NAWSA General Correspondence Boyer, Rita [*1950*] March 23rd, 21 Ashmont St. Melrose. Dear Rita: I tried to get you on the telephone yesterday, so I presume you are not yet back from the west. But I'll send this along so you'll have it when you return. I am returning the letter of Susan B. Anthony to Lucy Stone. I read it to Miss Blackwell the day after you let me have it and she said: "That convention was her work and hers alone. I am so glad to have Miss Anthony's expression of appreciation. But the letter should not be in my mother's file; it should be with Susan B. Anthony's papers so that students would see in her own hand that praise of my mother. They disagreed on so many things: I'd like people to know that Susan B. Anthony really appreciated and valued her efforts. But please make a copy of the letter for my mother's folder in Mrs. Park's collection." I have made several copies and think that the original should really go into Lucy Stone's file if you decide sometime to make the gift. I have made a note that the original is in your possession. I think I shall never get over the shock of knowing that Mrs. Boyer gave away those priceless treasures of the Blackwell family. Miss Blackwell has had people searching for years for that trunk. On March last when I was with her all afternoon she gave me many notes about her affairs and I have just typed them out for her executors. Mrs. Smith called me and said that Miss Blackwell had been brooding for weeks and she felt sure that something was bothering her. I went over to read her an article on the Women's Journal written by Mrs. Merk and she asked me to make some notes about things concerning her papers and the collection at Radcliffe. This is a transcription of the matter concerning the trunk: "You will have to ask Mrs. Boyer about the trunk of letters to my mother which we used when we were getting ready to write the biography. You will get a good deal of material from them concerning the merger of the American and the National Associations. Mrs. Higginson, Miss Clara Barton, Wendell Phillips, Lucy Larcom, Julia Ward Howe, Mr. Whittier and Mr. Garrison write many letters to my mother about her work. They are all in that trunk. I hope you can see Mrs. Boyer about them while her memory is still good." ---------- I am so sorry you were not here to go to her memorial service. We thought it was a beautiful one and that it was what Miss Blackwell would have chosen. The service at the Lucy Stone Chapel was very simple and had only the family and about ten of her friends. We tried to get you and Richard but as he has probably told you, I could not get an answer to the telephone. I am going to clear up her papers and get them ready to go to the Library of Congress. All agree that the Blackwells must be represented there instead of in a small library collection. So I shall have a chance to weed out the things that ought not to go into records. If you find anything further among Aunt Ida's things I hope they can be returned. I found three letters in my autograph collection which Aunt Ida had given me and I have filed them with A.S.B.'s papers. I am sure they came from there since they had Lucy Stone's writing up in the corner saying whose letters they were. Isn't it strange what old folks do? It troubles me terribly to see Mrs. Park and her dear old friends slipping. How I wish they could be taken before they lose their minds and faculties. She is really well but at times she loses her mental facilities and it troubles me terribly. I wondered how Aunt Ida took Alice's death. Mrs. Park seemed to think it was the natural course of events and wasn't the least bit upset. I just couldn't understand it. Sometime you'd be interested to hear the tale of Howard Blackwell. He didn't know the first thing about Alice's wishes. He didn't know about the Lucy Stone Chapel, or anything else, in fact. But we managed to get things done, in spite of him, and to have a respectable service. The newspapers were very generous. I am now trying to collect all of the clippings we can find but there is no way of knowing how many papers reported it. The Associated Press were notified at 10:30 and at 11 it was on every nation-wide radio hookup. It was an exciting experience to watch that outfit! I do hope things are quiet with you now. The Chicago trip must have been a trying one. Our best to you both, Sincerely, Feb 14 1951 called Rita Boyer to answer her letter told her Mr Huse might like the lot at 1500 or less but that she could ask Helen 2000. Told her about Meyrie's price on her house the land between his house and the bluff (2 bluff lots) 25000 Reminded her to look up the agreement about the sharing of the cost of the stairs - the road - clearing and cutting rights of way! also that M. allow no poles in field. light are to go underground 100 Madison Ave Newtonville 60 Mass Feb 13 1951 Dear Edna: Friends of ours who had a place on the Vineyard recently sold their house and I asked them if they had any idea what we could get for Dick's mother's land on Chilmark. They referred me to a Janet Swifs whom they considered a reliable real estate agent. We did not list the property with her agency for Disk just wanted to get an approximate price before he wrote Mr. Helm. Do you consider her estimate of $1,000 to be a proper figure? We would like your judgement before going any further. If you are ever out this way drop in and see us. Our regards to you both Sincerely Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.