Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from Anna Aitken in Dunfermline to John Pitcairn, Jr. Aitken thanks Pitcairn for his kind offer to be her escort, however she is sorry to say she has already booked passage with the Cunard Line. She intends to write to Miss Franks Liverpool today, requesting that she secure a place on the Perthia, which sails on the 14th. Maria Hogan had led Aitken to expect a visit from Pitcairn, but his letter settles the question. Aitken reports that her brother’s health is now much...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from Dr. George R. Starkey in Washington to Gertrude Starkey Pitcairn. G. R. Starkey thanks Gertrude for her card. He was going to write them a letter today except that Mrs. Perinchief was going up and could act as a living letter. He wonders if she had a good time in Georgetown and hopes she made it safely to Green Street. He hopes Gertrude enjoyed Lohengrin and that her sewing is going well. He also hopes her mother’s head has “recovered it’s sensibility,” as it is “such...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from Franklin Ballou in Pittsburgh to ? (name illegible; possibly Herrin Linbrow Gunn or Gums?) in Philadlephia. Date may be 1873 or possibly 1876? Handwriting difficult to decipher. Summary: Ballou’s miserable ears are giving him so much trouble that he has almost decided to come to Philadelphia and have Dr. Turnbull (?) operate on them. This would require two operations with a day in-between, and “as there are no golden chords that would hold [him] to the city of quaker...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from Gertrude Starkey Pitcairn at “Home” to Dr. G. R. Starkey. Seal of a woman’s profile pressed into upper left corner. Gertrude updates G. R. Starkey on life at home- sickness, new babies, Christmas preparations etc. She reports that she has been staying well by going to bed early and “taking the oxygen often.” Starkey has stated that he can provide Gertude with little except for an education, but Gertrude feels he could not have done more for her wellbeing than provide...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from Gertrude Starkey Pitcairn in Philadelphia to Dr. G. R. Starkey. Gertude updates G. R. Starkey on life at home- weather, health, etc. She and her mother went to hear “Nasby” lecture last night, and “The Youngest” was received yesterday at 1638 Green St. with great pleasure. Dora ran into Mrs. Stokes and the twins while she was out on an errand, and the little girls are now getting ready to attend Mamie’s party. Gerturde is enjoying studying the times of Shakespeare and...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from Gertrude Starkey Pitcairn in Philadelphia to Dr. G. R. Starkey. Gertrude wishes Starkey could have been at Church with them this morning; Mr. Mercer preached the most beautiful and moving sermon she has ever heard. She feels that a new spiritual and intellectual plane has opened to her over the past few months. She has a new and intense desire to have more love in her heart for her fellow beings and to be led by the Lord to be as useful in the world as she can be. She...

Scope and Contents Handwritten letter from Leonard Tafel in New Brighton, NY to John Pitcairn, Jr. Tafel has received Pitcairn’s letter. He supposes they have now returned from their journey, and he hopes Mr. Benade has fully recovered from his sickness. Tafel looks forwards to Pitcairn’s advice concerning the Greek which he desires to commence in April. He writes that the plates for Matthew have arrived from Germany and that copies will be ready on the first of April. He inquires regarding Benade’s...