Poppy

I have written about my grandfather often here on the blog. You can find some of those posts here, here, here and here. He was a collector at heart. Autographs, model trains, baseball cards, toy banks, stamps, books - you name it, he had a pile.

I came across a copy of Charles Lindbergh's "We" this morning, and found this letter inside:

So many pieces here. My grandfather was an avid Lindbergh collector, with several signed pieces and hundreds of books. He was also professed to know the real story of the Lindbergh kidnapping, though those details were never related to me.

The letter is also a nostalgic reminder of the way the used book business used to operate; lots and lots of correspondence. A letter to inquire about the availability of a book, a reply to indicate that it is available along a with a quoted price, another reply with payment and finally the book would be dispatched. I still remember our family selling books in the fashion. There was a brief period where we would ship out floppy disks with our entire catalog attached, but it wasn't long before we started listing online and via email. And so the world was changed.

It's also fascinating to note that the letter comes from the famous Strand Bookstore in New York, with a typed signature of the founder Benjamin Bass.

So glad I found this.

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To Our Graduate

Small letter in envelope:

Walter Hillis

To our graduate

To remind you of your visit to Scotland and to make you want to go again.

With love,
Ann

Found in "A Book of Scotland" edited by G.F. Maine. Published by Collins, 1956.
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From The Author

Typed letter, dated May 10, 1950:

Dear Miss Hopson,

Thank you for your letter of April fifth.

I am very glad to hear you enjoyed The Peabody Sisters of Salem. I consider your letter an especial compliment, coming from a person in your position who has a chance to read some many fine books.

Thank you so much.


Sincerely,
Louise Hall Tharp

Found in "The Peabody Sisters of Salem" by Louise Hall Tharp. Published by Little, Brown and Co., 1950.

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Small Town Politics

Letter from the Democratic State Committee of New York, dated December 4, 1939:

Dear Miss Young:

Just a line to tell you that I am indeed delighted that you were reelected Town Clerk, and may I extend heartiest congratulations and best wishes for your continued success in office.

Sincerely yours,
James A. Farley

Found in "R.F.D." by Charles Allen Smart. Published by W.W. Norton, 1938.

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Write Your Grandma

 Letter:

Dear Grama and Grandpa,

Thanks for remembering my birthday and being so kind as to send me a present.

I'm going to be taking my road test in late July and soon as I can get enough money together, I'll be up to see you with my new car.

We bought a house and by the Fourth of July we hope to be moved into it. It's hard moving away from all your friends that you've known for 14 years, but at the same time it's fun to start all over again in a new neighborhood.

Take car of your selves and be sure to let everyone know I miss them.

Love

Carl

Found in "Many Are The Hearts: The Agony and Triumph of Ulysses S. Grant" by Richard Goldhurst. Published by Reader's Digest Press, 1975.

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Chasing Hens

Letter, in original envelope, dated December 29, 1905, Cotati, California. I've left most of the spelling and grammar errors intact:

Dear Daughter

We are well at present and hope this will find you all well I was very much surprised I drove down to the pos office to day and got three or four letters and some other male and came back and Ma was out to the Carige House and I drove in gave her the male and while I was caring for the Horse looked over the letters and sed one was from you that was a big surprise but we are glad to hear from you all and it is rather hard for me to write now but I will try and answer the letters if any of thim write.

Now it May be you would like to know what we are doing we are chasing Hens we get 20 cents for Eggs to day we have 250 laying hens we moved them from our other plase at Petaluma and they stop laying but they are comencing to lay now they have plenty of green gras now we did not get any early rane and feed is late and hens hant dun well we sold some Eggs for 5 - 1 cents.

We have one Cow and one Hors he is A Hamiltonan and a good farm Horse & A good rodester and he makes thing fly some times he stands 17 hands high and often gets his head out of my reach he is A dark bay and rather good looking Tell Mr. Cabel we think of him often and would be glad to see him.

We have A fine ranch hear the land is Good little roaling and no stone to throw at A bird there is 13 Oak trees on it they are very nice. Did we send any of you the view our House on the other plase.

We are geting Old but we do all of our one work and have no one to grumbel at us and we can tak the world easy and look after our Hens Well I will close for this time hoping to hear from you agane with love to all -

from your Father B Buckley

Found in "The History and Conquest of the Philippines" by Alden March. Published by The International Publishing Co, 1899.

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Unfinished

Letter (at the least the start of one):

1:00 Sat A.M.

My Dear Dev

Found in "The Poetical Works of John Milton" published by Crowell, no date.

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Specimens

Letter, dated 1891:

Sharon June 19, 1891

G.A. Connor

Dear Sir, Your favor of June 6 at hand. 

 

Would say in reply, my Specimen's from Zaner, Madarasz and others at hand I hereby invite you to call and examine them as you are a lover of art. 

 

I am,

Yours very truly,

W.I. Bostwick

 

Found in "The Divine Lady" by E. Barrington. Published by Grosset and Dunlap, 1925.

 

 

 

I believe the letter is referring to Charles Paxton Zaner and Louis Madarasz, famed for their handwriting and calligraphy.

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Oh, Grace

Letter:

Dear Mrs. Bartlett -

I'm sorry I can't go out tonight as I am having company and had forgotten about it.

If it is nice tomorrow will walk up to see you

I have the worse memory I know of.

Grace

Found in "Sewing Magic With Knits" by Ja Wright. Published by Arco, 1973.

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Welcome To The World

 Birth announcement with original envelope:

Announcing the arrival of

Thomas Waldron Jones

Born to:

Mr. and Mrs. Judge S. Jones

Date:

January 9, 1929

Found in "David Bushnell and his American Turtle."  No author listed, published by Saalfield, 1903.


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Pen Pal

 Letter, no envelope or date. No signature, for that matter.

I am thirteen years old. My birthday is March 2. When is your birthday?

I live with my mother, grandmother, and grandfather. We own our house.

The school I go to is Oneonta Junior high School. I'm in the seventh grade. We are going to have a long Easter vacation. It will last from April 9th to April 24th.

I have one pet, a cat named Topsy. She is almost six years old. Do you have any pets?

Do you have any hobbies? I have several. I like to collect dolls very much. Some of my dolls are from foreign countries. Collecting coins is also a hobby of mine. I have several valuable coins. Their dates are 1807, 1849, 1866, and 1879. I am trying to get coins from other countries. Every summer my minister visits Europe. He has brought me from dolls from Europe. This ear I am going to ask him to bring me some foreign coins. I also like to read books.

My mother works in a bank and my grandfather works for a railroad.

I take piano lessons. Do you play an instrument?


Would you like a pen pal from Japan?

(let me think about it awhile)

Found in "Sam and the Firely" by P.D. Eastman. Published by Beginner Books, 1958.

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Hello Mom And Dad

 Handwritten letter, dated January 16, 2009:

Hello Mom and Dad!

I'm sending out the check now, sorry for the wait. It seems a waste to not include a short letter in an otherwise empty envelope. So I will send you the letter "R." "R" is the 18th letter of the alphabet, without which I could not write my name. So you can see that it is very important - especially to me.

I'm hoping to see you both next week or so. I would like to cook something with you Mom, we can decide what, when we have a set plan. Nothing too special I am mostly interested in the practicing, and of course, the eating.

Dad, I read an article about people raising bee hives on rooftops in Manhattan, They get about 60 lbs a harvest per hive, 2 or 3 times a year. They sell it for about $10/lb. Not bad. Keeping bees in NYC is illegal, so they are constantly worried about losing their colony. There are support groups for them. Read up on bees, I think it's something easy for your to do.

Love R

Found in "Seasbiscuit" by Laura Hillenbrand. Published by Ballantine, 2002.

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Number One

Typed letter, dated February 6, 1972.

Found in (what else) "Epicenter" by Basil Jackson. Published by Norton, 1971.

Bonus: If you read the letter, you see that it was signed "Will." The author and former owner of the book left his name on all four edges:

 Thanks, Will Riker.

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Haven't More Than A Moment

Letter on Waldorf-Astoria stationery dated December 31, 1950:

New York, NY
Sunday - 31 December 1950

Dearest Mummie -

I have just put Pooh on the train for Bridgeport - we just made it from a light lunch here to Grand Central - and have a few moments before the limousine leaves for the airport. I have missed seeing you and Kit specially but what the time intervals as they are ? that it was best not to attempt the terrific trip up - not to the airport and back for the very few moments we would have been able to have.

Our stay has been most pleasant - thanks primarily to Jo. The Seymour (?) is small and not glamourous, but its ideal location for theaters, subways, trains, church, the Yacht Club plus the reasonable rates and good meal service made it a fine choice. It is good to know about although the Algonquin, next door, is probably about the same.

I'm sure Pooh will write you the details so I won't try to - haven't more than a moment left anyway - but we did have a very satisfying time together, as well as a change for Pooh. He telephoned Esther (?) Saturday evening and she was serene, with everything under control - Johnny had run into a table and two minutes before our departure had fallen in the bathroom and was bleeding from a wound over his eye (just was a scratch) but aside from this all was well at home.

We really enjoyed the two shows - 6th row center seats at one and fourth row center at "South Pacific" - so you can see how they were.

The weather seems to have improved so that it is a quite good for now. I anticipate a good New Year's evening aloft. Say hello to Kit, Martha and Josephine for me. It was very nice and thoughtful of Lucy and Alta (?) to send me a bon voyage telegram, please thank them.

Take good care of yourself darling and please don't worry if Kit can't cope with the ?? I'll fly back for it.

All my love Darling and Happy New Year

Paul

Found in "McLeod's Folly"by Louis Bromfield. Published by World Publishing, 1948.

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Pleasant Relations

Letter, dated January 24, 1912:

53 W. 126 St.

Dear Edna,

You have been such a dear helpful little lady this term so often sacrificing your own comfort for the pleasure of others that I had to just write and tell you how much I appreciated it.

You are soon to go away to a place that has been variously described as lovely - horrid - worst place of its kind - perfectly fine - so much nicer than Wadleigh and I hope that you may find it to your liking - that you will meet most congenial associates - will meet with marked success and a diploma in June 1913.

I am sending a little book as a very small souvenir of our pleasant relations together.

Wishing you increased health, strength and every blessing, I am

Yours sincerely,
Jane I. Taylor

Found in "The Jingle of a Jap" by Clara Bell Thurston. Published by Caldwell, 1908.


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Comet

Letter, dated June 20th, 1989:

Dear Jimmy,

I received an ad for this and decided to get it for you because I remembered that you wanted to find out about it. It may be more basic physics than you're interested in; I'll be glad to discuss any part of it with you if you have questions.

Best regards,
Kent

Found in "Comet" by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan. Published by Random House, 1985.

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Ninety Cents

Letter, dated February 19, 1929:

Dear Madam:

You have received several letters about the small balance on your account but you haven't paid it.

Why spoil your credit reputation for $.90
Nothing is more valuable than a good credit record. There are times when everyone needs credit so you should be very careful to protect your good name.

Send us a money order at once so we can close your account, pass clear title to the merchandise to you and report you to the Credit Association as "good pay."

Yours very truly

SPEAR & COMPANY
R.L. Jones
Collection Department

Found in "Parish's Fancy" by Walter Kellog. Published by John Day, 1929.

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His Excellency

A special treat today, but first a bit of background information. My grandfather collected just about everything. Stamps, model trains, coins, autographs, you name it. One of his favorite pieces in the collection was a document from 1862 signed by President Abraham Lincoln.

I was recently contacted by the Papers of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois about the letter, they had seen it up for sale on eBay. They requested a high quality scan of the document for their collection, so while I had it here in the shop, I thought I would share it with you:

To His Excellency The President of the U.S.,

The Undersigned request the appointment of William A. Warren of Iowa as a quartermaster in place of Capt. Rankin of Iowa, March 26th, 1862.

James F. Wilson, (Iowa Senator)
James Harlan, (later Secretary of Interior)
Jas. W. Grimes (former governor of Iowa)

-

Let the appointment of William A. Warren, as per this requested, be made.
A. Lincoln
March 27 1862

The Adjutant General will make the nomination.
Edwin M. Stanton
in place of J.W. Rankin, in red
(Nominated April 12, 62)

On the other side of the document:

342 W. 1862
Washington March 27 1862

A Lincoln His Ex.
President US

Directs appt. of Wm. A. Warren as Q.M. (Quartermaster) in place of Capt. Rankin

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Hey Ma

Letter, no date or envelope:

Ma,

Did I leave my spiral notebook on the card table? Just put it aside until I coome home - there is nothing I need for a while in it.

Would you look in the Penfield book to see if there is an Issac Penfield (b ? 1820) married to Mary Ann Allyn? Look up Allyn in the index and the number is the number of the Penfield (not page number). If no Allyn - try Allen. Are there any children? And who are parents?

Another page on Hotchkiss.
In Boughton Index
Nathaniel Van Buren m. Alice Ella Bouton
(dau. of Geo. Bouton and Eliz Hughes m. 1863)
ch. Percival b. 1884

Cornelia Van Buren m. Julius Boughton, son of Jesse Boughton and Abigail Van Valkenburgh

-Dottie

Found in "In Old Oneonta: Volume One" by Ed Moore. Published by The Upper Susquehanna Historical Society, 1962.

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Flesh And Limbs

Letter, dated July 7th, 1907 - Passaic NJ:

It has been a long long time since we have heard from you and I miss your letters more than I can tell you. Lillie has seen you since and has given you our whereabouts. She was with me one winter and how I did hate to have her go away. My old friends are few and I so seldom see them. No doubt you have more ??? to learn - that at my time in life I had chosen. Boarding House business - I do not think but know it will shorten my days. I am at it and do not know enough to get out of it. My dear Mother always worked very hard with the exception of bringing up us children. I have had to work harder and will have to keep it up to the end - for the past 4 months I have been sick and required the services of a nurse part of the time. Doctor calls it ?? caused by over work, flesh and limbs painful and badly swollen. I keep four in help. Butler and 3 girls, 20 guests in our house and extra table boarders. I have been away from Middleton two years. I want to go home very much. Can't leave until I get some one to relieve me. We have a charming home here 12 minutes from NY. My guests are mostly men that do business in NY. ? home to lunch. This business is all right if I were 35 years - when 19 years is added I am not as capable. I am now just the age of Mother when she was taken.

Found in "The Parisians: Part One" by Edward Bulwer Lytton. Published by Collier, 1901.

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