Correspondence, 1858-1940

This series consists mainly of condolence letters; also included are letters from Mackall cousins and grandchildren. The bulk of the series covers two years, 1912 and 1926, when first John and then William Mackall died.

On May 4, 1912 Anna Mackall (1858-1928), the wife of William’s cousin, William Whann Mackall (1853-1939) wrote to “Hollie” about the wedding of Henry Mackall to Caroline Ball in the “little church” at Langley, Virginia. On May 10, she wrote to William from Langley about the clearing of forest and the construction of a mansion by Mr. Leiter. Today the Central Intelligence Agency occupies that property.

Correspondence from Isabel Mackall Young to her grandmother, Helen Mackall (“Boo”) reveal that Helen often sent her granddaughter money and items she knitted for her. Isabel was very grateful. Isabel signed letters to her grandmother “sister”. Her brother, John, had a different attitude. In January 1935 John asked her for a “contribution” as he was “short on cash”; in October he wrote “there isn’t any money in the bank.”

Items are arranged in rough chronological order.