Our Collection

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.

McSherry, Anna (b. 1833) to Henry F. McSherry

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.21.04 Author/Creator: McSherry, Anna (b. 1833) Place Written: Martinsburg, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 29 November 1860 Pagination: 4 p. ; 20 x 12.3 cm. Order a Copy

Written by Anna to her brother Henry who was an assistant surgeon in the U.S. Navy and appears to be in New York. Mentions a band that came from Frederick, Maryland to play on Thanksgiving. Says that their father went to Baltimore on Friday morning to see their cousin William. They are going to look at a farm owned by a Mr. Keg. Questions the purchase and wonders if William can run it properly. Also mentions other investment possibilities. Last 2 pages updates him on friends and neighbors, especially on weddings that have taken place. Says there is little news to pass on, but mentions she did take part in a literary discussion on Byron and Shakespeare the other evening. Asks him if he has become interested in Washington Irving again since being in New York and Philadelphia. Small piece of upper right corner of the letter is missing, leading to text loss of a few words on pages 2-4.

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