Description:

Harrison Caroline 1832 - 1892 Rare ALS as First Lady to the Postmaster of Washington, D.C., asking him to "kindly make inquiry & have [a package] forwarded" - it had mistakenly been addressed to Washington instead of Philadelphia.

Rare Autograph Letter Signed "Mrs. Benjamin Harrison" as First Lady, two pages, 3.75" x 6", front and verso. Penning a 5.5" long signature, in concludes on the integral leaf. "Executive Mansion, Washington." stationery, June 18 [1891]. To the "Postmaster of Washington D.C." Henry Sherwood was Postmaster of Washington, D.C., having been appointed by President Harrison in September 1890. First Lady Caroline Scott Harrison contracted tuberculosis during her husband's unsuccessful campaign for reelection and died in the White House on October 25, 1892, two weeks before the election. Fine condition.

In full, "Postmaster of Washington D.C. Dear Sir: By mistake a package for Mr. Alburtus [sic] Shelley was sent to 839 N. 5th St. Washington the correct address being 839 N. 5th St. Philadelphia. Will you kindly make inquiry & have it forwarded & oblige. Mrs. Benjamin Harrison. June 18th."

On May 17, 1891, 19-year-old violinist Albertus Shelley was invited by First Lady Caroline Harrison to perform at the White House. Present were the President and Mrs. Harrison, several members of the Cabinet, and other distinguished guests. Rev. Abraham James Fretz wrote in "A Brief History of Bishop Henry Funck..." (Elkhart, Indiana: Mennonite Publishing Co., 1899), which included short biographies of descendants of Funck who had come to America in 1719, that "Mrs. Harrison presented Shelley with a diamond scarf pin." Fretz does not say when the pin was given to Shelley. It is possible that the diamond pin was mailed by Mrs. Harrison to Shelley a few weeks later in the package that mistakenly was sent to an address in Washington instead of the same address in Philadelphia. In the fall of 1891, Shelley sailed for Paris to fulfill engagements in France and Germany, returning to Philadelphia in March 1895.

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