Card of the Day - 2023-09-03

Bucktrout Around World 3rd
Bucktrout & Co. Ltd [tobacco : UK] "Around The World" third series (1924) 242/416 - B866-050.3 : B150-1.3 : RB.21/289

So here is clue number two to this week`s theme.

Our second clue was the subject of this statue, Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States, who was born in Kentucky on February 12th, 1809.

That deals with the American connection.

And as for the postal one, well, he was appointed postmaster of New Salem, Illinois on May the 7th, 1833 and served for a period of three years. He would have served for longer, but in 1836 he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, and so started his political career.

He enjoyed the job, and he found the magic in it, for it allowed him to chat with local people, and he soon worked out that he was much more likely to see some people, in person, along his route than others, so he would carry those in his hat, and be able to give them over in person, by removing his hat with an exaggerated motion. 

He was paid for the job, almost $56 dollars a year in 1835, and he also had perks. He could send mail free, and he was awarded free delivery of one newspaper of his choice. Sadly I have not been able to find out which paper he chose. 

Now you may read that President Truman was also a postmaster, and he was, but pretty much in name only, for as soon as he was appointed he gave over both the position and the salary to an assistant.

Now as this card comes from a larger group, and to save repetition, we will direct you to the entry for the second set, which is the first that we have so far. That was the Card of the Day for the 7th of January 2024.