Letters: Windows to the Past

Claudia Collier-Seiter and David M. Seiter

Perhaps a modern President will leave his written correspondence or his memoirs for posterity.  This, however, would pale in comparison to the volumes of personal correspondence by the early founders, such as John and Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson.  Because of these letters, historians today have a better grasp of the thoughts and aspirations of these people. 

Perhaps the most heart-rendering use of the letters of common people was displayed in the PBS Civil War special by Ken Burns.  Burns brought Americans in touch with the heartache of the Civil War through the use of a soldier’s love letter to his wife.  The authors have recently uncovered their own Civil War letter of a great-great uncle writing home to his mother to make sure that his property and funeral arrangements are taken care of as he sits in an army hospital waiting to die of wounds inflicted on the battlefield. 

Letters from past eras will also enable the reader to grasp a fuller understanding of the contributions of minorities.  For example, Mary Bethune’s letters or the letter of a 25 year-old African-American woman to Eleanor Roosevelt offer this opportunity.

Letters, especially those written to family members, not only communicate ideas of an age gone by but help make students aware of their personal connections to history. 

2.  Increase students’ analytical skills through the use of primary sources.

3.  Increase students’ understanding of minority issues through the use of letters.

2.  Explain how letters can be a tool for historians in discovering what people were thinking five, ten, fifty, or one hundred years ago.

2.  Once all have read it ask them the following questions: 

a.  What is the approximate year of the letter?  (Handout I-1912; II-1941.) 
b.  How can they tell?  (Were there specific events that were mentioned?)
c.  What is the geographic location of the writer?  (Handout I- Utah; II-New Orleans.)
d.  Describe briefly what you think this woman’s life would be like?  Back this up with examples from the reading.
e.  Are there any particular issues of the time period that are addressed?  If so, what are they? 

Note: The Date and Geographic Location for Handout III is 1845, and Massachusetts.  For Handout IV, it is 1880-1902 and was usually written from a variety of locations from Calamity Jane to her daughter.

Upon completing the research the student will then assume the role of the famous individual and write a letter to anyone expressing their attitudes and/or beliefs on issues from their life.

Carrie Chapman Catt
Emma Goldman
Alice Paul
Emily Post
Jane Addams
Clara Bow
Edna St. Vincent Millay
Isadora Duncan
Margaret Sanger
Eleanor Roosevelt
Jeannette Rankin
Willa Cather
Nan Britton
Bessie Smith
Lilian Gish
Gloria Swanson
A Ziegfield Girl
Fannie Brice
Aimee Semple McPherson
Georgia O’Keeffe
Gertrude Ederle
Zelda Fitzgerald
Madge Oberholtzer
Belle Moskowitz

Do you remember, I wrote you of a little baby boy dying?  That was my own little Jamie, our first little son.  For a long time my heart was crushed.  He was such a sweet, beautiful boy.  I wanted him so much.  He died of erysipelas.  I held him in my arms till the last agony was over.  Then I dressed the beautiful little body for the grave.  Clyde is a carpenter; so I wanted him to make the little coffin.  He did it every bit, and I lined and padded it, trimmed and covered it.  Not that we couldn’t afford to buy one or that our neighbors were not all that was kind and willing; but because it was a sad pleasure to do everything for our little first-born ourselves. 

As there had been no physician to help, so there was no minister to comfort, and I could not bear to let our baby leave the world without leaving any message to a community that sadly needed it.  His little message to us had been love, so I selected a chapter from John and we had a funeral service, at which all our neighbors for thirty miles around were present.  So you see, our union is sealed by love and welded by a great sorrow. 

Little Jamie was the first little Stewart.  God has given me two more precious sons.  The old sorrow is not so keen now.  I can bear to tell you about it, but I never could before.  When you think of me, you must think of me as one who is truly happy.

I have the best, kindest neighbors and I have my dear absent friends.  Do you wonder I am so happy?  When I think of it all, I wonder how I can crowd all my joy into one short life.  I don’t want you to think for one moment that you are bothering me when I write you.  It is a real pleasure to do so.  You’re always so good to let me tell you everything.  I am only afraid of trying your patience too far.  Even in this long letter I can’t tell you all I want to; so I shall write you again soon.  Jerrine will write too.  Just now she has very sore fingers.  She has been picking gooseberries, and they have been pretty severe on her brown little paws. 

With much love to you, I am 
“Honest and truly” yours, 
Elinore Rupert Stewart

Authors Note: The spelling and punctuation are taken as written by the original author.

Mrs. F.D. Roosevelt 
Dear Mrs. 
I’m a Negro girl of 25 yrs.  I’m sick.  I been sick 4 months.  I’m in need of food and closes.  I don’t have any relative at all so help me.  I hop I’m not asking so much of you, but I hop you would help me, Mrs. Roosevelt.  I’m righting you this morning I dont have food for the day.  I gose to the hospital.  The dr say all my sickes is from not haveing food. 

I was working on the NYA (National Youth Administration) . . . I work there 10 month.  The lad me off because I was sick and diden give me nothing to live off after tune me off . . . They was so hard every time I get a job I get sick but I try to keep them anyway but after all I lose them.  Mrs. Roosevelt I’m rooming with a old lade she dont have a husban.  She give me food when she have it but she dont have it all the time.  I own her 5 month rent now.  She have to pay rent her silf.  She was asking me when I was going to pay her.  If I dont have nobody to go to for help and no where to go what I going to do if she put me out.

Could you do something for me help me to fine something.  Tell me what to do if you could give me some to do in the hospital or in a hotel or any where I will do it.  i will take a day job are a night job anything.  Please help me.  You can see I’m in need of help Mrs. Roosevelt.  Will you please help me.  You can see I help me I can live much longer without food.-have lot of micine to take I do take it but it wont do me any good without food and if the lady put me out I just no I will die because I dont have no where to go . . . Mrs. Roosevelt if you can get me ajob in the post office anywhere it will do.  Please wright at once as soon as you can.  I be looking for a letter from you. 

Please do what every you can for me.  I’m in need of help bad . . . Thank you.  Your kindes will never be foregoting. 
Yours sincerely, 
Mabel Gilvert

So you think very highly of Mr McCoy, even so do I thoug I never was bery much acquainted with him, when in Lowell.  But I do think it is too bad that he is a Grahamite though he thinks it is perfectly right.  harlow was here last eve, he is the same old sixpence as ever, just as silly and flat as ever, he says he has given up singing for the future.  Mr Stimson (?) talks of going to Manchester to work very soon, and if he does I am afraid we shall have no singing, for there is no one we can have for a leader.  Do write soon.

Adieu now from your friend Lura

Your picture brought back all the years I have lived with your Father and recalled how jealous I was of him.  I feel like writing about him tonight so i will tell you some things you should know.  I met James Butlet Hickock, ‘Wild Bill’, in 1870 near Abeline, Kansas.  I heard a buch of outlaws planning to kill him.  I couldn’t get to where my horse was so I crawled on my hands and knees through the brush past the outlaws for over a mile and reached the old shack where he was staying that night.  I told him and he hid me back of the door while he shot it out with them.  They hit him, cutting open the top of his head and then they heard him fall and lit matches to see if he was dead.  Bill killed them all.  I’ll never forget what he looked like with blood running down his face while he used two guns.  He never aimed and I guess he was never known to have missed anyone he aimed at, I mean wanted to kill, and he only shot in self-defence.  Athen he was quite sure.  I nursed him several days and then while on the trip to Abeline we met Rev.  Sipes and Rev. Warren and we were married.  There will be lots of fools doubt that but I will leave you plenty of proof that we were.  You were not a woods colt Janey.  Don’t let any of those pusgullied ever get busy with that lie . . . 

Don’t let jealousy get you Janey.  It kills love and all the nice things in life.  It drove your father from me.  When I lost him I lost everything I ever loved except you.  I gave him a divroce so he could marry Agnes Lake.  i was trying to make amends for the jealous times and my spells of meanness.  If she had loved him she would have come out here with him but she didn’t and I was glad to have him again even if he was married and she was so far away.  I always excused our sin by knowing he was mine long before he was hers.  A man can love two women at one time.  He lover her and still he loved me.  he loved me because of you Janey.

Payne, Karen.  Between Ourselves: Letters Between Mothers and Daughters 1750-1982.  London: M. Joseph, 1983. 

Robinson, Harriet H.  Loom and Spindle or Life Among the Early Mill Girls.  Kailua, Hawaii: Press Pacifica, 1976. 

Stewart, Elinore Pruitt.  Letters of a Woman Homesteader.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1961. 

Claudia Collier-Seiter is currently Social Studies Department Chair at Layton High School, Layton, Utah.  She also serves on the governing board of the Bill of Rights Education Collaborative.

David M. Seiter is President of the Utah Council for the Social Studies and is Social Studies Department Chair at Northridge High School, Layton, Utah.