The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware  19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Baker, Anna W. (Anna Woods), 1836-1914.

Title:               Papers

Dates:             1850-1873

Call No.:         Doc. 559

Acc. No.:        93x59

Quantity:        about 50 items (1 folder)

Location:        31 D 5

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Anna (Annie) Woods Baker was born and raised at Allegheny Furnace, Altoona, Pennsylvania, where her father Elias Baker was ironmaster.  Her mother was Hettie Rebecca Woods, and there were three other children in the family.  Anna attended the Lawrenceville Female Seminary in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.  She returned to Altoona after leaving school.  She never married, and remained in the family home until her death in 1914.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Consists primarily of letters written to Anna (also called Annie) W. Baker by cousins, friends, and male suitors, along with a short story written by a friend about a failed romance Annie had with Arthur Grahm.  The letters describe social activities, parties, sleigh rides, and horseback riding.  One discusses Macaulay's History of England.  A group of fragments of letters, found in an envelope marked to be burned, were probably from the Reverend Stuart Mitchell.  Also included is an essay on insects, a small volume with quotes and signatures from Annie's classmates, a list of initials with dates born and married, and three carte-de-visite photos.

 

One photo is of Mrs. Sarah Tuthill Woods Baker, and another is of her daughter Louise (Luly) Woods Baker.  Both were taken in New Haven, Connecticut, in the same studio, around 1860.  The third photo is of a drawing for an Army and Navy Monument in Boston, Massachusetts.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

Items are in accession number order, which, for the letters, is mostly chronological.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

           

Purchased from Barry Cassidy.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

            People:

                        Baker family.

 

Topics:

            Lawrenceville Female Seminary.

Army and Navy Monument (Boston, Mass.)

            Autograph albums - New Jersey.

Courtship.

            Love-letters.

Manners and customs.

                        Single women - Social life and customs.

                        Young women - Social life and customs.

                        Altoona (Pa.) - Social life and customs.

                        Letters.

                        Photographic prints.

                        Cartes de visite.

                        Short stories.

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 31 D 5

 

 

All accession numbers begin with 93x59.

 

Folder 1 of 1:

 

.1         letter: from cousin L.S.T. [Tom], Lawrenceville, no date [but between Christmas and New Year,] to dear cousin: doesn’t know how he will get this letter to her; talks about a snowy walk on Christmas evening between the high school and the seminary; didn’t attend church on Sunday due to bad weather; saw her sleighing party on Friday; wishes Dr. N would let the boys take the young ladies out riding; wishes he could attend the party at the seminary on New Year’s night; don’t show letter to anyone except Cousin Mary;

 

            [the schools referred to are the Lawrenceville High School and the Lawrenceville Female Seminary; the principal of the latter was Charles W. Nassau.]

 

.2         letter from faithful friend Unum, no place, Sept. 3, 1850, to dear friend: wonders what she and Annie Porter have for him and Dave; only three days until they are free; sorry he had to write a composition for her in such a hurry; is home sick; there is to be a party tonight;

 

.3         letter from J.V. you know who, New York, Feb. 3, 1851, to dear lady: expresses his love for her in very flowery terms; [this could be facetious];

                        On back: beginning of a letter from her to him;

 

.4         letter from I.A. Nassau, Lawrenceville, Mar.  29, 1852, to Annie: letter of farewell as she leaves school; “may the high, pure aims of life fill and animate your heart”;

 

                        [Charles W. Nassau was the principal of the Lawrenceville Female Seminary; he had a daughter Isabella Ann, born circa 1829, and presumably this letter is from her]

 

.5a-b    letter from I.A. N. [Isabella A. Nassau], Lawrenceville, Wednesday, to Annie Baker, present: will miss their opportunities to converse

 

 

[.6 and .7 were written by the same person]

 

.6         letter from friend Leck[?], Altoona, March 19, 1856, to Annie: glad that she is pleased with the book; does not wish to answer her question (why Leck has lost confidence in her) at this time;

 

.7         letter from A. F. McKinney[?], Altoona, May 29, 1856, to Annie: does she consider their engagement binding or a jest?; truly loves her;

 

 

[.8 and .9 were written by the same person]          

 

.8         unsigned letter, St. Lawrence, Phila., July 17, 1858, to Miss Baker: about the propriety of a man writing to a woman without first obtaining her permission

 

.9         letter from Edmund Blanchard, New York[?], Aug. 10, 1858, to Miss Baker: regrets her decision

 

 

.10a-b  letter from Anna, Alleghany Furnace, Aug. 21, 1871, to Mr. Mitchell: advises him not to absent himself from the Furnace; is going to Cresson and then home;

            With envelope addressed to Rev. Stuart Mitchell, Altoona, Pa.

 

.11       short letter, not signed, Saturday, [1871 added in pencil], to dear friend: wants to see the dear friend; will call Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon;

 

.12       short letter from Stuart M., Tuesday morn, Aug. 22 [1871 added on back], to dear friend: remaining in Altoona on account of Mrs. Laughman; suggests next Tuesday for their ride;

 

.13       short letter from Stuart M., Wednesday, to Anna W. B.: Providence is not in favor of their ride; Mrs. Laughman’s funeral is Thursday and Bro. Chichester is expected;

 

.14a-b  letter from friend [Annie], Wednesday morning, to Rev. Stuart Mitchell, Altoona; envelope postmarked Altoona, July[?] 31: Mr. Irvin of Hollidaysburg is coming to visit; sorry he had the uncomfortable ride for nothing; mentions a Mr. McCrea as an escort on a train ride; about her Christian experience; mentions his going West – don’t let her influence his decision

 

.15a-b  letter from friend [Annie], Thursday morning, to Mr. Mitchell, present: not able to answer his question and advise him about going West;

                        With envelope, on back of which was added in pencil: March 1872 – not delivered;

 

.16       letter from J. C[illegible] McKn, Altoona, Wednesday morning, to Miss Annie Baker: sending her a copy of Macauly’s History of England; believes she will like it

 

.17a-c  envelopes, two addressed to Annie Baker, and one to Millie S. Huntington

 

.18a-z  envelope addressed to Anna W. Baker, Allegheny Furnace, Altoona, Pa., to which was added the note: “to be burned, Jan. 6th, 1873”; with three love poems cut from newspapers, and parts of letters, some dated 1872, probably all from the Rev. Stuart Mitchell to Annie Baker, in which he mentions his work and his activities, but the letters are also courtship letters;

 

.19       tiny pamphlet, with name A.W. Baker on cover: inscription on first page: “presented to Annie Baker by Sadie Butt, Monday afternoon, January 19th 1852”; messages of friendship and farewell from school friends;

 

.20       pamphlet: written on front cover: From Emma [Reeder?] to Annie, March 3rd 1851: untitled story about Annie: going to school; returning home and being introduced into society; meeting and becoming engaged to Arthur Grahm (wealthy, handsome, but with faults); Grahm’s jilting of her; Annie marrying someone else (not named) and having children;

                        The story is followed by a list of Bible questions of the winter 1852;

 

.21       essay titled “Insects,” written by “Unum,” T.S. Sq[illegible]; addressed to Miss A. Baker, Lawrenceville Female Seminary, dated Sept. 2, 1850;

 

.22       list of birth dates, for B.F.J., R.R.J., Egbert, Albert, Lizzie, Frank, and Annie; and  marriage dates for B.F.J. & R.R.D.; A.J. & E.S.F.; W.A.J. & A.R.J.; and F.F.J. & M.L.G.; [no surnames given]

 

.23       carte de visite of Sarah Tuthill Woods Baker (Mrs. Woods Baker), 1860?; taken by Wells & Collins of New Haven

                        [Sarah Schoonmaker Tuthill married Woods Baker, brother of Anna Woods Baker]

 

.24       carte de visite of Louise (Luly) Woods Baker, [1860?]; taken by Wells & Collins of New Haven

                        [Louise Woods Baker, born 1852, was the daughter of Sarah Schoonmaker Tuthill and Woods Baker; Louise married Ernst Beekman of Sweden]

 

.25       carte de visite of drawing Army and Navy Monument, Boston, Mass.

                        [also called Soldiers and Sailors Monument; located on Boston Common; it was begun in 1874 and dedicated in 1877]