News Travels Fast … Sometimes
Methods of communication have changed greatly, especially in the last couple of decades. We are now used to news and correspondence being nearly instantaneous instead of the days, weeks, or even months it sometimes took to receive mail or see a published newspaper.
A collection of handwritten letters from the Kersey/Spencer families provides interesting insight into long- distance correspondence in the late nineteenth century. The letters of Elizabeth “Lizzie” E. Spencer and Robert B. Kersey span the years of 1886 to 1892 and documents their friendship which evolves into a courtship –through their correspondence - and finally marriage.
Both had grown up in Richmond, Indiana, and had many mutual friends and knowledge of local businesses and social events that often formed the basis of their correspondence.
Robert to Elizabeth, August 5, 1891, describing the meeting of a mutual acquaintance in W (Washington, D.C.).
Elizabeth to Robert, June 21, 1889, talking about the disbanding of the Tennis Club.
They enjoyed sharing the experiences of their own lives, which during their courtship were vastly different: Elizabeth did the accounting and designs for the family furniture business, Robert was a railroad engineer in the American southwest.
Robert to Elizabeth, January 15, 1889, describing his sighting of the planet Venus while on his railroad route.
Elizabeth and Robert were voracious readers and kept up with current events and news. Their letters from June and July 1889 discuss the Johnstown Flood in Pennsylvania.
Elizabeth to Robert, June 21, 1889
Robert to Elizabeth, July 12, 1889
Elizabeth’s July 18 letter indicates that she had been reading about the storms in Texas and wondering how that affected Robert’s railroad route.
Elizabeth to Robert, July 18, 1889
The timing and route of communication was not always smooth. Elizabeth blames the postal service for delaying delivery of one of his letters at Thanksgiving.
Elizabeth to Robert, November 29, 1888
In 1891 she writes that two of her letters to him, sent to Tucson, Arizona, had both the inner and outer envelopes opened and contents read by a different Robert Kersey before being returned to her!
Elizabeth to Robert, September 25, 1891
There were many times when they both were so busy that a week or more would go by before either had the opportunity to sit down and write.
Robert to Elizabeth, July 12, 1889 Reference to the “road” indicates his railroad route.
Elizabeth to Robert, October 10, 1889
Ultimately Robert returned to Richmond and the couple were married in 1892. Robert worked in the Richmond School Furniture Company (previously Haynes, Spencer & Co.) and he and Elizabeth moved to Muncie with the company in 1901. Later, he owned the American Lawn Mower Company with his son Robert S. Kersey.
