The correspondence with family, friends and business associates gives a view into Jewett's family and social life as well as her life as a writer. The letters to and from Annie Fields include a consoling note after the death of Fields' husband, James T. Fields, in 1881. Jewett and Fields's long friendship is documented in their own letters and is mentioned in letters to others including letters that Fields and Mary Rice Jewett wrote to others after Sarah's death dealing with her estate. Close family relationships are presented in the many letters to Mary Rice Jewett particularly in the care the aunts took of nephew Theodore Eastman after his mother Carrie Eastman, Jewett's sister, died. The letters to Abbie S. Beede, who typed manuscripts for Sarah and Annie, shows the development of the relationship with Beede from distant to friendly with Jewett sometimes asking Beede for her opinion of a particular story.
To date, only a portion of the correspondence has been digitized. The transcriptions were part of the collection as it was acquired by MWWC; as such, their accuracy has not been verified but they are presented as-is. If you find an error in a transcription, please email your correction to ltaylor6@une.edu.
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I had a prosperous journey...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing travel, visitors.
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I am glad to know that you are safe on shore...
William Perry
Letter from William Perry to Sarah Orne Jewett discussing her travels and return home.
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Thank you for the catalogue...
Mary F. Russell
Letter from Mary F. Russell to Sarah Orne Jewett invititing Jewett's nephew to visit.
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We had a good little journey though it was warm...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing trip to Five Islands, various visits, travel logistics in southern Maine (Brunswick, Portland, Rockland, Bath).
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This has been a good day and we have had company to dinner...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing sailing, nature, Monhegan.
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We had a pretty party last night...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing visit with Mr. Howells and Josie Dexter, Cousin Fanny, land.
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I thought that you would speak of it's being hot...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing weather, sailing, visitors.
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If you can put your hand on it...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett requesting a book of the Academy dedication with Dr. Lord's speech.
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It is a beautiful morning and for some reason...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing visit with Mr. Murchie, preparing to travel, heat, her bank account.
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I shall send such a short letter...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing trip to Boston with Annie Fields, Jewett's writing, social plans.
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Give my love to Eva...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing visit from Loulie Dresel, weather.
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I shall come tomorrow at six...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing arrival time.
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It is half-past ten and all candles were put out...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing visit with Mrs. Cabot, reading Lane Allen.
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I was so glad to get your letter last night when I got here...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing working on proofs.
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We have just come home from church...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing church, frequent trips to Boston.
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I thought that you might like to hear that I had made so great a journey...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing receiving honorary doctorate from Bowdoin College.
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With all your affectionate care to keep the particulars from me...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing Tosy (a dog).
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My window is open and the children are all in the streets...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Annie Fields discussing Jewett's health and her wishes to be together with and caring for Fields.
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I wish that you had stayed over...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing an evening at Sylvia Emerson's, social plans, baggage workers' strike, a cat.
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I went to see old Helen's house...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing Helen's new house, Ellen Mason.
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It was pleasant to find that everything seems to have gone well...
Mary Rice Jewett
Letter from Mary Rice Jewett to Sarah Orne Jewett discussing house cleaning, early spring, Katy's health.
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Stopping at this place ideal spot...
A. H. F.
Postcard from A. H. F. (Henry) depicting Passaconaway Inn, York, Maine.
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Cora and I have been to Carrie's to dinner...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing dinner with Carrie Jewett, social plans.
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I found that I had forgotten about the gig...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing Tosy (a dog), visitors, White Murder Trial.
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A nice cool East windy day...
Sarah Orne Jewett
Letter from Sarah Orne Jewett to Mary Rice Jewett discussing staying with Annie Fields in Manchester-by-the-Sea.