Correspondences
New Orleans passenger list 1914:
Meister draft registration 1917:
Meister at Holyoke 1926-33:
Meister at St. Louis hospital 1933:
Meister death certificate 1945:
Meister gravestone: San Fernando Cemetary #2, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas.
Known, but we have no image: 14 July 1921
Three different 1d ovpt. stamps and the French 5c and 10c ovpts
Registered cover to "Monsieur Léonard Meister", Amarillo, Texas.
Known, but we have no image: ?? ??? 1922
6d - 3d paying the overseas rate and 3d the registration.
Registered cover to Texas redirected to Kansas. "Registered Sydney" d/s on reverse.
Seen in an old Chris Rainey direct sale list.
Known, but we have no image: 2 September 1925
2F 1912 French stamp.
Registered cover to Delia but forwarded.
Seen as a Chris Rainey offer in 2011.
Léonard Meister was a priest at St. Patrick's church in Holyoke, Phillips County, Colorado, USA from 1925 to 1934.
He had a steady mail connection with the New Hebrides and sometimes other islands. We
now know of 38 covers from the New Hebrides to him, the first dated 14 September
1920 and the last 22 February 1932. About the first half of the covers showed different addresses and
were often forwarded. The later covers went to Holyoke, Colorado.
A Meister cover is known from Nauru in 1922, and there are reports of more from PNG
and Fiji. Please report more known Meister covers. The latest cover I found so far is shown
at the bottom of the page: 28 August 1937 from the Solomon Islands to a Denver, Col. address.
From: "The Germans in Trinidad" (Anthony de Verteuil, Port of Spain, Trinidad 1994): He was at St. Mary's College in Trinidad from 1893-1895. ..... Leonard Meister, born in Bavaria, belonged to the order of St. Augustine. He was ordained in 1898 and came to Trinidad
from Dominica. He worked in Couva, Erin, La Brea, Mayaro and Maraval, from 1911 to 1915.
According to the New Orleans index to passenger lists he was born on 24th February 1873 in Egenhofen, Germany and came from Trinidad to New Orleans.
The 1920 U.S. census shows him in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas.
A draft registration from Sept. 12, 1918 exists from St. Louis, Missouri.
The death certificate shows that Leonard Meister died on 28 November 1945 in San Antonio, Tex.
I wonder if there are any more covers from the New Hebrides from 1932 to 1937.
30 May 2012: I found a wonderful article on L. Meister from Dr. Eric M. Bateson of Australia published in the
British Caribbean Philatelic Journal Vol. 51, No. 4 Page 11.
You can download the article here: Dr. Eric M. Bateson: The Rev. Meister Mystery
14 September 1920
Cover front with block of four 25c. tied with PCH 7, to Amarillo, Texas with the US purple
handstamp REGISTRED and black number. ("SeSi" collection)
11 February 1921
5½d - correct, overseas rate 3d and registration 2½d.
Registered cover to "Rev. Leonard Meister", Amarillo, Texas,
with 1911 British ½d and 5d tied with Goyns-Klinger type PM4 cds. Backstamped Sydney
Registered on ?3 February 1921 and Amarillo April 6, 1921. ("JGI" coll.)
11 February 1921
Registered cover to "Monsieur Leonard Meister", Amarillo, Texas,
with 1911 British 6d tied with Goyns-Klinger type PM4 cds. Backstamped Sydney
Registered on 23 February 1921 and Amarillo April 6, 1921. The Vila
cancel is of the "FE" mirrored type. (Klinger coll.)
14 June 1921
5½d - correct, overseas rate was 3d and
registration was 2½d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur Léonard Meister", Amarillo, Texas,
with 1911 British 1d, 2d and 2½d tied with Goyns-Klinger type PM4 cds.
Sydney (27 June 1921), San Francisco (19 July 1921) cds transit cancels and
Amarillo (23 July 1921) receiving cancel on reverse. (Ruecker coll.)
14 June 1921
3x1d 102 overprints and 5c & 10c overprints- underpaid 1d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur Léonard Meister", Amarillo, Texas.
22 September 1921
5d - correct, overseas rate was 3d and
registration was 2½d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur Léonard Meister", Amarillo, Texas,
with 1910 British 5d stamp tied with Goyns-Klinger type PM4 cds.
Seen in a 2002 Chris Rainey offer.
3 February 1922
6d - 3d paying the overseas rate and 3d the registration.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Amarillo, Texas,
with 1911 or 1921 British ½d, 1d, 2d, and 2½d tied with Goyns-Klinger type PM4 cds.
Registration handstamp PCH type R1. (Klinger coll.)
3 February 1922
(new 5/2020)
6d paying the non-colonial letter rate for a 20g letter and 3d registration.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Amarillo, Texas.
Image thanks to Cover Story London Ltd.
29 May 1922
6d - 3d paying the overseas rate and 3d the registration.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Amarillo, Texas,
with 1911 or 1921 British 1d, 2d and the 1d and 2d overprints tied with Goyns-Klinger type PM4 cds.
Registration handstamp PCH type R1. Bckstamped Sydney registered 12 June 1922, San
Francisco 3 July 1922 and Amarillo Texas 7 july 1922. (Klinger coll.)
25 January 1923
6d - We suppose: correctly prepaid as overseas rate was 3d and
registration was 3d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Leavenworth, Kansas, forwarded to Wichita,
with 1921 British 6d tied with Goyns-Klinger type PM4 cds.
Sydney (12 February 1923), Chicago (17 March 1923) and Leavenworth (19 March 1923)
cds transit cancels and Wichita (20 March 1923) receiving cancel on reverse.
(Klinger coll.)
8 October 1923
6d - correctly prepaid as overseas rate was 3d and registration was 3d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Dorrance, Kansas with the 1921 French 2d provisional, the 1921 English 1d provisional and the 1921 wmk CA 1d and 2d
stamps cancelled with Goyns-Klinger type PM 4. Registratikon label GK type NR2A with #339.
8 October 1923 -NEW-
6d - correctly prepaid as overseas rate was 3d and registration was 3d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Dorrance, Kansas with the 1921 French 2d provisional, the 1921 English 1d provisional and the 1921 wmk CA 1d and 2d
stamps cancelled with Goyns-Klinger type PM 4. Registratikon label GK type NR2A with #341.
(Image thanks to Yorkshire Cover Auctions Sept 2017 auction lot 130
5 November 1923
6d - 3d paying the overseas rate and 3d the registration.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Dorrance, Kansas,
with 1911 British 6d tied with Goyns-Klinger type PM4 cds. Registration label
PCH type R2 with #355. (Priester coll.)
2 June 1924
2F 30c - We now know what this means:
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Dorrance, Kansas, forwarded to Leavenworth,
with the 1921 French 10c on 5d and the 20c on 30c (RF watermark) provisionals in
combination with the 1913 2Fr tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM4 cds, with the Type R2 registration label
#871. Seattle transit cds (27 July 1924) and Leavenworth receiving cds (1 August 1924)
on reverse.
By 1924, the franc had slipped to 95 francs to the pound. Thus, a franc was worth 2.5263d
and the 2fr30c was 5.81d, close enough to the 6d required for 3d postage and 3d registration
that a counter clerk at the Vila PO (without a calculator!) would have accepted it as correct.
Indeed, the fluctuating rate might have made it even closer on a given day.
(Treadwell coll.)
3 October 1924
6d - We suppose: correctly prepaid as overseas rate was 3d and
registration was 3d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Leavenworth, Kansas, forwarded to Delia,
with 1924 British 1d and 3d overprints in combination with the 1921 British 2d
tied with PCH type 8 cds. Registration cachet PCH type R4 with #216.
Sydney (16 October 1924), Seattle, (Term. Sta.), Wash (15 November 1924) cds transit cancels and
Leavenworth, Kansas (18 November 1924) receiving cancel on reverse. (Ruecker coll.)
3 October 1924
1F 10c - We must look at the currency conversion in 1924
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Leavenworth, Kansas, forwarded to Delia,
with 1924 French 10c, 30c & 50c overprints in combination with the 1911 French 20c
tied with PCH type 8 cds. Registration cachet PCH type R4 with #216.
Sydney (16 October 1924), Seattle, (Term. Sta.), Wash (15 November 1924) cds transit cancels and
Leavenworth, Kansas (18 November 1924) receiving cancel on reverse. (Seen on Ebay 2009)
6 January 1925
1/- - We suppose: overpaid by 4d or 1d as overseas rate was 3d, maybe 6d for
the next weight and registration was 3d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Delia, Kansas,
with 1911 British 1/- tied with PCH type 8 cds. Registration cachet
PCH type R4 with #384. (Klinger coll.)
6 January 1925
5d - We suppose: underpaid by 1d as overseas rate was 3d and
registration was 3d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Delia, Kansas,
with 1911 British 5d tied with PCH type 8 cds. Registration cachet
PCH type R4 with #386. (Klinger coll.)
A busy day: maybe there is #385 somewhere too, Roland
6 February 1925
6d - We suppose: correctly prepaid as overseas rate was 3d and
registration was 3d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Delia, Kansas, with a block of four
1924 British 1d overprints in combination with the 1921 British 2d tied with PCH
type 8 cds. Registration cachet PCH type R4 with #396. Does this mean that they
had ten registered covers in one month?
Sydney (2 March 1925), San Francisco (30 March 1925) cds transit cancels on
reverse. (Goron coll.)
6 February 1925
5d x 4 - We suppose: overpaid as overseas rate was 3d and
registration was 3d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Delia, Kansas, with a block of four
1924 British 5d overprints. (old auction)
6 February 1925
17 April 1925
3d 60c - maybe overweight overseas rate 60c, registration 3d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Delia, Jackson Co(untry), Kansas,
with 1911 British ½d, 1d, 2d and 2½d tied with PCH type 8 cds.
Registration cachet PCH type R4 with #16. (Klinger coll.)
17 April 1925
6d - overseas rate 3d, registration 3d.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Delia, Jackson Co(untry), Kansas,
with 1911 British ½d, 1d, 2d and 2½d tied with PCH type 8 cds.
Registration cachet PCH type R4 with #17. (Klinger coll.)
2 September 1925
2F - We suppose: overweight cover with stamps for Mr. Meister.
Registered cover to "Mr L. Meister", first to Delia but forwarded (?) to 37 N.Broadview St.,
Kansas City, Kansas, with 1911/12 French 2F stamp tied with PCH type 8a cds.
Registration cachet PCH type R6 with #124. Multiple backstamps. (seen at Ebay)
2 September 1925
1f20c - We suppose: overweight cover with stamps for Mr. Meister.
Registered cover to "Mr L. Meister", first to Delia but forwarded (?) to 37 N.Broadview St.,
Kansas City, Kansas, with 1911/12 French 30c, 40c and 50c stamps tied with PCH type 8a cds.
Registration cachet PCH type R6 with #123. Multiple backstamps. (seen at Ebay)
2 September 1925
"1f20c - third one to Mr. Meister.
Registered cover to "Mr L. Meister", first to Delia but forwarded (?) to 37 N.Broadview St.,
Kansas City, Kansas, with 1911/12 French 20c, 25c and 75c stamps tied with PCH type 8a cds.
Registration cachet PCH type R6 with #121. Multiple backstamps. (seen at Ebay)
2 September 1925
"1F15c - fourth one to Mr. Meister on this day.
Registered cover to "Mr L. Meister", first to Delia but forwarded (?) to 37 N.Broadview St.,
Kansas City, Kansas, with 1911/12 French 5c, 10c and 1F stamps tied with PCH type 8a cds.
Registration cachet PCH type R6 with #122. Multiple backstamps. (seen at Ebay)
22 September 1925
9d - We suppose: overweight cover 6d and 3d paying the registration.
Registered cover to "Mr L. Meister", 37 N.Broadview St., Kansas City, Kansas,
with 1924 British 1d, 3d and 5d overprints tied with PCH type 8 cds. Registration cachet
PCH type R6 with #150. Handstamp "forwarded" on front. (Klinger coll.)
xx February(?) 1926
?? February(?) 1926
Seen at a London Stamp Exchange auction.
20 July 1926
1f20c - We suppose: maybe 70c overseas rate for a double weight
letter (?)
and 50c for the registration.
Registered cover to "Mr. L. Meister", Holyoke, Colorado with 1925 French definitives
totalling 1F20c tied by PCH type 8 cds. (Goron coll.)
20 July 1926
1f10c - We suppose: maybe 60c overseas rate for a double weight
letter (?)
and 50c for the registration.
Registered cover to "Mr. L. Meister", Holyoke, Colorado with 1925 French definitives
totalling 1F10c tied by PCH type 8 cds. ("SeSi" collection)
27 September 1926
1f25c - We suppose: maybe 70c overseas rate for a double weight
letter(?) plus 50c for the registration - overpaid 5c?
Registered cover to "Mr. L. Meister", Perry, Kansas, forwarded to Holyoke, Colorado,
with 1925 British 1.25F - 1/- tied by PCH type 8 with type R6 registration cachet with #168.
Backstamped on transit in Sydney 7 OC 26, San Francisco OCT 29 1926, arrival Perry,
Kansas NOV 2 1926, redirected Perry, Kansas NOV 2 5pm 1926 (on front), Perry Kansas
NOV 2 M 1926 and arrival Holyoke NOV 4 1926 on reverse. (Namba 2 coll.)
27 September 1926
1f30c - doubleweight 80c, registration 50c ?
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Holyoke, Kansas,
with 1925 French 30c and 1F tied with PCH type 8 cds.
Registration cachet PCH type R6 with #171. (Klinger coll.)
27 October 1926
1f15c - no idea on the rates so far.
Registered cover to "Mons. L. Meister", Holyoke, Kansas,
with 1925 French 5c, 10c, 25c and 75c tied with PCH type 8 cds.
Registration cachet PCH type R6 with #188.
Handstamp on front "Received in bad condition at Seattle, (Term. Sta.) Wash." (Klinger coll.)
27 October 1926
1f10c - no idea on the rates so far.
Registered cover to "Mons. L. Meister", Holyoke, Kansas,
with 1925 French 20c, 40c and 50c tied with PCH type 8 cds.
Registration cachet PCH type R6 with #189.(Klinger coll.)
18 December 1926
60c - We suppose: 30c postage plus 30c registration - underpaid
as the overseas surface rate rose to 50c in 1924 and registration was raised from 30c
to 50c in 1926. In British currency prior to the French inflation it would have
been correct - 3d letter rate plus 3d registration.
Registered cover to "Monsieur L. Meister", Holyoke, Colorado with 1925 French
60c tied by PCH type 8 cds. (Goron coll.)
18 December 1926
1.25f - surely doubleweight or even more Meister received many
stamps from the islands as it could be possible that he dealt with stamps besides his priest job.
Therefore his letters should have been heavy. (Treadwell coll.)
11 August 1927
(new 8/2020)
And here a newspaper clipping telling that Rev. Meister left Holyoke at the beginning of August 1927 and that's when his main series of New Hebrides letters ends
with some exceptions (at right and below) which have his handwriting and are still addressed without forwarding to his Holyoke address.
22 February 1932
3f65c - must have been a heavy letter
A very late Meister cover surfaced suddenly in 2007 after years of looking out for
"Meister" covers. Addressed to "Monsieur L. Meister", Holyoke, Colorado, USA.
Stamps cancelled with PCH type 9 cds. ("CSO" coll.)
During his time in Trinidad Meister may have been interested in philately - at least he kept his covers. I found these here in the internet:
29 October 1909
(new 25 August 2020)
A cover to Mr. Meister from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands to Montserrat, Trinidad via St. Kitts. Wrong initial "S" instead of "L".
Image thanks to Jay Smith & Associates<>/A>
29 October 1909
(new 25 August2020)
reverse: St. Kitts 4 November 1909
9 April 1910
(new 25 August 2020)
A newspaper wrapper to Rev. Meister
9 April 1911
(new 25 August 2020)
A cover to Mr. Meister from St. Kitts to Montserrat.
9 April 1911
(new 25 August2020)
reverse: Montserrat 10 April 1911
Just for fun: - five of the many "Meisters" covers from other countries.
Here from the Solomons (one extremely late: 1937), Papua New Guinea and Gilbert & Ellice Islands.
And an advertisement of his last stay (I suppose) in Denver.
21 February 1922
A cover to Mr. Meister in Amarillo from the BSIP, redirected back to Tulagi.
c/o W. I.(?) Johnston.
Picture thanks to Don Franks' BSIP study.
6 July 1925
(new 23-08-2020)
A very scarce cover from Rabaul / New Guinea to Rev. L. Meister in Delia forwarded to 37 N.Broadview St.,
Kansas City, Kansas.
Robert Benoist, past chairman Papuan Philatelic Society who sent me these images wrote:
"It is an important cover in that the two adhesives are unique used together. There are
two covers known with the 3d OS and 2 with the 4d OS, but this is the only one with both
together. The OS punctures are extremely rare used on cover and would have been affixed
by the treasurer at Rabaul as they were not available for sale to the public."
6 July 1925
(new 23-08-2020)
reverse: backstamped Rabaul 6 JL 25, Sydney Registered 20 JL 25, Seattle Wash. AUG 21 1925,
Delia Kansas AUG 24, 25 and 26 1925, Kansas City Reg. Div. AUG 26 1925, Kansas City Kaw Station AUG 27 1925 and Kansas City .
22 August 1928
(new 25 August 2020)
A 1928 cover to Mr. Meister from the Solomons to the Holyoke address. (Klinger coll.)
22 August 1928
(new 25 August 2020)
reverse: Denver registered with wrong year!
31 January 1931
A cover to Mr. Meister from the Gilbert & Ellice Islands. (Yeomans coll.)
28 August 1937
A late cover to Mr. Meister from the Solomons to a Denver address. (Klinger coll.)
28 August 1937
reverse
28 August 1937
The address of this cover.
