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Subject: 19th Century American Life

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Collection of Letters and Envelopes from Leopold and Minnie Mittelstaedt, 1880-1885Collection of Letters and Envelopes from Leopold and Minnie Mittelstaedt, 1880-1885

This collection comprises thirteen items: seven letters and six envelopes exchanged between Leopold (or Lee) Mittelstaedt and members of his family, primarily his cousin Minnie, between 1880 and 1885. The letters, written from New York, NY, reveal details of Leopold's life as a traveling salesman for Dunlap & Co., a silk and opera hat manufacturer. The correspondence also offers glimpses into the family's financial circumstances and daily life. Four letters are accompanied by their original envelopes, providing additional postal and geographic information. One letter is addressed to Mrs. A. Mittelstaedt from a Lucy.

Letter from Divina Cohen Minis and Phillipa Minis to Sarah Ann Minis Hays, Savannah and Philadelphia, circa 1835Letter from Divina Cohen Minis and Phillipa Minis to Sarah Ann Minis Hays, Savannah and Philadelphia, circa 1835

Four-page letter (8" x 9.5") written circa 1835 by Divina Cohen Minis (1787-1874) and Phillipa Minis in Savannah, Georgia, to Sarah Ann Minis Hays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The letter discusses personal matters and mentions Captain Uriah P. Levy and the death of Gratz. Phillipa's portion is written diagonally over her mother's script. The letter's address in Philadelphia was the corner of Sansome and 8th Streets.

Letter from Phillipa Minis to Sarah Ann Minis Hays, Savannah, Georgia, July 22, 1834Letter from Phillipa Minis to Sarah Ann Minis Hays, Savannah, Georgia, July 22, 1834

A four-page letter written on July 22, 1834, by Phillipa Minis in Savannah, Georgia, to her sister, Sarah Ann Minis Hays (also known as Sally), in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The letter details personal matters and discusses a fever outbreak in Savannah. It offers insight into the lives of a prominent Southern Jewish family. Sarah Ann Minis Hays was married to Dr. Isaac Hays, a leading physician, editor of the *American Journal of Medical Sciences*, and founder of the American Medical Association. Her aunt was Rebecca Gratz.