Description:

Civil War
n.p., January 8, 1862
Union Soldier Writes a Love Letter to his Sweetheart on Patriotic Stationery
ALS
Civil War. Autograph Letter Signed, "Jacob Wooster", 3pp, 4.75" x 7.625", place illegible, January 8, 1862. On lined bifold stationery depicting "The Tree of Liberty" in red and blue by Cincinnati, Ohio publisher James Gates, with American flags extending from tree branches named with U.S. states. A printed quote beside the illustration reads: "Traitor, spare that tree! Touch not a single bough! In youth it sheltered me, And I'll protect it now." Expected mailing folds with minor separation and creases throughout. Toning, soiling, and scattered staining. A 1.5" x .75" open tear with loss at top right corner. In near very good condition.

Wooster writes a warm and loving letter to his sweetheart, Mary Jane Wolford, even including a romantic poem after the most famous rhyme, "Roses are red...Violets are blue"!

In full, with original spelling retained: "my Dier friend i take this present opportunity to inform you that i am injoying very good helth at this time and hoping that these few lines will find you injoying the same king blesing. i reseved your leter that you wrote the 22 of last month and reseve it the 31st and i was very glad to heare from you. i ansured it the next day i don't no wether you half reseve it or not this is the third leter that i half wrote to you. O but id like to see you now. O Mary i think of you every day and every night. O think of me love i do love you and dont denight it or wont denight it wil insure you [that] i never will forget you in my life if you wil be my true lover wil you if you anseer me yes O how i would like to be with you tonight...

...if we did not half a good time of it i think well Mary you must half patience until i arive agen and we wil half some of the olde tiems agen i tink if we both live to meat agen we half had some very cold wethe and some snow last night was the coldest we half had here i think it is raning now and the wind is bloing and it is a very bad night. wel i am a geting tired of writing i am geting as fleshe as every was i am only seventeen pound than i was when i left home i am as helte as ever i was in my life harty as ever wel i mus come to a close write as son as you get this remain your affecionate friend...

...honey is s[w]eet
and so are you
round is the ring that
has no end so is my
love to you my friend...

...Jacob Wooster to Mary Jane Wolford".

Jacob Wooster (1841-1918) was born in Washington, Ohio. He was a private in the 36th Ohio Infantry Regiment, Company A. He did indeed end up marrying Mary Jane Wolford (1842-1918) in April of 1864 and they had at least five children.

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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  • Dimensions: 4.75" x 7.625"
  • Medium: ALS

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