FIRST LADY LUCRETIA R. GARFIELD - FREE FRANK SIGNED - HFSID 254445

LUCRETIA R. GARFIELD
Widowed First Lady writes to husband's former pupil and biographer.
Black-bordered Envelope franked: "Lucretia R. Garfield Free", 4¼x3¼. Addressed by her to: "Doctor B.A. Hinsdale/Ann Arbor/Michigan." Postmarked West Mentor (Ohio), Oct. 25 (1897). Clearly postmarked on verso: "Ann Arbor, Mich., Oct 26 9AM 1897 Rec'd". Lucretia Rudolph Garfield, who survived her assassinated husband by more than 36 years, always used black-bordered stationery after his death. When writing or speaking about him, she referred to him as "General Garfield" (Major General in the Civil War), never as "President Garfield". Mrs. Garfield was granted free use of the mails by a special act of Congress on December 20, 1881. An act of March 31, 1882 directed the Secretary of the Interior to place the names of Mrs. Garfield and the widows of Presidents Tyler and Polk "on the pension roll and pay each of them a pension during their respective natural lives at a rate of $5,000 a year from and after the 19th day of September 1881", the day President Garfield died. On July 27, 1882, Congress passed an act awarding Mrs. Garfield the sum of $50,000. Burke Aaron Hinsdale (1837-1900) was educated at Hiram College, where he was a pupil of James A. Garfield. He became a pastor but devoted most of his career to teaching English, History and Religion and was a school administrator. He published two books on Garfield and Garfield's studies. Stained in upper right blank area, lightly soiled, else fine condition.