Ellen K. Wheeler
Director of Development and Public Relations
November 19, 2007
TRANSCRIPT OF
HARRIET TAYLOR UPTON’S LETTER
TO SUSAN B. ANTHONY DATED APRIL 2, 1901
with introductory comments
In the midst of exploring the plaster wall inside the little closet under the main staircase at #17 Madison Street, one of our craftspeople discovered a letter addressed to Miss Anthony and postmarked April of 1901. The envelope had never been opened.
Inside was a letter from Harriet Taylor Upton of Warren, Ohio, dated April 2, 1901, together with a check for $41.66 made out to Susan B. Anthony. This was during the time that Upton served as president of the Ohio Woman’s Suffrage Association and treasurer of the National Woman’s Suffrage Association. It was in the latter capacity that she sent this check and mostly typewritten note to Susan.
Volunteers and staff are having a wonderful time speculating about whether Miss Anthony knew the letter was received and somehow lost, and whether she eventually received a replacement check for her salary. The letter reads as follows, with Upton’s spelling, punctuation, and usage as written in the letter:
“Dear Aunt Susan,
Enclosed find draft for forty-one sixty six, your clerk salary for March. Had a nice visit at Rachels am so glad I went. Have hardly eaten or slept since I came home. Got up early and worked for four days on the history chapter, while at the same time I had advanced work to do for Dr Woods for the month’s organizing and our school election which came off yesterday. Mrs Harrington and I were reelected by the lartest majority ever given to any candidates in this town at any Spring election. Two Democratic women were nominated against us but they were in for fighting. They were not nice women. Our being on the school board has done lots of good. The mem who were on the board and who worked against us last time worked for us this time and begged us to stand. They have been a splendid lot of fellows and treated us as fairly as if we had been men. It maybe if I go off the board I will take myself to the Republican party and be a boss or something grand. Now do not let anybody see this letter. They might misinterpret my joke. I am rattling it off myself as Elizabeth is busy getting off the morning letters and we both are due at the regular meeting of our local club. Lovingly, Harriet”
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