Ellen and Mary E. Ware Papers

Scope of collection

Of the 43 letters addressed to the Wares, six are addressed to Ellen from her sister Sarah, her brother Charly, and sister-in-law Philinda. The other 37 are addressed to Mary E., and come from the Smiths in Michigan, or George H. Clark in Northampton, Massachusetts.

The early letters, dated 1862-1864, contain information about the children and professions of the family members. In a letter marked "private" Sarah describes a recipe for a medication to cure a potentially fatal condition that is plaguing Ellen. In addition to daily activities there is a significant discussion surrounding the draft for the Civil War. Philinda writes to Ellen often of her feelings of worry that either of their husbands will be called to serve. Sarah even expresses her feelings of guilt that she wants to keep her husband safe, calling herself "most unpatriotic." Not only do the women openly discuss their feelings, Charly contributes as well, but his comments relate to the impossibility of raising the money to be exempt from the war.

In the later letters, the earliest in 1873 and the latest in 1877, the focus moves to a younger generation. The group that is corresponding are all between the ages of 15 and 20 during the time that their letters were written. Eva, Willie, and George write about their daily lives, school, work, and social activities. From the letters and books they read a great deal can be extracted on the level of education that these teenagers received. Because the letters are addressed to Mary little is known of her, however, much can be learned about her friends.

Evelyn goes into depth about the classes she is taking, and spares no detail describing her young teachers and their school day. She also discusses social activities that she has or will be attending, including Fourth of July celebrations and the Centennial. As Eva grows up, the progression in her penmanship is visible and she begins to write more about teaching others rather than learning herself.

William is a more complex person who never quite adjusted to his move to Michigan. He spends most of his time ill and alone, and he has very few, if any, friends. He is taken for days and weeks at a time with colds and severe headaches that are so painful he can barely see. He describes remedies that he tries to relieve his symptoms, but none seem to offer a more permanent solution. He is a student for a short period of time, but later moves on to agricultural work where the land and his horses occupy him.

George writes to Mary E. often about events in Northampton, including social and news worthy activities. He discusses the town he lives in and the work he is performing there. From his letters a good sense of Northampton can be gained. George and Willie both discuss the temperance movement that is beginning to find popularity in the U.S. Willie discusses the movement in Michigan, noting that there were over 1,600 members in his community alone.

Overall, the collection is a window into the lives of young people in America in the late 19th century. Along with detailed descriptions of education and social events, a significant amount of gossip is communicated too. The featured writers are young and involved in intimate relationships with one another, so they discuss various topics, such as girls at school, sneaking in past curfew, and which of their friends should marry.

Inventory