The Fish and Game Stamps of Marion County, Kansas

Stamp Production and Distribution

 

The Marion Record, located across the street from the courthouse in Marion, was selected to typeset and print the first stamps in 1940. The newspaper continued to typeset and print all the stamps issued by Marion County through 1973 (Meyers, 1991), after which time the stamps were discontinued (see Figure 18). The size of most of the stamps is similar to that of the Kansas quail stamps, although relatively unrefined printing techniques created variations in overall dimensions within and between issues over the years. Some issues were rouletted and some were perforated and again variations and compound types are to be found (Bellinghausen, 1973).

 

 

 

 

All of the stamps were printed in booklet panes of ten (2 x 5) with a tab at the top and with a couple of exceptions, they were stapled five panes to a book with plain cardboard covers (Snelling, 1991 and Sports License Records). Each year the stamps were delivered across the street to the County Clerk who entered the date the stamps were received, the quantity received and the face value of the stamps into the Marion County Record of Sports Licenses. The clerk then divided the stamps for distribution. A large number of stamps were picked up by the current Park and Lake Supervisor, to be issued from the supervisor’s office out at the lake.

Starting in 1940, a variety of small businesses located throughout the county were used as fishing stamp vendors and received stamps from the County Clerk to sell. The balance of the stamps was retained by the clerk and starting in 1943 stamps were also issued from the courthouse in downtown Marion. The Sports License Records indicate that this system was used until the stamps were discontinued, although fewer and fewer private vendors participated as the years passed and an increasing percentage of the fishing stamps sold were out of the lake office (see Table I).

 

In contrast to fishing stamp sales, the vast majority of county duck stamps were sold out of the lake office starting with the second year of issue (see Table II).

 

 

Payment was collected by the County Clerk after each book of stamps was completely sold and before additional books were distributed. At the end of each season any unsold stamps were returned to the county clerk. The number of stamps issued, the total payment collected and the number of stamps returned was recorded in the Marion County Record of Sports Licenses for each vendor. Some simple calculations reveal that the businesses received no fee for their services.

The 1940 fishing stamps were printed in black ink on red paper. They are rouletted and measure approximately 38 x 28 mm. The Sports License Records show that 1,500 stamps were printed and that they were received by the County Clerk on May 13, 1940. The clerk distributed 950 of the stamps to vendors the same day they were received. What is believed to be the first stamp sold is shown in Figure 19, used on the resident fishing license issued to Jerry Mullikin.

 

 

 

 

Since Marion County operated on a fiscal year basis at the time, the first stamps were on sale for just over one month when they were replaced by the 1940-41 issue on June 30. A total of 903 of the 1940 fishing stamps were sold, most of which were issued on or before opening day (see Table III for quantities of fishing stamps printed and sold). The records show that Mullikin ran out of stamps several times on May 26. It is now known that these events necessitated a hasty second printing whereby the stamps were printed on white paper in error (see Figure 21).

 

 

Subsequent to this article being published in 1993, I learned that some unused Marion County stamps were rescued from the trash after Mullikin’s home was cleaned out. These consisted of fishing stamps from the first year (1940) only. There were three loose panes of ten of the first issue on red paper; two blocks of eight of a previously unrecorded first issue stamp on white paper and five panes of the second issue on blue paper. The latter were still stapled together as part of a booklet (see Figures 20, 21 and 22). These stamps were not remainders by philatelic definition. Found along with Mulliken’s personal hunting and fishing licenses, copies of the first Park and Lake Rules and Regulations and various newspaper clippings pertaining to the opening of the Park and Lake, it is believed that Mullikin kept these stamps as a memento. The caretaker had the same purpose in mind when she saved the items from destruction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first year was quite successful for the new Marion County Park and Lake as indicated by Jerry Mullikin’s report shown in Figure 23. It should noted that the lake attracted fishermen from 19 different states; from as far west as California and as far east as New York.