Georgia Postal History Society
History of the Society
The Georgia Postal History Society began as a suggestion by Ervin Underwood to form a society to study the postal history of Georgia. Four collectors, McCary Ballard, Frank Crown, Tom Kingsley, and William McDougall, responded to the suggestion and met with Underwood on 15 April 1984 to discuss the idea. At that time is was agreed to proceed with the formation of a society and Underwood volunteered to act as Secretary protem until a formal structure was established.
By the end of the year the structure of the society was agreed upon and the first elections conducted. The officers selected for the first three year term were Ervin Underwood, President; Francis J. Crown, Jr., Vice- President; Douglas N. Clark, Secretary; and Ernest C. Owens, Treasurer.
The society, which numbers 38 members, meets once a year at what is now called the Southeastern Stamp Expo (formerly Peach State Stamp Show). The annual meeting always includes an informative seminar by a GPHS member that is open to all members of the public.
Benefits of Membership
The Georgia Postal History Society is devoted to the study of all aspects of Georgia postal history. This includes the pre-stamp, or stampless, period that dates back to the late 1700s, the Confederate period, fancy cancels, machine postmarks, RFD markings, railroad markings, flight covers, first days, last days, use of a particular stamp on covers from Georgia and just about anything else you can think of that mixes stamp collecting and Georgia. Basically there is something for everyone.
Benefits of membership include a quarterly journal, Georgia Post Roads and the annual meeting held each year at the Southeastern Stamp Expo in Atlanta. You also have the benefit of meeting and corresponding with other members of the society, many of whom are recognized experts in their Georgia postal history specialty.
Are you interested in becoming a member? The best way to join is to come to the Southeastern Stamp Expo and meet current members and obtain a membership application. Or, download and complete the membership application (below link) and send to the Society's President, Steve Swain (at the address below).
The Georgia Postal History Society began as a suggestion by Ervin Underwood to form a society to study the postal history of Georgia. Four collectors, McCary Ballard, Frank Crown, Tom Kingsley, and William McDougall, responded to the suggestion and met with Underwood on 15 April 1984 to discuss the idea. At that time is was agreed to proceed with the formation of a society and Underwood volunteered to act as Secretary protem until a formal structure was established.
By the end of the year the structure of the society was agreed upon and the first elections conducted. The officers selected for the first three year term were Ervin Underwood, President; Francis J. Crown, Jr., Vice- President; Douglas N. Clark, Secretary; and Ernest C. Owens, Treasurer.
The society, which numbers 38 members, meets once a year at what is now called the Southeastern Stamp Expo (formerly Peach State Stamp Show). The annual meeting always includes an informative seminar by a GPHS member that is open to all members of the public.
Benefits of Membership
The Georgia Postal History Society is devoted to the study of all aspects of Georgia postal history. This includes the pre-stamp, or stampless, period that dates back to the late 1700s, the Confederate period, fancy cancels, machine postmarks, RFD markings, railroad markings, flight covers, first days, last days, use of a particular stamp on covers from Georgia and just about anything else you can think of that mixes stamp collecting and Georgia. Basically there is something for everyone.
Benefits of membership include a quarterly journal, Georgia Post Roads and the annual meeting held each year at the Southeastern Stamp Expo in Atlanta. You also have the benefit of meeting and corresponding with other members of the society, many of whom are recognized experts in their Georgia postal history specialty.
Are you interested in becoming a member? The best way to join is to come to the Southeastern Stamp Expo and meet current members and obtain a membership application. Or, download and complete the membership application (below link) and send to the Society's President, Steve Swain (at the address below).
| Georgia Postal History Society - Membership Application.doc |
Officers Contact
Our current slate of elected officers: Steve Swain, President [email protected]
President: Steve Swain
Treasurer/Secretary: Larry Stephens
President Emeritus: Douglas N. Clark
Our current slate of elected officers: Steve Swain, President [email protected]
President: Steve Swain
Treasurer/Secretary: Larry Stephens
President Emeritus: Douglas N. Clark
Georgia Post Roads
The official Journal of the Georgia Postal History Society, Georgia Post Roads, is published quarterly featuring articles on various aspects of Georgia postal history. Articles for publication may be submitted in the form of typed manuscript or, preferably, via email.
Georgia Post Roads was awarded a Gold in the Literature Competition of the August 14-17, 2024 American Philatelic Society's Great American Stamp Show.
Articles by Society members and non-members are welcomed. Contact: Steve Swain, Editor.
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The Digital G.P.H.S. Bulletin and Georgia Post Roads
With a May 1985 publication date, the G. P. H. S. Bulletin was the first journal of the Georgia Postal History Society. The first three volumes were titled G. P. H. S. Bulletin. The second three volumes were titled Bulletin. The first issue of Georgia Post Roads was published in September 1991. The stated purpose was not as “a replacement for the GPHS Bulletin but rather a means to keep the lines of communication open between members of the society and to provide timely information of interest to all members.” The subheading in the banner of the early issues sums up this up: “Newsletter of the Georgia Postal History Society.” Beginning with the January 1994 issue GPR took on a more formal role as noted by the new subheading in the banner: “Publication of the Georgia Postal History Society.” Digital files, in an Adobe PDF format, of the G.P.H.S. Bulletin and Georgia Post Roads are provided below for viewing and/or downloading. Also provided is an index for the Bulletin and Georgia Post Roads. Guidance for searching the digital files is provided in the Searching the Digital Files document. The Adobe Acrobat Reader program (or an other PDF file viewer program) is needed to open the digital files. The Adobe Reader software is free and can be downloaded via www.adobe.com. 
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| Bulletin of the GPHS Vols 1-6 (1985-1991) |
| Georgia Post Roads Vols 1-5 (1991-1995) |
| Georgia Post Roads Vols 6-10 (1996-2000) |
| Georgia Post Roads Vols 11-15 (2001-2005) |
| Georgia Post Roads Vols 16-20 (2006-2012) |
| Georgia Post Roads Vols 21-25 (2013-2017) |
| Georgia Post Roads Vols 26-29 (2018-2021) |
| GPHS Bulletin Index |
| Georgia Post Roads Index |
| Searching the Digital Files |
G.P.H.S. Bulletin and Georgia Post Roads Index
The index is available in three versions, each in a downloadable PDF format:
(1) Sorted by Volumne-Number-Year
(2) Sorted by Article Title
(3) Sorted by Author's name.
| Index - Volume_Number_Year |
| Index - Article Title |
| Index - Author's Name |
Society Members Literature Competition Awards
Sarasota National Stamp Expo, January 19-21, 2024
Michael Wing
Postal History Society Award: "Georgia Postmaster Free Frank Letters"
Gold: "Georgia Postmaster Free Frank Letters""
SESCAL, October 29, 2022
Steve Swain
Large Vermeil: " 'Local Usage' Prevails for Name of Town and Post Office"
Great American Stamp Show 2022
Steve Swain
Large Vermeil: " 'Local Usage' Prevails for Name of Town and Post Office"
Vermeil: The Postal History of Saint Simons Island, Georgia
Large Vermeil: The Florida Postal History Journal (Editor: Steve Swain)
Nancy B. Clark
Gold: "An Oddity Uncovers a Short-Lived Registry Plan"
Large Vermeil: "Fort Oglethorpe Georgia Internee's Postcard: Written From a Spy
to a Spy?"
Large Vermeil: "The Sinking of the P.R.R. Ferry Chicago, October 31, 1899:
SESCAL, October 9, 2021
Nancy B. Clark
Gold: "Steamship City of Rockland"
Silver: "World War II Trainee and POW Mail Camp Wheeler, Macon, Georgia"
Great American Stamp Show, August 12-15, 2021
Francis J. Crown, Jr.
Vermeil: "The 3c Nashville Provisional Adhesive: A Study in Postal History Research"
Vermeil: As posted on the Civil War Philatelic Society’s website: “Crown Illustrated Censuses of Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals”
Sarasota National Stamp Expo, January 22-24, 2021
Francis J. Crown, Jr.
Reserve Grand Award: “The 10¢ Red ‘Southern Confederacy’ Danville, Va., Provisional Envelope
Large Gold: “The 10¢ Red ‘Southern Confederacy’ Danville, Va., Provisional Envelope
Gold: “Athens, Georgia, Provisional Gutter Pairs”
Southern California SESCAL, October 3, 2020
Francis J. Crown, Jr.
Gold: “The 10¢ Red ‘Southern Confederacy’ Danville, Va., Provisional Envelope
Gold: “Dr. H. H. Green: An Early ‘Junk Mailer’
Steve Swain
Large Vermeil: “Thrilling Adventures in Stamp Comics”
Large Vermeil: “Fake Town Spanish-American War Postal History”
The Postal History of Selected Georgia Barrier Islands
Steve L. Swain
This image rich study ventures into a new field offering a look into one aspect of Georgia’s postal history, a state with very few published resources. The monograph presents noteworthy postal history of three of the seventeen Georgia barrier islands.
The 8.5 x 11-inch, full color, 86-page monograph can be ordered from the author at [email protected].
Jekyll Island
The history of the Jekyll Island post office has an intriguing chapter involving the US Postal Service and the Jekyll Island Authority. Established July 1, 1959, until 2015, the island was served by a contract branch of the main post office in Brunswick, on the mainland. Today, the island has its own postal facility in the historic district, although it is common for mailings posted on the island to be processed and postmarked in Jacksonville, Florida.
Sapelo Island
Sapelo Island’s postal history is associated with several towns, post offices and names of those offices. An awareness and appreciation of this history begins with a section of the 1895 Post Route Map of the State of Georgia showing the towns and mail route components linking Sapelo Island.
Thomas Spalding (1774-1851) left the most important legacy to Sapelo Island and, as many people will insist, to most of the Georgia barrier islands. The history of the current day post office on Sapelo Island is a fascinating element of Spalding’s legacy.
Sea Island
Sea Island is an internationally known resort and residential colony located near St. Simons Island in Glynn County. The island is a privately owned and unincorporated. It is approximately five miles long and one and a half miles wide at its widest point.
The history of the Sea Island post office is a story of several locations and public hearings. Sea Island residents were adamant about not wanting their postal facility to be the St. Simons office 1.7 miles away, and eventually prevailed.
Steve L. Swain
This image rich study ventures into a new field offering a look into one aspect of Georgia’s postal history, a state with very few published resources. The monograph presents noteworthy postal history of three of the seventeen Georgia barrier islands.
The 8.5 x 11-inch, full color, 86-page monograph can be ordered from the author at [email protected].
Jekyll Island
The history of the Jekyll Island post office has an intriguing chapter involving the US Postal Service and the Jekyll Island Authority. Established July 1, 1959, until 2015, the island was served by a contract branch of the main post office in Brunswick, on the mainland. Today, the island has its own postal facility in the historic district, although it is common for mailings posted on the island to be processed and postmarked in Jacksonville, Florida.
Sapelo Island
Sapelo Island’s postal history is associated with several towns, post offices and names of those offices. An awareness and appreciation of this history begins with a section of the 1895 Post Route Map of the State of Georgia showing the towns and mail route components linking Sapelo Island.
Thomas Spalding (1774-1851) left the most important legacy to Sapelo Island and, as many people will insist, to most of the Georgia barrier islands. The history of the current day post office on Sapelo Island is a fascinating element of Spalding’s legacy.
Sea Island
Sea Island is an internationally known resort and residential colony located near St. Simons Island in Glynn County. The island is a privately owned and unincorporated. It is approximately five miles long and one and a half miles wide at its widest point.
The history of the Sea Island post office is a story of several locations and public hearings. Sea Island residents were adamant about not wanting their postal facility to be the St. Simons office 1.7 miles away, and eventually prevailed.
Georgia on Cover: Blakely Stampless
12 1/2 Cent Rate
United States cover collectors are sometimes surprised by the strange fractional postal rates found on many early folded, stampless letters, including rates such as 12½, 18¾, 37½ cents and others.
Seen here is a September 5, 1836, cover mailed from Blakely, Georgia to the town of Quincy in Gadsden County Florida. The cover has a manuscript 12 ½ in the upper right corner denoting the required postage.
12 1/2 Cent Rate
United States cover collectors are sometimes surprised by the strange fractional postal rates found on many early folded, stampless letters, including rates such as 12½, 18¾, 37½ cents and others.
Seen here is a September 5, 1836, cover mailed from Blakely, Georgia to the town of Quincy in Gadsden County Florida. The cover has a manuscript 12 ½ in the upper right corner denoting the required postage.
The date of the mailing is confirmed at the top of the letter portion of the mailing.
The Postal Act of February 1792 provided nine rates for letters, depending on the distance traveled. In particular, letters sent distances of 100 to 150 miles were charged 12½ cents. With today’s highway system, the distance between Blakely, Georgia and Quincy, Florida is sixty-five miles. It is reasonable to assume that even in 1836 an additional thirty-five miles was not needed to travel between the two cities. Thus, the postage for the cover was most likely overpaid.
While the somewhat complicated 1792 rate schedule was slightly simplified in subsequent years (up to 1845), the charge of 12½ cents continued to apply to similar distances for most of that time.
The question then is why 12½ cents? Why not 12 or 13 cents? The answer lies in the type of coinage circulating in the U.S. prior to the 1850s.
During the Colonial period, states were prevented by England from coining their own money, so individuals had to use either foreign coins or paper money printed by a number of states. One of the most popular coins was the Spanish silver dollar. The Spanish dollar consisted of 8 “reals”. Figure 3 is a Spanish real minted in 1803.
In earlier years, the Spanish dollar was sometimes physically cut up into eight pieces. Each of these pieces was often referred to as a “bit” as seen in the example below.
While the somewhat complicated 1792 rate schedule was slightly simplified in subsequent years (up to 1845), the charge of 12½ cents continued to apply to similar distances for most of that time.
The question then is why 12½ cents? Why not 12 or 13 cents? The answer lies in the type of coinage circulating in the U.S. prior to the 1850s.
During the Colonial period, states were prevented by England from coining their own money, so individuals had to use either foreign coins or paper money printed by a number of states. One of the most popular coins was the Spanish silver dollar. The Spanish dollar consisted of 8 “reals”. Figure 3 is a Spanish real minted in 1803.
In earlier years, the Spanish dollar was sometimes physically cut up into eight pieces. Each of these pieces was often referred to as a “bit” as seen in the example below.
As the U.S. dollar was approximately equal to the Spanish dollar in terms of silver weight, each real or bit was worth one-eighth of a dollar, or 12½ cents. Two bits were equal to 25 cents or a quarter. In fact, the colloquial term “two bits” (meaning 25 cents) remained in the U.S. vernacular for more than a century after the Spanish real was no longer acceptable as U.S. currency.
Following the Coinage Act of 1792, the U.S. Mint produced a variety of decimal-based coins, including half cents, one cent, half dimes, dimes, quarters and larger coins. However, as there was very limited production of U.S. coins prior to the 1850s, the use of Spanish coins continued to be very common. So, it was reasonable to base some of the postage rates on readily available coins such as the Spanish real.
Following the Coinage Act of 1792, the U.S. Mint produced a variety of decimal-based coins, including half cents, one cent, half dimes, dimes, quarters and larger coins. However, as there was very limited production of U.S. coins prior to the 1850s, the use of Spanish coins continued to be very common. So, it was reasonable to base some of the postage rates on readily available coins such as the Spanish real.
Annual Society Meeting Presentations
The King Family of Roswell, Georgia - A Postal History by Steve Swain
2025 Annual Meeting Presentation
The 2025 annual meeting of the Georgia Postal History Society was held January 25 at the Peachtree Corners, Ga., Southeastern Stamp Expo. Steve Swain presented his research on the postal history related to the Roswell King family. Please open the PowerPoint presentation provided below to view the presentation.
| The King Family of Roswell, Georgia - A Postal History |
Georgia Postmaster and County Postmarks by Michael Wing
2024 Annual Meeting Presentation
The 2024 annual meeting of the Georgia Postal History Society was held January 27 at the Peachtree Corners, Ga., Southeastern Stamp Expo. Michael Wing presented his research on Georgia postmaster and county postmarks. Please open the PowerPoint presentation provided below to view the presentation.
2024 Annual Meeting Presentation
The 2024 annual meeting of the Georgia Postal History Society was held January 27 at the Peachtree Corners, Ga., Southeastern Stamp Expo. Michael Wing presented his research on Georgia postmaster and county postmarks. Please open the PowerPoint presentation provided below to view the presentation.
| Georgia Postmaster and County Postmarks |
The Postal History of Sapelo Island, Georgia by Steve L. Swain
2022 Annual Meeting Presentation
The 2022 annual meeting of the Georgia Postal History Society was held January 29 at the Peachtree Corners, Ga., Southeastern Stamp Expo. Steve Swain presented his research on the postal history of Sapelo Island, Georgia, one of the seventeen Georgia barrier islands. Please open the PowerPoint presentation provided below to view the presentation.
2022 Annual Meeting Presentation
The 2022 annual meeting of the Georgia Postal History Society was held January 29 at the Peachtree Corners, Ga., Southeastern Stamp Expo. Steve Swain presented his research on the postal history of Sapelo Island, Georgia, one of the seventeen Georgia barrier islands. Please open the PowerPoint presentation provided below to view the presentation.
| The Postal History of Sapelo Island, Georgia |
Patriotic Envelopes of Camp George H. Thomas, Lytle, Georgia, Spanish-American War by James C. Cate
2020 Annual Meeting Presentation
The 2020 annual meeting of the Georgia Postal History Society was held on February 1 at the Peachtree Corners, Ga., Southeastern Stamp Expo. James Cate presented his research and collection related to patriotic covers associated with Camp George H. Thomas and Lytle, Georgia during the brief Spanish-American War. Please open the PowerPoint presentation below to "read the story" and view the covers shown during the presentation.
| Patriotic Envelopes of Camp George H. Thomas |
"Absolutely Fireproof" Postal History
2019 Annual Meeting Presentation
The 2019 annual meeting of the Georgia Postal History Society was held on January 26 at the Peachtree Corners, Ga., Southeastern Stamp Expo. Michael Wing presented his research and collection related to hotel advertising covers announcing "Absolutely Fireproof" buildings. A most notable cover in Michael's collection is for the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta that burned in one of the worst hotel fires in history. Please open the PowerPoint presentation below to "read the story" and view the photos and covers shown during the presentation.
2019 Annual Meeting Presentation
The 2019 annual meeting of the Georgia Postal History Society was held on January 26 at the Peachtree Corners, Ga., Southeastern Stamp Expo. Michael Wing presented his research and collection related to hotel advertising covers announcing "Absolutely Fireproof" buildings. A most notable cover in Michael's collection is for the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta that burned in one of the worst hotel fires in history. Please open the PowerPoint presentation below to "read the story" and view the photos and covers shown during the presentation.
| "Absolutely Fireproof" Hotel Advertising Covers |
Camp Thomas - Chickamauga Park - Lytle Ga: Spanish-American War Postal History
2018 Annual Meeting Presentation and Discussion
The 2018 annual meeting of the Georgia Postal History Society was held on January 27 at the Norcross, Ga., Southeastern Stamp Expo. The presentation and discussion at the meeting explored Spanish-American War postal history related to three closely associated areas in Georgia: Camp Thomas, Chickamauga National Park (Battlefield) and Lytle, Ga. Please open the PowerPoint presentation provided below to "read the story" and view the photos and covers shown during the presentation.
2018 Annual Meeting Presentation and Discussion
The 2018 annual meeting of the Georgia Postal History Society was held on January 27 at the Norcross, Ga., Southeastern Stamp Expo. The presentation and discussion at the meeting explored Spanish-American War postal history related to three closely associated areas in Georgia: Camp Thomas, Chickamauga National Park (Battlefield) and Lytle, Ga. Please open the PowerPoint presentation provided below to "read the story" and view the photos and covers shown during the presentation.
| Camp Thomas-Chickamauga Park-Lytle, Ga: Spanish-American War Postal History |