Josephine Cranston writes a newsy letter about her studies to a friend, Emily. The year is 1851.
Josephine P. Cranston to “My dear friend Emily,” April 8, 1851 (“Home,” near Woodstock / Mechanicsburg, OH)
(A four-page friendship letter on blue laid paper in Josephine’s hand. Several authorial insertions [˄ … ] and deletions; staining and edge-loss, especially at the foot of p. 4 where the close is partly cropped. No separate address panel imaged. Datable and place-able with confidence from internal content.)
Home, April 8th A.D. 1851.
My dear friend Emily,
Many thanks to you for your kind letter, it was recieved at a time, when one could fully appreciate the value of a true friend[.] I was quite unwell, not able to attend school or pursue my studies, however at the close of a week I renewed my labors, with a desire to overtake my classes, and was under the necessity of applying myself quite closely, the examination too was drawing nigh and all are, or should be anxious to make no failures at that time, which can only be insured by close application, as [˄ step] by step we advance. Time passed on, and truly can I say, “many are the changes since last we met”; the last week of the session I was again obliged to lay aside my studies in consequence of being quite severely attacked with the billious fever, and only recovered sufficiently to read my composition at the exhibition which closed the examination. I returned home the following monday where I have remained [˄ most of the time] for the last two weeks. Now Emily you surely will forgive me for this seeming neglect, I assure you it was not forgetfulness that caused the delay, Often do I recall the many happy moments we have passed in by gone days, and look forward with pleasure to the time when we shall meet again, Much of our present enjoyment depends upon our past actions, and this teaches us an important lesson, that we should improve the present, in a manner which will will enable usin future years to recall the present with the consoling reflection that we spent the time [˄ improved our opportunities] according to the best of our knowledge. I am much pleased with your description of Marietta, and the Institution, and sometimes wish that I could be with you, surely so many advantages [˄ for recieving an education] as you are there blessed with, are desirable, and gladly would I avail myself of them, were it possible, but should we not be resigned, and think that all things will eventualy prove to be for the best? from the limited knowledge that I have of different institutions, I prefer that to all others, in consequence of the great principles upon which it is based. The Mechanicsburg school is very good and will doubtless improve, it is yet in its infancy, you are well acquainted with Mr Wilson as a friend and teacher, and Mr Henkle, I think could not be excelled by any of his age, an excellent teacher, the next session of the school commences tomorrow, they still intend to erect some new buildings this summer, I spent the winter very pleasantly. There are now two music teachers there, a lady from Springfield and a gentleman not long since from Germany, who teaches a class there, and one in Urbanna [Urbana] also, the lady has the larger class in Mechanicsburg having commenced first, but I think she will only remain during one quarter, as the gentleman seems to have the prefference as a teacher, they are neither of them connected with the school but will induce many to attend, who would otherwise go to some other institution. Ol[ive?] is boarding at Mr Chist’s [Christ’s?] and studying music with Mr Strock, she is much delighted with it. Mechanicsburg is quite a lively place[.] we have attended the town Lyceum, friday evenings during the winter which was very interesting; Mr Moulton has been and is still engaged in teaching singing school, and “oft in the stilly night when slumber’s chain had bound us,” were we awakened by the melodious notes of the serenaders[.] Mr Philips has succeeded in creating [˄ to] revivals in the church, which produced much excitement. Occasionally there were temperance meetings, &c &c[.] I found it very pleasant boarding at Mr Rathbun’s, and feel under many obligations for their kindness, I have formed quite [˄ become acquainted with] a number of acquaintances [˄ persons] whose society is very agreable, Miss Gilson is a very pleasant and intelligent young lady, she has been teaching, and the french lady who came with her from Canady [Canada], is teaching french in Urbanna [Urbana]. Miss Rat [Ratt?] is at home now[,] she was obliged to resign her school after the first quarter, in consequence of ill health, she has been very sick indeed, and I fear she will never again be restored to perfect health [˄ although she is now able to be about, and visited M[rs] a few weeks since][,] her lungs are considerable affected, and she appears [˄ consumption] seems to be slowly, terminating her life, Emily she speaks very affectionately of you, and is indeed a warm friend[.] The friendship of so amiable a person, is a bright light illuminating our path way, I intend to visit Mr Rat’s [Ratt’s?] family as soon as I can, I would like to I have not visited your relatives since last fall, and can give you no positive information concerning them, however I think Lucy’s health is improving, I recently heard, that Pearl and his family were going west on a visit, George McDonald owns and occupies the old the property which belonged to Dr Dave[nport?]
How changed is Woodstock! Most of those who with whom we associated have left and strangers have entered, the society seems to be entirely changed. Sam, Timothy, Isac [Isaac] and Zerw [Zera?] Cooledge [Coolidge] started for Oregon some two weeks since[.] I presume they are in Missoury [Missouri] ere this, and soon our western friends will renew their journey with bright anticipations, may their fondest hopes be realized, I anxiously await news from them[.] you doubtless have heard from the Dr[‘s] family occasionally, have you not? Spring has come, and with it, many a joyous through [throng] of happy dreams, gladly would I ascend those hills with you, to enjoy the picturesque scenery present in the vicinity of Marietta[.] Nature is to me an exhaustless source of pleasure, and while contemplating the beauties, of her works, my heart swells with emotions toward the great first cause, who has in wisdom created all things, and with a hand of love bestows innumerable blessings upon us. Em[,] I expect a phrenological treat when we meet, by the way have you heard from Mr Buckl[ey?] I saw him a few moments in M[—] in the winter[,] he made particular inquiry for you. Excuse me, but did I see through a glass darkly with reference to a call, and a letter? you know it appeared quite clear to me, time will prove whether I prophecied truly or not. I am a little troubled, last night I recieved a short hand journal [˄ paper] of which I can scarcely read a word, and also the Ladies Ever circulator, with but one blank left and that intended to be filled by me, I feel that it would be a great pleasure to be able to read these, but this is denied me, since I have entirely neglected fonography [phonography] in consequence of having so many other studies, however I hope, that before you hear from me again I shall have commenced the study, which has been my intention[.] as soon as I commence teaching, I think [˄ I] shall spend the summer in teaching near M[—] in that pleasant school house near Mr Runnion’s [Runions?]…
[text breaks off at page edge; close/signature not imaged]
Analysis — how Doc T fits the family
This is the richest single window we have into Josephine’s young adulthood, and it interlocks with several documents already in the archive. It’s also precisely dated and placed.
Date and place are secure, and they reposition Josephine in 1851. “Home, April 8th A.D. 1851,” with the content placing “home” near Woodstock / Mechanicsburg, Champaign County, Ohio (“How changed is Woodstock!”; the Mechanicsburg school; Urbana; Mr. Rathbun’s boarding house). So in spring 1851 Josephine was a student — attending school, sitting examinations, reading her composition at the closing exhibition, and boarding at Mr. Rathbun’s. This is the same Josephine who wrote the school compositions (C, D, Q) and the 1854 poem (S); here we see her actually in the schoolroom world, as an adult student, roughly seven years after the Louisville essay.
It confirms and dates the Oregon emigration — independently of Doc R. The standout cross-link: “Sam, Timothy, Isaac and Zera Coolidge started for Oregon some two weeks since. I presume they are in Missouri ere this.” Written April 8, 1851. This is the same emigration season as Doc R (E. Cranston’s letter from Oregon, written Nov 23 / Dec 4, 1851, describing the overland journey of 1851). Josephine, back in Ohio, is watching the wagon companies set off in spring 1851 — and one of them carried the Cranston family that would write home from the Willamette Valley that winter. Note also “Timothy” among the Coolidge party — recall Doc R mentions a “Timothy Davenport” who lost a receipt. Possibly the same Timothy, possibly not (Davenport vs. Coolidge), but worth flagging the 1851 Oregon-company overlap. This letter is effectively the Ohio bookend to the Oregon letter.
Rathbun, Moulton, Pearl, Buckley, Davenport — the recurring supporting cast is all here, and earlier than before. Several names that appear in later documents show up in 1851:
- Mr. Rathbun — Josephine boards there in 1851. In Doc N (1896) Josephine “called at Mary Rathbun’s.” The Rathbuns are a 45-year constant in her Ohio orbit.
- Mr. Moulton (singing-school teacher) — “Moulton’s” is where Mary was visiting in Doc H1 (1858); “Moulton” recurs as a family/place name in Doc N (1896). Confirmed long-standing connection.
- Pearl — “Pearl and his family were going west on a visit.” In Doc N (1896), “Pearl laughed about the water Melons.” Same family friend, surfacing 45 years apart.
- Mr. Buckley — made “particular inquiry for you”; cf. “Mr. Buckley” the creditor in the 1830 Dunworth letter (Doc B) — almost certainly a different, later Buckley, but the surname persists.
- “the Dr[‘s] family” and “Dr. Davenport” — a doctor’s family in the Woodstock orbit; “George McDonald owns… the property which belonged to Dr. Dave[nport].” Note Davenport again (cf. Timothy Davenport, Doc R) — Davenport is clearly an established Woodstock-area surname.
New names entering the record (mostly Josephine’s peer/social world, not necessarily kin):
- Emily — the recipient; a close friend, away at school in Marietta, Ohio (at an “Institution” Josephine admires for “the great principles upon which it is based” — likely Marietta College or a female seminary there). Emily formerly lived in the Woodstock area (she has “relatives” there Josephine reports on).
- Mr. Wilson, Mr. Henkle — teachers at the Mechanicsburg school. (“Henkle” is a known Champaign-County educator surname.)
- Miss Gilson, Miss Rat[t] — teachers/friends; Miss Ratt is gravely ill (“consumption … slowly terminating her life”), and Josephine plans to visit the Ratt family.
- Ol[ive?] — studying music with Mr. Strock, boarding at “Mr. Christ’s.”
- Mr. Philips (revival preacher), a German music master, a lady music teacher from Springfield, a French lady from Canada teaching in Urbana, Mr. Strock (music), George McDonald, Mr. Runnion (near whose schoolhouse Josephine plans to teach).
- Lucy — one of Emily’s relatives, health improving.
Josephine’s own trajectory, in her own words: She’s been “severely attacked with the billious fever,” recovered to read her composition at the school exhibition, and intends to commence teaching that summer “near M[echanicsburg] … near Mr. Runnion’s.” So this letter catches her at the hinge between being a student and becoming a teacher — the vocation that runs through her whole life (the “Improved Geographical Aids” agency of Doc K, the lifelong association with schools). She’s also studying phonography (Pitman shorthand — “fonography,” the “short hand paper” she can’t read, the “Ladies’ Ever-Circulator”), an enthusiasm of the 1850s self-improvement culture, and mentions a coming “phrenological treat” (cf. the 1866 phrenological evaluation already in the family papers per your background notes). These details paint her as exactly the striving, self-educating, intellectually omnivorous young woman the later archivist grew from.
On the Parks thread: no direct help — no Parks name appears. But note the dense Mechanicsburg/Urbana/Woodstock schooling world here is precisely the milieu in which “H. T. Parks” the schoolteacher (Doc G, 1854) and “Lucretia Parks” the schoolteacher (Docs A, B) would move. This letter doesn’t name them, but it richly documents the teacher-network they’d have belonged to. Keep it as context for the Parks hinge, not a solution.
Reading notes: the blue laid paper and overall presentation match Docs R and S (the 1851–54 cluster). A few names are genuinely uncertain at the edges — “Zera Coolidge,” “Miss Ratt,” “Ol[ive],” “Mr. Buckley,” “Dr. Davenport,” “Mr. Runnion” — bracketed accordingly. “M[—]” appears several times as Josephine’s abbreviation, almost certainly Mechanicsburg. The literary quotation “oft in the stilly night when slumber’s chain had bound us” is from Thomas Moore’s “Oft in the Stilly Night” — she quotes it from memory (slightly altered), consistent with her literary bent. The close is cropped, so there’s no signature in the image, but authorship is certain from hand and content.
