NAWSA GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE BAKER, RACHEL B Dear Miss Blackwell I think the publisher is Nelson Company- but I've heard nothing of the book What do you think of the liberties the cavalcade program took with Dr. Elizabeth life story and with my book But the program originated in Hollywood so all is explained I hope warmer winds blow in Boston & your apartment is more comfortable now Sincerely Rachel Baker [*B.*] May 21, 1943 Dear Miss Blackwell: Thank you for your second letter. The details given me there are invaluable. I can never tell you how much you have helped me. But today as I sorted out the more than twenty pages of notes resulting from my visit and your two letters, I realized that the last part of the book has come alive for me, and all I have to do now is write it. I had a very different view of this part of my work only a few weeks ago, and feel that it's providential that I found you, and found you also so able and willing to help me. I talked to Mrs. Whidden, a long conversation by phone and she has sent me a long letter and some notes copied from Mrs. Robinson who is now also in Montclair. I also had a long talk with Dr. Daniels, who is impressively vigorous and strong-minded, and gave me valuable material of a factual nature, verified some details, and made some suggestions. I found her series of articles on the Infirmary to which you had directed me, and went over these with the greatest of care. I found the research most painstaking, even if the details were not too well organized. I am very grateful to your suggestion that I look for these series. As it happened, the whole series had escaped the notice of the cataloguers at the Academy of Medicine, and they were not listed anywhere, so this excellent material might have otherwise escaped me. At the New York Infirmary I found some very interesting old illustrations, including pictures of Dr. Elizabeth, old instruments, and an old view of the Bleeker street house. I now have Dr. Zakrzewska's autobiography, which I find an excellent source of atmospheric details. Of course this book rather minimizes the Blackwell part in the Infirmary founding, and tends to focus on the writer of the work. However, I can find my own proper perspective and focus. Some points given in Dr. Z's book are not clear to me. On first coming to New York, which I believe was in 1856, sherented a back parlor from Dr. Elizabeth, who had sometime before, through the aid of friends purchased a residence at Fifteenth Street. In this house, according to Dr. Z, Dr. Elizabeth lived with her mother, and an older sister, (probably Marion). Then Antoinette Brown Blackwell and her husband Samuel Blackwell joined the group just before their oldest daughter was born. And your mother, Lucy Stone, and your father, Henry Blackwell, were also residents here. Do you happen to know how long this family arrangement lasted? When did Samuel and Antoinette Brown Blackwell leave? How long did your mother and father stay in the Fifteenth Street house, and when did they leave? And how long did Mrs. Blackwell and Marion remain with Elizabeth? And where did they go upon leaving her? One more question. Miss Barry was taken by Elizabeth in 1854. Was Elizabeth alone in New York at that time? When did Elizabeths' mother join her. All this is pertinent to your remark about Miss Barry's waiting up nights for Dr. Elizabeth when the latter was out on cases, and that incident of reading Mrs. Sherwood's stories, etc. I would also like to know, if it is possible to find out, where George and the younger sister were. Was the family home broken up in Cincinnatti? There was also a brother Howard of whom Elizabeth was very fond. Can you tell me anything about his whereabouts around this time? Do you happen to know when and whom he married? He had attended Elizabeth's graduation in 1849, and was very proud of her. He is never mentioned again after that in her autobiography. I am trying now to make a chart of family events, marriages, births, deaths, covering the period of 1850 to 1900. I have the data in your book on Lucy Stone covering that branch of the family, and I have a few facts on the Antoinette Brown branch. I would be very grateful for any details you can give me about the others. Please thank your kind friend for her contribution to the last letter. Quite outside the purpose [*?*] for which I came, I enjoyed my visit to your home very much. When I told a newspaper friend of mine of my impressions, she said, "What a pity that Miss Blackwell doesn't write her autobiography." And I guess if you did, it would cover a very interesting span and scene. Sincerely yours, Rachel Baker Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.