Evening star., 1898-12-24
RELIC OF THE PAST AGES
Original of Letter From Mrs. Martha Wash
ington to Friend.
The Epistle Dated in Philadelphia
February 8, 1898, and Addressed
to "Dear Fanny"

mere is uCuSual interest prevailing in re-
gard to everything connected with or in
c1dental to the colonial and revolutionary
period Of our history as nation. This in
terest is largely and primarily the result of
nvesttgation and study set on foot by the
recent organization of several patriotic So
cieties and the requirements necessary to
entitle person to membership therein.
AT no period in cur history perhaps has
there been so thorough search of old
neglected manuscripts, documents and let
tiers as that of TO-DAY. Family records are
pelng carefully Investigated perfected and
compiled, often after much labor and eX-
tensive correspondence.
These Investigations often lead to impor-
tant and highly interesting results The
long sought missing link" in the genea,og-
1cal chain of many families has been found
IN the records of state or nation which un-
I'll recently were as a sealed book to the
general public.
In 1895 tn. Utica Herald published let
ter written by Martha Washington bearing
date of April g. 1895. 1t was written in
Ihlla6e.phia and addressed to MY dear
Fanny" the dear Fanny being Mrs
FRANCES washington. The publication of
torical Soci",y, was caused by a statement
made to a New York paper by its WASH
lnston correspondent that there was bu,
one letter OF Martha Washington's in ex-
congress in 1888 in relation to Gen. Wash
lnSton's death. The exalted position this
lacy held. couple. with the extreme pre-
caution she is reported to have taken tn
prevent any or her letters reaching the pub
lc gaze, renders the discovery of any still
eAlstlng ones of great interest Their great
ical relics.
Through the courtesy of Mr.. Milton r
SchaTer of the pension bureau a reporter
~ -. ths etar was permitted to examine and
copy an autograph letter of Martha WASH
instcn in his possession heretofore unnuh
hshed, which he values very highly. II was
addressed to the same person as the ONO
possessed by the Oneida Historical Society
~, ~. pears pears an earlier date by two years, be-
1893" e"i uais 'he ou,
Mr.. schaffer's Statement.
ne history Of its possession by Mr..
Schaffer is of itself an interesting event
He said: '
Inc lnclosed letter from Martha Wash
lngton came into my possession in Nav,
1861 was then member of Companv B
l5oth Indiana Infantry and was stationed
M MN IL at stevenson station, Va. Mr.
washington, who had been in the confei-
crate army, returned to his home near Ste
Venson ana among a lot of papers thrown
out or his house was this letter. 1t has not
peeh OUT OF my possession since 1 first OBJ
tanned It, Among the same papers was
one written by General George Washing
ton, which passed into the possession of
Lieutenant David B. Earhart of LAFAYETTE.
mo hrst lieutenant of my company It
was placed on exhibition at some local fair
or festival at Lafayette some years ago as
learned from its publication in the Lafay-
ette Courier
Copy of the Communication
The paper on Which the letter is written
Is yellow with age, but is otherwise in a
good state Of preservation. The writing is
neat, clean and remarkably legible. The
letter is as follows:
PHILADELPHIA, February the Sd. 1913
MY Dear Fanny:
The southern post not getting in this
week, l have not had the pleasure to hear
from you, we are all tolerable well, the
winter has been remarkable warm, which
occasions the season to be very sickly. 1
hope you and the children are we'll Mr.
Blair Is arrived here and tells his friends
that great number of our acquaintances
are dead below. The winter has been so
warm here that the farmers have been
ploWing all winter, and we are in fear that
there will not be ice to fill the ice houses
in the city, which will be a great diSap-
pointment to us in the warm season. Ice
Is the most agreeable thing we can have
here
Il hear from Mrs Stuart and the girls
often. She tells me that she has not seen
Mr.. Fairfax since he was at Hope Park
with me. but does not say where he is
whether he is got to England not. Mrs.
Harrison is we'll She often enquiries very
kindly after you. Mrs. Mercer is in town
but she is so often sick that 1 see her but
very seldom. My love to the major. /
hope ere this that he has got the better of
the splitting blood you mentioned in your
last.
MY love to your brothers and sisters, in
which the President joins. Kiss your dear
little babes for me and believe me, my
dear Fanny, your most affectonate,
IN. WASHINGTON.
Mrs Frans Washington"
Endorsement:
From Mrs. NJ. Washington, February 8,
1909