Above is the discovery copy of a Doane cancel from North Randolph.
A type of handcancel distributed by the United State Post Office Department to smaller post offices from 1903 to 1906 in an attempt to standardize cancellations, Doane cancels come with 3 types having numbers in the cancellation bars that give a clue to the amount of business that the post office had done in the year before the handcancel was issued to that post office. A “1” meant that the office had revenues up to $100. In the example above the “2’ means that the office had done between $100 and $200 worth of business in 1904.
This type of cancel was initially cataloged by Edith Doane in the 1950s, thus the reason for the “Doane” identification. The discovery copy of the North Randolph Doane was used just 18 days before the office was discontinued on June 30, 1905.
The cancel is a Type 2 which was distributed between September 1903 and June 1905.
North Randolph joins East Albany (1906) and Holland (1905) with only 1 example known.
Reading the letter inside the envelope I found an interesting comment “Mother is feeling some what better although she isn’t very strong. The P.O. is to be discontinued the 30th of June. I am so gladfor their sakes.” (her mother and father’s sake???)
I did some basic research on the Internet which leads me to believe that the writer “Carrie” may have been the adult daughter of George W. Blodgett, who was Postmaster from February 15, 1876 to June 30, 1905.
There are now true Doanes known from 144 different Post Offices with two Doane mimics known from Wheelock. Basin Harbor and Harvey each used 2 different type of Doanes.
If you are interested in learning more about Doane the best place to begin is on-line at http://www.doanecancel.com. Bill Lizotte is the Vermont coordinator for Doane cancels.
