Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Letters of John S. Miller, Accession #11702, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

These letters were purchased by the University of Virginia Library from Jerry N. Showalter, Bookseller, Ivy, Virginia, on November 10, 2000.

Scope and Content Information

This collection consists of seventy-four letters, August 1841 through November 1846, written by John S. Miller, a merchant from Winchester, Virginia, to his sweetheart, Jane F. Schmidt from York, Pennsylvania, who became his wife during December 1843. Miller supplies a lot of detail about every day life in Winchester, Virginia, and Strasburg, Virginia, both personal and social. A typed transcript is provided for thirty- four of the letters, most of them for the years 1845 and 1846. These letters were written during their courtship and while Jane was staying in York with her family waiting for the birth of their first child.

Miller describes himself as "attached to the military" while mentioning a grand military ball to be held in Winchester (1841 August 31); mentions the visit of several volunteer companies to Winchester on September 11th and their review by General Carson, followed by a sumptuous dinner which was accompanied by patriotic speeches and songs (1841 September 20); discusses his receipt of a letter impugning her character, which he believes written by his rival in York (1841 October 10 & 24); describes an unusual wedding party in Winchester (1841 Dec 1); and notes increased conversions among the different congregations for the last two months (1841 Dec 20).

Miller describes another military and civic ball and a march and sermon against intemperance in Winchester (1842 Mar 1); since he was involved in the training of officers, he must go with his company to the encampment at Baltimore, Maryland (1842 May 1); refers to reading about a balloon ascension in York, Pennsylvania (1842 Aug 9); gives his opinion about the Millerites, who have been preaching in York (1843 Feb 15); describes a flood of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, reveals that the couple is now engaged and that he is in business for himself, and shares his future prospects (1843 Apr 19).

He also describes a regimental parade in town and being off for a few days of military duty (1843 May 25); mentions the death of General Spangler and his happiness that Jane has joined the Lutheran Church (1843 Jun); the town of Winchester excited about recent lectures on Mesmerism (1843 Oct 12); and the date of their wedding set for Christmas (1843 Dec 12).

There is only a single letter for 1844, written on November 21, while Jane is visiting York, Pennsylvania. Miller describes a brawl in Winchester between the Whigs and the Democrats over the election, the stabbing death of a Mr. Light by Robert Baker, a deputy sheriff, over politics, and mentions David and Solon Henkel.

The next group begins with July 1, 1845, covering the time when Jane was in York recovering from problems with her back and other health issues. Miller discusses his plans to buy a storehouse and move his business to Stasburg (1845 Sep 11 & 28); mentions Uncle Henkel's medical advice for his wife and two local scandals involving obscene behavior, one about a lawyer and the other involving a Methodist preacher (1845 August 7). Many letters during the summer of 1845 discuss his distress at his wife's absence in York.

Other topics include the death of John Miller's father (1845 Oct 5); the Mexican War (1846 Jun 2); the birth of their daughter, Mary Frances Miller, in York (1846 Aug 3, 10 & 26); and his inability to purchase a house from Mr. Grove in Strasburg, while describing another possibility (1846 Aug 10).

The remainder of the letters continue to discuss many detailed arrangements for setting up housekeeping in Strasburg when Jane returns home with their daughter in November 1846 (Sep 17 & 28; Oct 7; Nov 3 & 7). These include decisions about hiring help for the house and to care for the baby, and whether to hire a slave or free woman. In one letter, September 28, 1846, John Miller writes, "would it not be best for me to bring a girl along with me to take charge of Sis on the road home if you think so I will try and get one, she must be a free one as a slave cannot be taken to your state."

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.