Details:

Octavia Walton Le Vert autographed handwritten letter (ALS), four pages on two adjoining sheets, dated April 27, 1874, from the Coleman House in New York. A lengthy and personal letter to a friend describing her travels, her daughter's illness, and an upsetting incident involving the theft of a treasured watch.

Le Vert recounts traveling from Baltimore to New York with her daughter Octavia, whose poor health prompted the journey to seek medical attention. During their travels, a well-dressed stranger offered her daughter a seat before suddenly departing. Shortly afterward, she discovered that her watch had been stolen.

Le Vert writes, in part: "A large, well-dressed man, sprang up and offered her a seat, pushing her rudely into it. He then rang the bell and promptly out. A few moments afterwards, she put her hand to her watch, to see the hour, when she found the adroit thief had cut the ring of the watch, and had stolen it."

She further describes her daughter's distress, explaining that the watch "was the last gift of her dear father, and was of inestimable value to her, apart from the value of the watch." Le Vert reports that the shock resulted in "a fearful nervous prostration and serious illness."

The letter also offers a glimpse into the family's circumstances and Le Vert's emotional state, as she writes of the cold New York weather, her daughter's health, and her longing to return to her friends. Signed "Octavia Walton Le Vert" at the conclusion.

The letter measures approximately 5 x 8 inches, comprising four handwritten pages on two adjoining sheets. Fine condition with scattered age toning and foxing, including a few small stains on the final page.

Octavia Walton Le Vert (1810–1877) was an American author, socialite, and influential literary hostess who became one of the first Southern women writers to achieve national recognition. Born in Georgia and later residing in Mobile, Alabama, she was celebrated for her literary salons, which attracted prominent writers, politicians, and intellectuals of the antebellum period. She traveled extensively throughout Europe and published Souvenirs of Travel (1857), a popular account of her experiences abroad. A granddaughter of George Walton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Le Vert maintained connections with many leading cultural and political figures of her era and was regarded as one of the South's most prominent literary personalities.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11705 1419707-1