Calvin Fairbank “For the 47…” covers

Rev. Calvin Fairbank was an abolitionist from New York state who was twice convicted in Kentucky for his work with the Underground Railroad. In prison, he was singled out for harsh treatment, including extreme overworking and regular flogging. Still he persevered, and it is believed that he played a key role in freeing forty-seven Southern slaves.

For these covers from @McGeekiest Cachets, I processed a period map of the eastern United States, overlaid with the known routes of the Underground Railroad. In a script font, "For the 47…" appears in the upper-left in memory of his rescue of his fellow human beings prior to the Emancipation Proclamation.

For postage, I used a 2015 Star-Spangled Banner booklet single (Scott #4855) to honor his patriotism. The stamps are cancelled with a "Fairbank Station" pictorial postmark reading "Rev. Calvin Fairbank, 1816 – 1898, Abolitionist" from his hometown of Angelica, New York, 14709 dated November 3, 2016.