American Express started off as a courier express company in the year 1850 in Buffalo, NY. It was a joint merger of the express companies owned by Henry Wells, William Fargo, and John Warren Butterfield. Wells and Fargo would later split off and form their own company. Amex continued its express operations that got disrupted with the advent of railroads. The company moved forward to become synonymous with the high integrity of the Travellers Cheques. A Century ago, that meant honoring letters of credit so Americans stranded in Europe during World War One could fund their safe passage home. The revenue was mere US$ 3 million in 1950. Amex made entry much later than Diner's club cart Blanche to encash the premium end of the credit card market bearing the words "MEMBERS SINCE".