Sold
Unbound. Three Autograph Letters Signed from Terressa (or Teressa) Phiilips, daughter of miner James Philips, sent in 1877 and 1879. Octavos sheets and one envelope. Old folds from mailing and one a bit toned, overall near fine. Three letters were sent by Terressa, who in 1880 the U.S. Census is identified as living in Del Norte and born in 1869, to her aunt living back East. Each is clearly written and easily readable with mention of silver mining and other outdoor Western life:
1. Autograph Letter Signed ("Terressa Phillips") dated 7 July 1877 from Del Norte, Colorado to her Aunt Laura Fairchild in Ashton, Illinois. Two pages on one folded leaf. Old folds from mailing, else fine. Teressa informs her aunt that the family had returned from a three-week vacation from "the [Colorado?] Springs and "Papa is on the toll road to work yet." She mentions that "The Fourth of July there was nothing going on except a tub race down at the lake." She also reports that a "fire broke out at the back end of Shiffers store, there were 4 other buildings burned to the ground."
2. Autograph Letter Signed ("Terressa") dated 28 August 1877 from Del Norte, Colorado. Two pages on one folded leaf. Old folds from mailing, a little toning, very good; envelope present with Del Norte cancellation. Apologizes for not answering earlier: "We had gone up the river fishing and were gone over a week... We caught a good many fish and some of them, were pretty large, Papa caught one that weighed five pounds... ." She goes on to relate a camping and raspberry gather trip to the Sangre De Cristo range.
3. Autograph Letter Signed ("Terressa") dated 16 December 1879 from Del Norte, Colorado. Four pages on one folded leaf. Old folds from mailing, else fine. Interesting letter to an aunt back East with much family news. Of some interest is her note that "Papa and Charley went prospecting about a month ago. They stayed about three-weeks I think. Would have stayed longer, only it commenced to snow where they were; and they could do no more prospecting this winter and so came home. Papa is putting up a furnace to try ore with. Charley came down last week and helped him with his team. I think Charley is going to do some freighting this winter. It pays first rate!" She goes on to give accounts of other relatives, the poor winter weather, and "There are going to be lots of weddings in town soon, but you don't know any of the parties."
Item #395119
