Note from Clara to Mrs. Ward, c. May 16, 1894

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Date

c. May 16, 1894

Description

A note sent by Harriet Elmendorf Gould to Catherine Bogart Putman Rankin. The note was written by Clara Patterson to Mrs. Francis Ward. Clara told Mrs. Ward that she was leaving her house. Catherine Bogart Putman Rankin was responsible for Clara while she lived at Cherry Hill. Clara was a ward and domestic worker at Cherry Hill from 1884 until 1894. Clara was brought to Cherry Hill when she was 6 years old, after her mother died from tuberculosis. Clara took care of the Rankin children, and did chores like sweeping the porch. When she was 12, Clara asked to learn how to live on her own, without being a lifelong worker in someone else’s house. She was sent to work for a friend of the family, Mrs. Ward, in 1894. Shortly after, Clara left to make her own life, and found a new home with a different family. This item was added as part of the Diversity and Collaborative Knowledge Program funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Region

Capital District

Era

Industrialization

Topic

Communication

Repository

Historic Cherry Hill

Identifier

5_1_May_16_1894_HEG_to_CBPR

Source

Historic Cherry Hill

Rights

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