In this letter posted from a "Camp near Richmond," a soldier beseeches Johnson to reply to him. "My letter which I wrote you from York Town about the 1st of May is yet unanswered... at least you will do me the honor to answer this at the earliest opportunity."
This recipe for "shaking salve" was addressed to "Mrs. Lizzie E. Williams," indicating that it was sent sometime after her marriage to Hezekiah G. Williams in 1879. The recipe calls for ingredients including resin, beeswax, mutton tallow, gum arabic, and oil of tansy.
This marriage proposal from an unknown suitor features an actual match as well as a drawing of a hand pointing a finger. The note reads, "Accept my hand And we will make a [match]."
In this letter, which features an embossed seal in the upper-righthand corner, Powers declares his affection for Johnson: "I presume you must have long been aware though I have never before dared to put the thought into words, that I love you. I have sometimes ventured to hope that your own heart has... a kindred feeling."
This invitation, issued by the "American Party" of Austin, is elaborately embossed with a floral motif. It reads in part, "The invitations are not confined to the members of any Party, but most liberally extended to all. We repudiate party proscription in our social relations." The invitation is accompanied by the bright purple envelope in which it arrived.
This elaborately embossed envelope addressed to Lizzie Johnson features fruits, flowers, and birds on the front. A tiny dog appears on the back of the envelope, just above the seal.
This letter from a female cousin of Lizzie Johnson's features enclosures including a striped swatch of woven fabric and a scrap of paper that reads, "Dont you think I am smart."
This letter to Lizzie Johnson references the onset of the Civil War (1861-65). The writer expresses surprise that "so dark a cloud would bespread the political horizon of our beloved country. Several companies from near here have left for war."
