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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Hemans, Nancy A. (b. 1843) to Alexander Shiras and Frances B. Shiras

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02429.52 Author/Creator: Hemans, Nancy A. (b. 1843) Place Written: Nebraska Type: Autograph letter signed Date: circa August 1880 Pagination: 4 p. ; 20.6 x 26.6 cm. Order a Copy

Thanks them for Allie's saddle. Discusses going eight miles with her son to "hunt up something" good to eat for her younger son, who had been sick with dysentery and vomiting. On that trip, her son was thrown from his horse, which made her reflect on her late husband as her protector, and how now she feels alone. Notes her plans to talk to the Bishop about insurance money. Comments on her garden. Discusses her plans to go to Flandreau, Dakota, in the fall to sell the acre of land her sister gave her there.

Quotes

"He feels he is richest boy in the world."
"Well! little Dannie wants something good to eat. So I went and hunt up something…"
son thrown from horse: "how I did cry, cry, till I was unable to cry and I dont feel well since. It made me think over the time past, when I with dear Daniel I did not use to o any where without him. I feel so he is my protector. Of course God is my greatest protector…I cried because I am all alone in the world and have all the troubles sorrow. and no one do the things for me…I had sisters and brother, but they can not help me."
"My wheat and oats are good and I was all in a stock ready to thrashing We make dried corn. When it was done we call them sweet corn…my whole crop is good plentiful."

Hemans, Nancy A., 1843-?
Shiras, Alexander, 1813-1894
Shiras, Frances B., b. 1814

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