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Date Original
1904 September 17
Description
Letter from Carry (Carrie) A. Nation in Plainfield, Connecticut to "Mr. Steven." Nation asks Mr. Steven to seek damages for a shipment of books spoiled by linseed oil.
Biographical/Historical Note
Carrie Amelia Nation was born on November 25, 1846 in Garrard County, Kentucky to George and Mary Moore. Carrie married a young physician and teacher by the name of Charles Gloyd, despite her parents' objections. Gloyd was an alcoholic who died from his addiction in 1869. Carrie then married David Nation, who was 19 years her senior, in 1874. He was an attorney, minster, and journalist. By 1901, Carrie and David divorced due to differences in religion and charity work. She began speaking out against the evils of alcohol and taking extreme measures to discourage the consumption of distilled liquor. She started destroying whiskey kegs with hatchets, breaking windows in saloons, and setting alcohol on fire. Carrie organized the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, which was devoted to social reform and informing the public about the destructive power of alcohol. Carrie gave speeches and toured the city of Little Rock, Arkansas, visiting twenty-six different saloons and bars in 1906. During her Arkansas visit, she was arrested in Little Rock and Hot Springs, while fighting for the Temperance movement. In 1908, Carrie retired to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. She died June 9, 1911.
Transcription
Dear Mr Steven
I send you a
bill showing that the Haven(?) of
Hartfiel[sic] got the box in bad
shape[.] I want you to try and
get damages[.] it was linseed oil
and the whole box was spoiled
[illegible] but one book had
to burn up[.] Several are
gave away two dozen and
are selling the damaged ones
by giving a hatchet[.] the manager
is the fair Mr. Theodore Tarring-
ton of Norwich Conn can testify
to this[.] after this I will send
them by express [illegible] shipments[.] the box was opened
stamp said 110 but there
was but 102 in the box[.]
the other box had no stamp
on it[.] I am doing quite well
and am in good health. God is working on the
Earth and the corruption
in Topeka will show the
people that Republicans will
not enforce law[.] it will
force the people to elect
prohibitionist. Regards to your
wife and God bless us
Carry A Nation
How do you like the hatchet
I do not expect to be able
to pay the $150, for Oct[.] this has
been a month all [illegible] [illegible] not
much but it will be
in the month of Oct about the
14 if not before.
Physical Description
Letter, 2 pages, 6" x 9"
Keywords
Women; Temperance; Correspondence
Geographical Area
Plainfield, Windham County (Conn.)
Language
English
Identifier
SMC.00006.03, Item 1
Resource Type
Image
Collection
Small manuscript collection, SMC.00006.03
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Letter, Carry (Carrie) Nation to "Mr. Steven", 1904 September 9, Small manuscript collection, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Disciplines
United States History | Women's History
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