Description:

Kennedy Jacqueline

Jackie Kennedy's mother, Janet Auchincloss: a unique, revealing, and unpublished archive


Remarkable archive of personal correspondence belonging to Janet Lee Bouvier Auchincloss (1907-1989), mother of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy (1929-1994). From the collection of Elisa Sullivan (1935-2012), Jackie's mother's personal caregiver and companion.


25+ ALS, TLS, postcards, drawings, and miscellaneous documents written in English and French (2) dating from between 1922-1943. The bulk of the correspondence is addressed to Janet at various places: Easthampton, Long Island; New York, New York; Newport, Rhode Island; McLean, Virginia; Miami Beach, Florida; and Paris, France. One letter is even addressed to Janet at Southampton Hospital six days after Jackie's birth! The archive also includes letters from Janet's mother Margaret A. Merritt (1878-1943) and Janet's first husband John V. Bouvier III (1891-1957). In mixed very good to near fine condition, with expected paper folds, toning, and lightly soiled envelopes, etc.


The archive can be divided into three groups based on chronology and theme: the birth of Jackie Kennedy; Janet's early life; and the death of Janet's mother.


Future First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy was born on July 28, 1929. Still recuperating at Southampton Hospital on Long Island, Janet Lee received a note of congratulations on August 4, 1929 from "Sally": "Just a note to congratulate you both upon the daughter … trust we can get together soon and talk over how sure we both were of having sons … I know you probably have been feeling horrible and that Jack [Jackie's father] is proving a success as a father".


Jackie's maternal grandmother Margaret A. Merritt sent two letters to Janet in 1930 from Europe expressing her impatience at seeing her latest granddaughter. From the Paris Plaza Athenee, Margaret wrote: "I am so thrilled about the baby - I don't see how I can wait until August to see her. She must be glorious! … hugs + kisses for baby + you". From the Paris Royal Monceau Hotel in May 1930, Margaret continued: "I was so lonesome that I had to put away your picture + the smiling baby Jacqueline but you are out again - I got pretty leather folding frames in Italy and you + Baby are in one of them. I was so thrilled about your description of the Baby - she must be just glorious and I am crazy to see her". The future First Lady also received Easter wishes from her paternal grandmother on an undated card partly inscribed "A wee little trifle for Jackie … Mother Bouvier".


The remaining correspondence gives a sense of Janet as a teenager up until her second marriage to lawyer and stockbroker Hugh D. Auchincloss (1897-1976), Jackie's beloved step-father. Included are girlish letters rhapsodizing about who was "coming out", passionate love letters, and a densely packed envelope containing 15 personalized pencil illustrations. Also color postcards from Bermuda, a "Miss Janet Norton Lee" calling card, and even a 1923 dog license application for a dog named Thor Von Hoheluft! The correspondence features a teasingly repentant letter from her first husband Jack dating from September 1928, ("In fact sweet all you have to do is to just be your little self, not becoming excited, temperamental, and not shouting angrily at me and we'll get on beautifully …") as well as a handful of condolence notes after the sudden death of Janet's mother in March 1943 from a stroke.


Elisa Sullivan had started working as a caregiver for Jackie's mother Janet Bouvier Auchincloss (1907-1989) in 1979, after the former First Lady's mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. After Jackie's death in 1994, Elisa worked for Jackie's half-brother Hugh "Yusha" Auchincloss III (1927-2015) as a book-keeper, house-keeper, and chef at Hammersmith Farm in Newport, Rhode Island.


Overall, a wonderfully intimate glimpse of Jackie Kennedy's mother's world!


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