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Correspondence of Elizabeth Atwater and G. W.
Clinton |
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The Correspondence of Elizabeth Atwater (1812‑1878) and George William Clinton (1807‑1885) Edited by P. M. Eckel, P.O. Box 299, Missouri Botanical
Garden, St. Louis, Missouri, 63166‑0299; email: mailto:patricia.eckel@mobot.org 1873 Vol. 10 no. 21 [A 319 & 318, two sheets of paper.] Gardner House, Chicago. Sept'r 18th 1873. Hon. G. W. Clinton, Dear Sir Mr. Atwater forwards to you, by today's express, some of
the results of my wanderings in California. I have to beseech your levity for
the unladylike manner in which they present themselves for your acceptance.
Evidences of haste will be apparent to you in their arrangement. Please
remember that we have but recently returned, and are subject to the constant,
but pleasant interruptions of visits from old friends. Relative to the specimens I have nothing to say,
save that I did my best under the circumstances in which
in which [sic] I was placed. Some were snatched from over hanging branches as
we journeyed by stages, many snatched from the railroad track where we had
barely time for jumping from the cars and directly scrambling back again;
others were unavoidably broken from the stalk where the dry‑baked earth
was so tenacious as not to receive the action of the trowel, others,
gentlemen plucked for me, and so on. ‑ You can scarcely imagine the delight with which I
appropriated the tiny ferns from cavities in the rocks at Nevada Falls, Yo
Semite Valley. ‑ In my accustomed ignorance I was not aware that the
Allosorus crisus [sp.?]of the old world was to be found with us, and was
joyous over its finding as also the others. And now, for a moment
allow me to digress. On my return home I found a pleasant letter from Dr.
Mohr as I think I have written you, enclosing to me a rare plant, which I
immediately acknowledged by letter, enclosing in return sp'ms of these
delicate ferns from the Yo S. Valley. Dr. M. responds with three dozen rare
ferns &c. and in his letter of yesterday says, "The elegant
Cheilanthes seems in most of its points to answer to Grays description of Ch.
lanuginosa Nutt. The Allosorus I have not been able to make out, and I will
be much obliged if you will have the kindness to send me the name of this
exquisite species after you get it determined. These ferns, all, with the
graceful Pellaea densa are a most welcome contribution to my herbar
&c." He adds, the sadness of the dreadful affliction which visited
"our mutual excellent friend
Judge Clinton has moved me deeply. I can explain, now,
his long silence". I was
equally well pleased to find
the Calycanthus occidentalis for I had not seen it growing save under
cultivation. The orange
call'd Poppy from Alum
Springs I send in no other locality in California, although it may be common. It is
exceedingly fragile and beautiful. I
have many plants of which I have no duplicates ‑ some very
interesting. If not asking too great
a favor at your leisure will you return to
me the duplicate
sp'ms contained in the box with the names appended? There need be no haste ‑ I beg of
you, Sir, take abundant time for this
effort ‑ especially as I have no home,
or suitable place in which to deposit my collections. Yet I hope to have "one of these
days". In all cases I
desire you to
retain the largest, most acceptable plant of the two ‑ I
have purposely sent, when I could do
so, one more indifferent plant to be returned to me, having a more perfect
one at home, as I have been often aggrieved [second page] on examining packages kindly sent me to find rare plants
thoroughly disorganized in the transportation. If you chance to find but one plant of a kind please
retain that. I have not the opportunity for examining my collection
attentively. Should I find others, differing from those sent, I will remit
from time to time as I may have the chance to look them up. If you desire
another and a larger bulb of the Soap plant I will with pleasure furnish one.
I should like to tell you my experience in discovering the first one! On taking up my pen this morning I sought to be concise
inasmuch as my "remarks" in the box were so profuse. Did you receive a "Catalogue of the Plants in the Vicinity
of San Francisco~ wh. I forwarded to you? Thanks for your kind note enclosed in Miss Wilsons,
which followed me to California. I regret to say that of Miss Wilsons'
particular pets I found scarcely any. I enclosed in the box one bright sp'm
from the Sequoia giganteus at the "Calaveras group of Big Trees"
for her. I should like to have you visit the "Black Canon" at
Skaggs Springs, and see the Gymnogrammes and Woodwardias! The latter grow to
the height of eight feet. I only attempted to press one sp'm that of about
four feet in height. With kind regards to Miss Wilson to whom I hope to write
as soon as I have a more settled feeling. Believe me, Sir, with esteem and sympathy your friend, Elizabeth E. Atwater Rec'd sometime in Sept. ans'd Oct.
4. [On
September 29, 1873, Charles Mohr of Mobile, Alabama wrote to George Clinton:
"It is with feelings of deep regret and heartfelt sympathie with your
great sorrow, that I pen these lines to you, after having heard through the
kindness of Mrs. Atwater of the heavy affliction which has befallen you in
the loss of your son; May He the dispenser of all our pleasures and sorrows
give you comfort and strength to bear up under such a blow, that your vigor
and health might be spared for many many years to come."]. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ Vol. 10 no. 30 [A 309] [Printed stationery:] Gardner House, Gardner & Gould, Proprietors. Michigan Avenue & Jackson Street. Chicago, [no
date] 187[3] Judge Clinton Dear Sir, I have but one moment in which to say that the enclosed
sp'm of the Malva tree I had supposed I forwarded to you with the other
plants, the seeds of which I sent. I will, at some future time send you a
more acceptable specimen, meanwhile retain this. The pretty pink flowers enclosed have just come to me
from Colorado, Douglas County. With kind regards to Miss Wilson to whom I hope soon to
write, very respectfully E. E. Atwater Rec'd Oct. 5. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ Vol. 10 no. 54 [A 281] Gardner House, Chicago Nov'r 8th, 1873 Hon. G. W. Clinton, Dr. Sir, Prior to the receipt of your last kind letter on Nov'r
3'd I had taken another look at my huge collection of California plants, and
found some varieties which, on the first hasty examination I had not
forwarded. My husband has deposited a box of plants in the express
office to day, bearing your address. Enclosed within it you will find some
duplicates of those formerly sent ‑ and some, if I recollect perfectly,
not included in the former package. The family of Lupines is so comprehensive
and the distinguishing features of each, being only observable to a practiced
eye like your own, that I may not, even now, have sent you all the varieties
that I called (sic). Their names and [varieties?] are legion. I regret I
could not have been more successful in preserving their colors. I wish you
could look at my collection of which I feel quite proud. I have many
exceedingly beautiful plants of which there are no duplicates. These
of course, I would not trouble you to name; and now I have to regret that I
have troubled you in this way at all. I well knew the difficulties you
would have to contend with ‑ devoid of proper books for reference ‑
and yet, at the time the fact did not occur to me. You will pardon me for
subjecting you to so much labor. Inasmuch as I am boarding, and cannot
satisfactorily arrange my plants for permanencey, I am losing the desire to
have even a portion named at present, and in my future collections, if I am
spared to make any, I shall send specimens for you to retain, but none to be
named for myself. The plants sent to day I desire you all to retain. I
have kept duplicates of all, and have found duplicates of the Nutmeg tree, so
that you will not presume to return that. I hope these will give you some pleasure. The ferns are
nothing rare, still I send them. I trust I have forwarded to you at least a
few not inthe collection you have received from another source. I enclose for your personal [sic] some little items
copied from an interesting book of which I had a perusal in San F'r. You can
return them at your leisure. I beg you to retain all the plants which I forward to
day, and all the others if you desire them. My husband desire kindest regards to you. Our plans for
the winter are not matured. We both desire to go back to California. Very respectfully your friend Elisabeth E. Atwater Rec'd Nov. 10. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ Vol. 10 no. 68 [A 265] Garden House, Chicago Nov'r 14th [18]73 Hon. G. W. Clinton Dr. Sir, I have forwarded by to day's mail a sp'm of the
beautiful plant found growing on the Sandy beach at Santa Cruz. I owe you an
apology for troubling you so soon again. I supposed until within a day or
two, that I had forwarded this plant as I fully intended to do in the last
collection. The other plant found near Fort Point, San Francisco, have
flowers, as I think I wrote you, of a brilliant orange color. These which I
send to day were of a bright pink when packed. The enclosed tiny plant from
Piscadero. Again I beg of you to retain all the plants you desire.
I shall not feel at all complimented should you fail of doing so ‑
and threaten not to call any more for you if these fail of pleasing you. In exceeding haste, Very respectfully yours, Elizabeth E. Atwater. Rec'd Nov. 28, Dec. 12 ‑
Exp'd package ‑ & wrote to her. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ Vol. 10 no. 77 [A 257] Chicago, Dec'r 20th, 1873. Rec'd Dec. 22. Hon. G. W. Clinton, Dear Sir, Your kind letter and the package of California plants I
have the pleasure to acknowledge. The latter came safely, I feel assured, although
I have not had it in my power, as yet, to examine them. When the holidays are
gone, I hope to control the leisure that I cannot find at present. In
pursuance of the examination if I discover that you have failed of retaining
those plants wh. I particularly hoped you would care for, I shall take the
liberty of returning them. I feel assured that I unwittingly imposed a great task
upon you, and I shall not do so again. The few plants sent you will, by no
means compensate for all the perplexity they have occasioned you. A thousand
thanks for all your kindness. I only hope there were some plants worthy your
acceptance. Pray do not chide me for returning the am't of express
charge ‑ I could not permit the Society to pay it. My husband has been on the invalid list, but is
convalescing. He begs his continued regard for you to be expressed herein. Believe mr, Sir, your obliged friend Elisabeth E. Atwater. Rec'd Dec. 22. |
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