Correspondence, 1769-1938

The bulk of Series I consists of correspondence to Lucinda Harwood Sellman (I) from various members of her family, dating between 1849 and 1863 and correspondence to John Henry Sellman (III) from friends and family between 1886 and 1892. Other frequent recipients include Harriet Hall, with letters from 1850 to 1862, and Susan Sellman, with letters from 1823 to 1850. The topics covered in the letters to Lucinda include the births, deaths and marriages of family members and friends; weather conditions; and schooling for her children. Her nephew, Frank H. Stockett, managed her financial affairs and his letters describe some of the accounts, including the excess expenses of her son, Henry. In 1863, Mr. Stockett advised her to take care of her children financially, particularly the girls so that they are not dependant on their brothers. Correspondence from merchants with whom she did business in Baltimore is appended to many of the documents in Series 2.

Lucinda's brother, Benjamin, became a doctor and practiced medicine in Grand Gulf, Mississippi. He studied medicine in Baltimore and in 1842 wrote to her about a paper mache model that was so complete it "answers every purpose of dissecting." In 1849 he wrote to her about the cholera epidemic in Grand Gulf, Mississippi.

The topics covered in the letters to John Henry (Harry) Sellman (III) include events in Davidsonville and Baltimore attended by Sellman family members; concern about Harry's welfare in New York; illnesses and deaths of friends and family including his parents, Henry (II) in 1892 and Sophia (I) in 1888; and Clifton farm life (farm animal births and deaths, crop problems and successes). In August 1886, Henry provided seventeen-year-old Harry with a sample job application for a position in the freight department of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in Baltimore. However, by the next month, Harry had left Maryland for a position in New York and returned to Maryland only for visits with his family.

In November 1889, Harry received a letter from Emma Wagensail, the Charade Committee Chairman of the Oxford Social, providing him with the full text of the acting proverb, "There's many a slip twist the cup and the lip," the group intended to perform. Harry would play the part of "Mark."

The topics covered in the letters to Harriet Hall include news about family members and their health, as well as items she is instructed to buy for her sister and mother.

The letters to Susan Sellman come mainly from her nieces and nephews and mainly concern news about family members, including announcing the death of Richard Brandt.

Arrangement is alphabetical by correspondent and then chronological.