Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

Letters by Abbot McClure

Abbot McClure, son of Johnson McClure and Ellen Abbot, was born 8 January 1879 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and probably died 23 February 1949 in Los Angeles, California.

He was a furniture designer, writer, and illustrator, co-authoring several books on the subject with Harold Donaldson Eberlein. During World War I he was a war correspondent for The Independent, a weekly New York liberal/religious periodical. He was also part of the YMCA Service in Italy.

Several of these letters were found in a metal "Whitman's" box, with their original envelopes and postmarks. Others were found together in a large envelope, and only one of these was in the envelope used to mail it. The letters themselves are dated, but generally only with the month and day; only one includes the year. Nevertheless, using the information in the letters, and the postmarks for the letters with envelopes, it's possible to figure out when they were most likely written, as follows.

• The letter dated 25 July was in its original envelope, and postmarked "25 VII, 1925."
• The letters dated 18 July and 27 July were written while on a vacation trip to Munchen with a friend. The 18 July letter says "I was in Munchen in 1909," and that it "will not be the same Munchen I knew sixteen years ago." This indicates that the letter was written in 1925. But, the 27 July letter says that he remembers Innsbruck from "when we stopped there in 1909 en route to Munchen," and that in his next letter he would give his "impressions of Munchen today, and as I remembered it fifteen years ago," indicating that the letter was written in 1924. At the time of the 25 July (1925) letter, the writer had been in the hospital in Florence since 27 May, so the 18 July and 27 July letters must have been written in 1924.
• The 7 February letter says that he planned to go somewhere for August and September, and that a friend was "very anxious for me to join him in a trip to Munchen." So this letter was likely written in 1924.
• Both the 19 January and 7 February letters describe him spending Christmas with the Carrere's and their two-year-old son. Thus, the 19 January letter was also written in 1924.
• The 7 February letter says that "A year ago now found me in Nice visiting my friends the Joslings and seeing for the first time the wonderful Carnival." The Jan 24 letter says that "in February I plan to go to Nice to visit some English friends," and that he had "never been there." The 28 January letter says that he was preparing to go "to Nice to be with some English friends." The 24 January and 28 January letters also both note that he spent Christmas in Florence, and that Maud was in Bermuda. Thus, these two January letters were probably written at the same time. Finally, the 1 March letter was written from Nice, when he was "the guest of an English friend, a Mr. Stanley Josling." The 24 January, 28 January, and 1 March letters must therefore all have been written in 1923.
• The letters of 12 September and 14 September were both written during a trip through the Dolomites. The letters of 1 March (1923) and earlier indicate that he was living in Rome. The letters of 19 January (1924) and after indicate that he was living in Florence. The 12 September letter notes the "heat I experienced in Rome in July and August" and that he was going to Merano, where he had "several Roman friends," thus indicating that he was then living in Rome. The 12 September letter also includes the date 1923 at the top, written in pencil in different handwriting. The 12 September and 14 September letters were thus probably written in 1923.
• The letter of 7 August was written from Nice. This had to be later than February 1923, since that was when he first visited Nice. The 7 August letter also says that he was planning to leave Nice "a week from tomorrow, a Sunday." Thus, 7 August must have been a Saturday. 7 August fell on a Saturday in 1926, but not again until 1937. The recipient, Georgiana Bowditch, died in 1927. Thus, the 7 August letter must have been written in 1926.

In the transcriptions, the years are included in brackets, e.g., "January 24th [1923]."

Most of these letters were written to his cousin Georgiana Abbot Bowditch, daughter of Joseph Bowditch and Elizabeth Abbot. Others were written to Maud, Will, Abbot, and Miss Norris. Will and Abbot are William and Abbot Thorndike, sons of William Thorndike and Martha Abbot, and cousins to Abbot McClure. Maud is Maud (Kilbourn) Thorndike, wife of Abbot Thorndike. Miss Norris is Katherine Townsend Norris, daughter of Sheppard Haines Norris and Olivia Maria Emerson, but it's not clear what her relationship was to the family. She is listed with William Thorndike in the 1910 census in Milwaukee, and both were listed as head of household.

The letters are in very good condition. The handwriting is neat and distinctive, but somewhat unusual, and some words, especially of place names, are uncertain.

• 31 July [1909]. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He talks about their cousin Paul Thorndike and family, who he's visiting; describes his travel plans for the next several weeks; and talks about their cousins Abbot and William Thorndike and their activities. [Transcription]
• 31 August 1909. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He says he's sailing for Europe on 15 September to spend the winter in Munich with Rachel (his cousin Paul Thorndike's wife) and her children; mentions his recent visit with Paul and Rachel, and with his "Auntie Bel and Uncle George"; and sends a picture of the Sherman Monument. [Transcription]
• 14 April 1910. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He describes his recent travels around Germany and the Netherlands, and his future planes for Belgium, France, and England for the next few months, and says he will probably return home in September or October. [Transcription]
• 16 June 1910. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He says he plans to sail for home around the end of July or first of August; talks about Rachel (his cousin Paul Thorndike's wife) and her children, along with Paul and Paul's brother William, arriving in London for a visit, and their later planned travels in Europe; mentions that Rachel's sister Mrs. Thackara was in the hospital after a biking accident; describes the state of mourning in London after the King's death; describe St. Paul's Cathedral and a service he attended; and says he'll likely live in Philadelphia when he returns. [Transcription]
• 21 October 1922. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He describes his travels in Italy since 19 June, including time in Florence, Venice, Milan, and Rome, where he plans to stay over the winter, except possibly a month in Nice after the holidays; mentions he left America in 1918; describes the weather; and talks about how often he hears from various relatives. [Transcription]
• 24 January 1923. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch. He says he's sorry about the trouble she's having with her eyes; says he spent Christmas with friends in Florence, and plans to go to Nice in February to visit some English friends for a month; describes his view of the Barberini Palace from his window in Rome; and notes it'll be five years in August since he left America. [Transcription]
• 28 January 1923. To Maud (Kilbourn) Thorndike, wife of his cousin Abbot Thorndike. He responds to an apparent request from Maud about Bermuda, where she plans to go, saying that he was there for two months in the summer and it was very hot; thanks her for a Christmas check; and says he spent Christmas with friends in Florence, and plans to go to Nice in February to visit some English friends for a month. [Transcription]
• 1 March 1923. To his cousin William Thorndike. He says he's been there a month as the guest of an English friend, Stanley Josling, and describes the wonderful time he's been having; talks about the extravagance there, and says he prefers his quiet life in Rome; mentions the death of Mr. Eberlein's sister; and mentions an upcoming visit to Rome by the King & Queen of England. [Transcription]
• 12 September 1923. To his cousin Abbot Thorndike and his wife Maud (Kilbourn). He says after three weeks in Venice he is now on a trip through the Dolomites, and will end up in Merano where he will stay about a month; describes the mountain scenery he's travelled through, and the people; and talks a bit about the cold weather, and says he's thinking of returning in the winter for winter sports. [Transcription]
• 14 September 1923. To Katherine Norris. He describes his trip through the Dolomites, how beautiful the ride through the mountains was, and how inexpensive things are. [Transcription]
• 19 January 1924. To his cousin William Thorndike. He thanks William for a check, apparently a Christmas gift; mentions some sconces that he had apparently packed up when he left the U. S. in 1918 and had now been sent on to William's wife; writes an interesting statement apparently in response to a letter from William about how dull his Christmas was; and describes his own Christmas. [Transcription]
• 7 February 1924. To his cousin Abbot Thorndike and his wife Maud (Kilbourn). He thanks them for the Christmas check; mentions their (Abbot and Maud's) Christmas in Milwaukee with Will and Marie, and describes his own Christmas; talks about Florence and how he prefers living there over Rome; mentions his visits to Viareggio and Luna; and talks about the Carreres and his future travel plans. [Transcription]
• 30 March 1924. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He talks about the cold winter they've had in Italy; says he enjoys living with the Carreres, and that he and Mr. Carrere share a studio in town; says he's made friends with some of the English, who he names, as well as Italians, and that he plans to stay in Florence for some time; reminisces about when he visited Georgiana's family in Micaville with his father; and mentions various family members. [Transcription]
• 18 July 1924. To Katherine Norris. He describes the motor trip he's taking with his friend Mr. Savage (with a chauffeur) to Munich, Germany, through northern Italy and Austria, including time spent in Padua, Venice, Cortina, and Bolzano; says from Gossensass they'll head for Innsbruck, Austria, spend two days, and reach Munich on 29 July in time for the Wagner Festival, stay 3-4 weeks, then return to Italy; and says he may stay in Merano on the way back for the month of September to escape the heat of Florence. [Transcription]
• 27 July 1924. To his cousin William Thorndike. He describes the motor trip he's taking with his friend Mr. Savage (with a chauffeur) to Munich, Germany; says they had been worried about crossing the Austrian and German borders, but had no problems; talks about the exchange rate and their expenses; says they will reach Munich on Tuesday (the 19th), stay until about 18 August, go to Salzburg, Austria, for a week, then to Merano, Italy, for a week; and talks about his impressions of Germany. [Transcription]
• 16 August 1924. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He describes the motor trip he's taking with his friend Mr. Savage to Munich, Germany, and says they'll leave Monday (18 August) for Salzburg, Austria, for 2-3 days, then go to Merano, Italy, where he may stay a month before heading home to Florence. [Transcription]
• 25 July 1925. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He says he's been sick since 27 May, and living in a "nursing home" (hospital?) but is now better, and says he hopes to go to the mountains in August, and maybe the seashore in September. [Transcription]
• 9 September 1925. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He says he left the hospital on 8 August, now feels fine, and is in Alto Adige as a guest of the Carreres; talks about his upcoming travel, to Naples, Capri, and Amalfi, before returning to Florence; and says he considered visiting the U. S. in June, but his illness prevented it. [Transcription]
• 16 December 1925. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He notes Georgiana's recent hospital stay, and reminisces about when he visited Georgiana's family in Micaville with his father, and how their lives have changed since then. [Transcription]
• 4 May 1926. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He talks about the weather and how rainy their spring has been; describes his summer travel plans, going to Nice, France, in July, to the Austrian Tyrol in August and September, and returning to Florence in October; mentions some friends and family members; and hopes Georgiana is better after her severe illness. [Transcription]
• 7 August 1926. To his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He talks about his trip to Nice, what a wonderful time he's having, and describes his daily routine there, and says he plans to leave for Florence in a week, spend 3-4 days there, go with friends to Gossensass, head for Munich on 20 August for the Wagner Festival, and return to Florence at the end of September. [Transcription]

 

Copyright Charles Towne. Usage of this work is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0
Compiler: Charles Towne

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