Rutherfordton, NC, April 9, 1855, a letter of grief or mourning cover from Rutherfordton in Rutherford County. The envelope was posted April 9, 1855 and is the earliest recorded mourning cover from North Carolina. The 2.5 mm Black Border on the cover indicates someone had died and the writer was in mourning for their death. Queen Victoria of England is attributed as making mourning covers popular during her reign from 1837-1901. The latest known North Carolina mourning cover is 1934.
