Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

This collection is made up of 8 letters that Constance and Samuel C. Lewis wrote to his mother, Elizabeth Lewis of Springfield, Pennsylvania, about life in Iowa in the late 1850s. They commented on farm work, their sons, and their health.

This collection is made up of 8 letters that Constance and Samuel C. Lewis wrote to his mother Elizabeth Lewis, of Springfield, Pennsylvania, about their life in Iowa in the late 1850s. Constance wrote regularly to her mother-in-law from September 9, 1858-November 27, 1859, while living in Trenton, Iowa. Samuel contributed to 3 of his wife's letters. The Lewis family owned a farm that produced rye, wheat, and Hungarian grass, and the letters often concern farm labor, hired hands, livestock, agricultural production, and the cost of goods. Constance thanked her mother-in-law and acquaintances for gifts and discussed housekeeping issues, such as wallpapering, and her work on the farm. She often reported news of her sons, Johnny and William, and of her neighbors.

This collection is made up of letters written by members of the Folsom family of Urbana, New York, between 1826 and 1857. Siblings Emily Folsom (later Brundage), Charles A. Folsom, and Lewis G. Folsom wrote about aspects of life in antebellum Mississippi and about Lewis Folsom's involvement in an 1850 invasion of Cuba.

This collection is made up of 9 letters written by members of the Folsom family of Urbana, New York, between 1826 and 1857. Siblings Emily Folsom (later Brundage), Charles A. Folsom, and Lewis G. Folsom wrote about aspects of life in antebellum Mississippi, and about Lewis Folsom's involvement in an invasion of Cuba.

Lewis G. Folsom wrote 3 letters to James and Emily Brundage, his sister and brother-in-law, between 1835 and 1839, and 1 letter to Zebulon P. Brundage, his nephew, in 1851. He provided news of his life in Brandon, Mississippi; shared his desire to move to Texas; and described his travels in the South. In his letter of July 9, 1835, he wrote at length about a recent African American uprising in a nearby county, and mentioned its effects on the local white community. In his final letter, he discussed his involvement in Narciso López's failed invasion of Cuba in 1850.

Letters by Charles A. Folsom, Lewis P. Brundage, and Emily V. Folsom concern various aspects of the writers' lives and travels, including journeys within Iowa and from Mississippi to New York. In his letter of June 5, 1857, Lewis P. Brundage told his brother Hiram of an encounter with a large group of Mormon pioneers heading for Salt Lake City.

This collection is comprised of 3 letters that Joe Emerson wrote to his cousin, Julius H. Shreve of Lincolnville, Pennsylvania, while living and working in Black Hawk, Colorado, between April 1884 and April 1885. Emerson commented on aspects of his life in the West, such as wages, health, and separation from his family back East.

This collection is comprised of 3 letters that Joe Emerson wrote to his cousin, Julius H. Shreve of Lincolnville, Pennsylvania, while living and working in Black Hawk, Colorado, between April 1884 and April 1885. Emerson commented on aspects of his life in the West, such as wages, health, and separation from his family back East.

Emerson frequently wrote about the physical effects of high altitude and his overall health. He also provided descriptions of the scenery and weather near his worksite, which was located on a mountain outside of Black Hawk. The heavy snowfall and winter storms made his work difficult. He remarked on the effects of separation from his wife and family, and shared his desire to return home in his last letter of February 5, 1885. Although Emerson never explicitly discussed the nature of his work, he speculated about his wages and expressed optimism about the amount of money he could earn in Colorado, "the land of gold & silver."

This collection contains 31 letters that John M. Stevens and his daughters wrote to his sister, Emma Stevens Kelsey, from 1869-1880. The Stevens family commented on farm life in Rosalia, Kansas.

This collection (33 items) contains 31 letters that John M. Stevens and his daughters wrote to his sister, Emma Stevens Kelsey, from 1869-1880. The Stevens family commented on farm life in Rosalia, Kansas.

John M. Stevens wrote 26 letters to Emma and Levi Kelsey: 2 from Eagleville, Pennsylvania (1869), and 24 from Rosalia, Kansas (1870-1880). While in Eagleville, Stevens considered moving west. After November 1870, Stevens reported on farm life in Kansas, where he raised corn, turnips, potatoes, buckwheat, and other crops, as well as livestock such as hogs. Stevens provided news of his wife and children and described his quarrels and relationships with nearby farmers, including a dispute with a man named Henry regarding a fire. On one occasion, Stevens complained about the poor quality of an itinerant schoolteacher. Stevens lamented the lack of work available in the rural Midwest and often mentioned Kansas settlers' poor financial position. In his final letters, he commented on the controversy surrounding the potential appointment of a female postmistress and on the possibility of purchasing another farm.

The remaining correspondence includes 2 letters that Robert Martin, a mutual acquaintance, wrote to the Kelsey family about the Stevens family's health in September 1870, as well as personal letters from Dora, Ida, and Emma Stevens to their aunt and uncle. The girls provided news of their father's health and mentioned their employment.