Winter Autograph, Art and Sports Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/26/2015
Secret Love letter from the founder of Johns Hopkins University.
There are only a few known examples of handwritten letters that exist by Johns Hopkins. This 2 page letter is in fine condition and is accompanied with the original envelope. Here is A love letter from the very private Johns Hopkins (Founder and Name sake of Johns Hopkins University and Hospital. What makes this extremely rare letter especially interesting is not only does Hopkins profess his love and “promises to take pleasure in pleasing" her he also tells her “Do not let anyone see this letter” the letter is to a cousin of his named Alverda E. Hopkins. It was known that Hopkins, had wanted to marry a cousin named Elizabeth who was the daughter of his uncle Gerard, who he met while working on his uncles farm at the age of 17, but was not allowed to marry based on the Quaker traditions. This letter was written to another cousin 50 years later at the age of 77. It is known that Hopkins, did burn all his personal letters and there are only a few letters that exist in his hand, but this is the first we are aware of with any personal feelings expressed. Maybe there was a reason why he did destroy all of his letters?
This letter was also found with an interesting ledger, which could be of major importance to the beginning of Johns Hopkins
business endeavors. It is known that Hopkins, broke away from his Uncle and started his own business, Hopkins partnered with three of his brothers and established Hopkins & Brothers Wholesalers in 1819. The company prospered by selling various wares in the Shenandoah Valley from Conestoga wagons, sometimes in exchange for corn whiskey, which was then sold in Baltimore as "Hopkins' Best". This ledger book dated in 1822 has many records, of cost which includes wagons, wheat, apples and other daily purchases and sales. The edger does seem to have also calculations and formulas to figure out cost and weights and more and possibly belonged to Lowe. What makes this ledger an interesting part of the puzzle is that it has from the period, Johns Hopkins name on the top of one of the pages as well as a Alfred Lowe and Alverda E Hopkins. These are the same names that Johns Hopkins sent the letter to. The envelope is addressed to Alverda E. Hopkins in care of Alfred Lowe. The ledger is about 20 pages and many of the pages have newspaper clippings form the period pasted on them. Underneath the clippings you can clearly see that there is handwriting. This is quite a puzzle deserves further research.
Extremely Rare Johns Hopkins ALS (Love letter to Cousin)
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