Description:

Margaret Mitchell
Atlanta, GA, August 2, 1940
Margaret Mitchell TLS Re: "North Georgia people… with Irish and Scotch names" - A Character Type Deeply Explored In GWTW
TLS

A 1p typed letter signed by Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), author of the best-selling Civil War-era novel "Gone With The Wind" (1936), as: "Margaret Mitchell Marsh" above her name in print as "Margaret Mitchell Marsh" and "(Mrs. John R. Marsh)." August 2, 1940. Atlanta, Georgia. Typed on watermarked stationery with "Margaret Mitchell" letterhead. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds and a few extra wrinkles. The top edge is slightly discolored and dotted with holes - probably evidence of prior binding or mounting. A small hole has been expertly in-filled near the beginning of line 7 and does not affect any typed text. Else near fine. 7.25" x 10.5." Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from Shafran Collectibles, Inc. (East Meadow, New York).

Mitchell wrote this letter to Judge Leonard Harl McMahan (1866-1957), a mutual acquaintance with whom Mitchell corresponded between ca. 1937-1941. McMahan was the longtime circuit judge of Marion County, in northwestern Oregon where the state capital Salem was located, between 1924-1943. As this letter demonstrates, Mitchell was fascinated by Oregon, a region of the United States so unlike her native Georgia. Mitchell also mentioned being thrilled at McMahan's likeness, which she speculated seemed familiar to her because of the similar genetic makeup of residents of northern-central Georgia - a place where she had lived her entire life.

In part:

"I am especially glad to have the kodak picture of you on horseback. Being feminine and curious, of course I wondered what you looked like and I confess that I plied your friend with questions when I called on her during her visit to Atlanta. She told me, among other pleasant things, that you were most distinguished looking… I know you are a Westerner and proud of being a Westerner, so do not take it amiss when I tell you that you look very much like our North George people. Perhaps that's because this section was mainly settled by people with Irish and Scotch names…"

Mitchell was right: in the earliest decades of the 18th C., two-thirds of immigration to colonial Georgia was European, mostly Scots, Irish, English, German, and French-speaking Swiss. Mitchell was acutely aware of this history, not only through research which she had done for "Gone With The Wind," but also because it reflected her own personal background. Scottish ancestors on Mitchell's paternal side had immigrated to Georgia during the Revolutionary War. Mitchell's maternal great-grandfather, born in County Tipperary, Ireland, had immigrated to the United States after the Irish Rebellion in 1798.

One of Mitchell's most memorable characters in "Gone With The Wind" was the recent Irish immigrant Gerald O'Hara, Scarlett O'Hara's beloved father. In her book, Mitchell portrays Gerald O'Hara as stereotypically Irish: hot-tempered, stubborn, resilient, patriotic, and fiercely loyal. Mitchell relies on these Irish character tropes to explain Scarlett's behavioral tendencies, especially her love for Tara. As Gerald O'Hara states eloquently early on in the novel: "To anyone with a drop of Irish blood in them, the land they live on is like their mother… ‘Twill come to you, this love of the land. There's no getting away from it, if you're Irish."

Besides Gerald O'Hara, there are also other passing references to characters of Scotch-Irish or Irish heritage in "Gone With the Wind." These include Angus MacIntosh, the O'Hara Family's Protestant Irish neighbor whose land adjoins Tara; and Johnny Gallagher, the Irish lumber mill operator who supervises Scarlett's convict labor outfit after the Civil War.

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.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 7.25" x 10.5"
  • Medium: TLS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

November 19, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000