law and was admitted to the bar in 1813, soon becoming a well-respected legislator, prosecutor, and judge in the state. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1843 as a prominent member of the Whig party, advocating heavily for the anti-slavery cause. President Taylor appointed him the Postmaster General in 1848. He was then elected to the U.S. Senate as a Republican in 1855, where he served until his death in 1865. Collamer was a prominent abolitionist and supporter of the Lincoln Administration, becoming a key figure in the American Civil War.

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1860 Clipped Signed Free Frank of Abolitionist Vermont U.S. Senator Jacob Collamer -Civil War Postmarked Vermont Congressman Signature