Autograph Letter Signed from St. Louis [with] Handbill for the Radical Reform Ticket in the St. Louis Election of 1868 with Handwritten Note about Woman Suffrage

[Last name unknown]: Rebecca

Published by St. Louis, Missouri, 1869

About this Item

Four page Autograph Letter Signed ("Rebecca") from St. Louis, Missouri to her sister Mrs. Eliza Doughty in New Providence, New Jersey. One leaf folded to make four pages. Small tears at the mailing folds, else near fine with original mailing envelope. Small handbill (3.5" x 8.75") is near fine with old folds. The letter addressed to her sister mentions her problems with getting her house built, of not being able to buy silk because "the article costs too much these days of war-taxes." She mentions wealthy friends who lost their entire wardrobe: "Mrs. Cheever the friend I mentioned has just lost all her nice clothes, her daughter had been very sick and a journey to a warm climate was recommended and the family. took passage on the 'Ruth' one of the finest steamers on the Mississippi, for N. Orleans. when near Vicksburg, the boat took fire, they had barely time to run ashore, all escaped but not a thing was saved, Mrs. C tells me they value their trunk of clothing at 3000 but that sum could not replace the loss." She mentions making "mush bread," because none of the local varieties of bread are "quite so good as the old fashioned Jersey kind." Aside from this Rebecca discusses family matters. Accompanied by a handbill for the Radical Reform Party, with this penciled note written around the printed matter: "Ezra handed me this yesterday morning supposed I would 'want to go to the polls', - well I may vote yet before I die - certainly should were I allowed to. The cheering news we have this morning that the entire ticket is elected, thank God for a Christian Mayor - one of our best men in a city like this. Tis very important under past rule no respect has been paid to the Sabbath." The Mayor in question, Nathan Cole, served from 1869-1871. A telling note from a woman wistful that she doesn't have the vote.

Seller Inventory # 409167

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Autograph Letter Signed from St. Louis [with] Handbill for the Radical Reform Ticket in the St. Louis Election of 1868 with Handwritten Note about Woman Suffrage
• Publisher: St. Louis, Missouri
• Publication Date: 1869
• Binding: Unbound
• Condition: Near Fine
• Seller catalogs:
  • Americana
  • Ephemera