Spring Auction 2018
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/26/2018
This is a four page manuscript letter. The letter is from May 18, 1816; Hand-written letter from Mother Elizabeth Seton's siblings, sent to William Seton at Leghorn (Livorno, Italy), from his sister Mary Catherine Seton (Kitt). At the bottom of page four and top of page one is 18 lines by Mother Seton, initialed "EAS". This is the only handwritten signed note that we could find Mother Seton in the market place. This is mostly family business related
Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton (August 28, 1774 -- January 4, 1821) was the first native-born United States citizen to be canonized. She was born to the prominent Bayley family of New York City, and raised in the Episcopal Church. At the age of nineteen, she married William Magee Seton, a wealthy business man. Five children were born to the marriage, which ended with her husband's death in 1803. Two years later she converted to Roman Catholicism. Elizabeth would go on to establish a community in Emmitsburg, Maryland dedicated to the care for the children of the poor. This was the first religious community of apostolic women founded in the United States. The remainder of her life was spent in leading and developing the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph's which she had founded, along with the Sulpician priests of Baltimore. Today six independent religious communities trace their roots to the humble beginnings of the Sisters of Charity in Emmitsburg, Maryland. On December 18, 1959, Elizabeth was declared Venerable by the Sacred Congregation of the Catholic Church. She was beatified by Pope John XXIII on March 17, 1963, and canonized by Pope Paul VI on September 14, 1975, making her the first native-born United States citizen to be canonized. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is popularly considered a patron saint of Catholic schools. Seton's autograph is exceedingly rare, we could find only one other example, to have appeared at auction in the last 30 years.
Extremely Rare Manuscript letter- Signed by Saint Mother Elizabeth Seton and family!
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