“My dear sister ….”
“Precious child …”
“Ever lovingly …”
“Always with love …”
These tender greetings—from letters between Christian Science pioneers Laura and Victoria Sargent and their family members—hint at a depth of affection and connections that spanned long distances (from Boston to the Midwest) and many decades (from the 1890s through the 1940s).
The letters—three binders-full, including the original handwritten missives and their stamped envelopes—are part of a recent donation to Longyear Museum by descendants of Victoria Sargent.1 (Victoria was periodically called to serve in Mrs. Eddy’s homes, where her sister Laura worked nearly continuously from 1890 onward.) The correspondence contains snippets of daily news and activities, statements of spiritual encouragement, and mentions of gifts exchanged, such as boxes of candy and a suit of clothing. One faded early letter even has a recipe for suet pudding on the back. (In addition to suet, the ingredients include raisins, molasses, sugar, and “sour milk,” plus cinnamon and other flavorings.)
All the letters are in excellent condition, and the donor had arranged them chronologically and attached printed transcriptions of their contents. Receiving such a well-organized gift is especially appreciated. “We were delighted by the care the donor has given to their family’s archives, which has made the transition into our Collections much easier,” notes Longyear’s Director of Collections Deb Wold.
The donated collection also includes several photographs taken at Chestnut Hill as well as a Christian Science Hymnal, inscribed with Laura Sargent’s name, that has been placed in Mrs. Sargent’s restored room on the top floor at 400 Beacon Street, Mrs. Eddy’s final residence. Our staff are meticulously going through every document and artifact, to describe, photograph, and enter each item with a unique identifying number into Past Perfect, the museum industry software that Longyear uses to manage its historical collections. This program allows researchers to access the content of archival documents and information on artifacts in Longyear’s collections.