Auction # 58 - Winter 2014 Auction

Hawaii, "Ewa, May 3d 1844" to Amherst, Mass. via New London Ct. Dateline on lengthy 3+ page folded letter written by Artemas Bishop to his son Sereno E. Bishop at Amherst College, Amherst Mass., endorsed "To the politeness of Perkins, Esqr", carried by privately to U.S., entered mails with red "New London Conn. Jan 24" cds and "10" rating to Amherst; couple file folds, Very Fine, ex-Van Dyke.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

Reverend Artemas Bishop (-1872) was part of the second company of missionaries that came to Honolulu in 1823 on the brig "Thames". This letter is written to his only son, Sereno Bishop (1827-1909), who was also a missionary. He notes in the letter, "I will inform you when I shall have written, which will be by the first returning vessel. This goes by the hand of a gentlemen belonging to New London, a Mr. Perkins, a lawyer of that place, who is to sail in a few days for Callao, and from thence to the U.S. by way of Panama and the West Indies." Letter mostly concerns studies at college but ends with "Mrs. Dole of Punahou died the other day, and left 2 little infants, the youngest but 3 days old.".