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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.

Hale, Aurelia (ca. b. 1798) to Sarah W. Hale

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC08934.024 Author/Creator: Hale, Aurelia (ca. b. 1798) Place Written: Mount Ariel, SC Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 23 January 1827 Pagination: 4 p. : address : 20.5 x 25.3 cm. Order a Copy

This is the first letter sent to her sister Sarah since Aurelia's relocation from Washington, GA to Mount Ariel, SC. Sarah's last letter took many weeks to reach her, but has finally arrived. She briefly talks about her experience settling into a new area, and indicates that she has many social engagements and is quite busy. She also says that she unfortunately cannot send their brother James money for their mother's gravestone nor Sarah money to visit, because she will only be paid at the end of the year. In a post-script at the end, she requests that they send her their brother Horatio's miniature flute.

Aurelia Hale was born in Glastonbury, in Hartford, Connecticut sometime before 20 December 1798.

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?
Hale, Sarah, 1801-?

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