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Lot 179
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Archive of Suffragist and Daughter of Handwriting Expert 80pp
Archive of Suffragist and Daughter of Handwriting Expert 80pp
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Description:

Archive of Suffragist and Daughter of Handwriting Expert 80pp

This archive includes more than eighty pages of correspondence from and to her father and her mother and other correspondents, including a few love letters from "Seig." A highlight of the collection is a five-page letter from Dorothy Osborn to her mother giving a first-hand account of a meeting of 400 suffragists with President Woodrow Wilson in the White House in the summer of 1914. The collection also includes a letter from suffragist leader Alice Paul (1885-1977) to Osborn weeks after the march to the White House, encouraging her to "speak as much as possible, trying to interest all of the people that you can in the Federal amendment."

Both albums include clippings from newspapers and magazines, correspondence, and several photographs. Loose materials include typed notes; typed papers; typed stories, including "Three A. M. and the Smell of Smoke" (1924), "Coffee Reheated" (1924), "Prunes and Poetry," "Home Papers," "Mrs. Lewis and Bank Street," "Old Stuff," "Why Do They Go?"; and a handwritten accounting of spending in the Summer of 1926 when she was in France.

[WOMEN'S RIGHTS.] DOROTHY OSBORN, Archive of two scrapbook albums and various loose materials, including correspondence, 1914-1963. Some toning to correspondence; envelopes torn on original opening; clippings have edge chips and folds; overall, good condition for age.

Excerpts
- Lucretia M. B. Mitchell to Dorothy Osborn, June 26, 1914, Philadelphia, PA, on Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage stationery:
"I am writing on official paper because I am writing about Washington. I cannot speak for Miss Paul I feel sure she will write you herself but I have written her to say you would come if she has a place for anyone now or later.
"A very interesting delegation is going to the President on June 30.... The Delegation is to be led by Mrs. Harvey W. Wiley. There will be a mass meeting, a visit to the President & then a garden party at Mrs. Kent's afterward.
"As things stand now it is proposed for Annie [McCune?] (the little mill worker who has been getting some training down there) to come to Phila & try her powers here. In that case I thought maybe Miss Paul would like another little greenhorn. But you see I do not know. And I suppose we shall just have to wait developments. I did propose that you go with the Delegation. And oh, if we only had free R.R. passes it would be lovely for you to go there anyway."

- Dorothy Osborn to Elizabeth Dunbar Osborn, [July 1, 1914, Washington, DC] Autograph Letter Signed, with Postscript to "Pretend Grandmother" Lucretia M. B. Mitchell:
"We marched into the White House and into the East Room. There were about 400 women. It was absolutely quiet in there, and the women were all grouped across one side of the room. Soon, big doors on the other side opened, and out walked three plainclothes men, then a man all in white and next to him Woodrow Wilson himself. I wish that a picture could have been taken of him when he first began to speak—His face looked vacant, that is really the word, he grinned with a cast iron smile, and said how deeply 'impressed' he was. No one could have helped but have been.... President Wilson talked at length also, about state rights. That did not please the women at all but there was never a hiss from a person. The Washington papers said 'Wilson hissed.' There was not a sound of such a thing. After that Mrs. Dorr asked him a question he answered it and she asked another, & then one more. He had just said 'he was not an individual, simply the head of his party.' Well apparently he is very much the head of his Congress etc. in Washington and of course the women know it. They fairly camp at the doors of these men, and know everything they say, so it is well that they tell the truth. 4,000,000 votes count and they know it. Mrs. Dorr asked him another question, and [?] he said 'I refuse to be cross-examined,' turned on his heel, the doors closed behind him and he had disappeared. Did not shake hands with the speakers even. He was plainly rattled, and slightly mixed to say the least. Nothing had been asked that he shouldn't have been willing to answer, and he had given a very very short time to 400 women, who represented over 4,000,000 organized workers.... Miss Paul said at night that he left immediately to play golf."
"This morning I will take suitcase in hand and go down to the headquarters again. A person that wouldn't become enthused and anxious to work and do all they can here, wouldn't be worth much. It is wonderful.... I think I will be speaking at street meetings soon."
"Dear Pretend Grandmother— This is everything it should be. The people the spirit, the headquarters and the city. Yesterday was a perfect day. A regular Suffrage day. Love from, Dorothy."

- Alice Paul to Dorothy Osborn, August 12, 1914, Washington, DC, Typed Letter Signed:
"I would suggest that you take advantage of every opportunity and speak as much as possible, trying to interest all of the people that you can in the Federal amendment and particularly trying to get them to subscribe to the paper, as that will keep them interested after they have begun to think about it.... We all miss you more than you probably realize."

- Albert S. Osborn to Dorothy Osborn, October 1, 1923, New York, NY, Autograph Letter Signed:
"I suggest that on your way home, while memory is fresh, you write out your views and comments. Not just narrative but your own reaction of what you have seen or some of it. I mean I think you'll like America better but will also see some of the faults better. You ought to write."

- H. Hull to Dorothy Osborn, n.d., n.p., Typed Letter Signed:
"This story of yours Happy Homes is a capital piece of work.... I have no suggestions about revision. I think it is an admirable piece of work."

Dorothy Osborn (1891-1980) was born in New York to attorney and forensic handwriting expert Albert S. Osborn (1858-1946) and his wife Elizabeth Dunbar Osborn (1862-1948). In 1914, she attended a conference for the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage in Washington, D.C. Her younger brother Paul Gannet Osborn was killed in France during World War I. She and her parents moved to Montclair, New Jersey, by 1920. In 1930, she lived in New York City and worked as a secretary. She died in Denville, New Jersey.

Albert S. Osborn (1858-1946) was born in Michigan but grew up in upstate New York. He graduated from the University of Rochester in 1881 and worked as a teacher and school administrator. In June 1888, he married Elizabeth Dunbar (1862-1948), and they had at least three children—Dorothy (1891-1980), Paul G. (1894-1917), and Albert D. (1896-1972). He graduated from Albany Law School in 1889 and in 1895 became a special agent with the U.S. Treasury Department, where he was in charge of examining instances of forgery and other financial crimes. In 1901, he became a document examiner for the New York State Library, where he examined documents used as evidence in court cases. He also practiced law in Rochester, New York, until he retired in 1923. Osborn is considered the father of questioned document examination in North America. He first published Questioned Documents in 1910 and heavily revised a second edition published in 1929, both of which became standards in the field of questioned documents. He wrote several other books on questioned documents and served as an expert witness in several high-profile trials. In 1913, he began inviting other document examiners to informal gatherings in his home. By 1920, he moved to Montclair, New Jersey, and worked in New York City. In 1942, he founded the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners (ASQDE) and served as its first president until his death.

All net proceeds from the sale benefit non-profit Westport Book Sale Ventures, which raises funds for the Westport CT Public Library while providing employment and job training for adults with disabilities.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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