20 February 1828

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James William Paige

Requests to hear about his brother-in-law's visit to Hartford, Connecticut. Complains that he has not received mail beyond Baltimore, and blames the stagecoach drivers. Reports that the stagecoach got into an accident going to Baltimore while carrying Associate Supreme Court Judge Joseph Story. States that he has a visitor and stops writing. Returns to report that the visitor was New York lawyer David Ogden. Year written in pencil at a later date.

GLC01946.08

April 12, 1829

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James William Paige

Informs his brother-in-law that he has made it through "this most melancholy occasion." Appears to be speaking of the 10 April 1829 death from a heart attack of his 47-year-old brother Ezekiel. States that "Mrs. W. [probably his brother's wife] bears all with incredible patience and resignation" and that the "whole community seems most deeply impressed" and "shocked by the occurrence." Refers to several friends and family who attended the occasion, including the Levys, Mr. Kelly, and Ellen. Seal intact.

GLC01946.11

8 March 1834

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James William Paige

Discusses legislative action regarding the Bank of the United States, including introduction of the Massachusetts Resolutions before the Senate. Notes that the House majority remains small, and that Senate support should be stronger, but that John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay are acting unpredictably regarding the measure.

GLC01946.17

13 October 1839

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James William Paige

Relates his European travels to his brother-in-law. States that Samuel Jaudon, his friend and former cashier of the Bank of the United States, is having financial difficulty but is "on his legs." Complains of the high rate of interest for Americans when drawing English capital, claiming it is the goal among certain British banks to "defuse and decry American credit." Continues writing on 16 October to discuss his departure for Paris, delayed so he could "put letters by the Queen" (likely Queen Victoria). States that Jaudon completed his loan 15 October. Recipient inferred from content.

GLC01946.18

February 2, 1840

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Informs his sister-in-law that he forwarded her previous letter to his wife. States that he received news from Paige's father, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Joseph Story. States he has settled in with Mr. Curtis (possibly New York Representative Edward Curtis), and Mr. Evans (possibly Maine Representative George Evans), as well as his French and law books. Docket states that this letter contains an enclosing from "La'Salle" (not present).

GLC01946.19

11 November 1841

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Offers this letter to his sister-in-law with a gift. Hopes she values the gift beyond its "material & the workmanship." Offers the gift to assure her of his "constant and affectionate regard."

GLC01946.21

circa 1842

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Writes to his sister-in-law, enclosing a note of introduction for British foreign minister Lord Alexander Ashburton and James Paige, Harriette's husband. Instructs Harriette to have the note "sealed and presented on [Ashburton's] arrival." States, "You will hear that the the [sic] Treaty is done! and I am almost done, too," referring to the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842, which defined the North Eastern boundary between the United States and Canada and resulted in a lasting peace agreement between Britain and America. Reports that the only issue not negotiated with Ashburton was that of…

GLC01946.22

29 August 1842

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

States at the top of the letter, "1 o'clock- Tariff passed," likely referring to the Tariff of 1842, which returned duties to what they had been before the Compromise Tariff of 1833. Thanks his sister-in-law Paige for the sixth "mouchoir," or handkerchief she had recently given to him. Informs Paige of his travel plans through Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Nashua, New Hampshire, and Marshfield, Massachusetts. Requests Paige to find a "good natured woman" to cook for him now and then; states that he prefers a white woman. Records that this letter was written at 1 o'clock. 1842 written…

GLC01946.23

27 March 1844

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Describes a service he attended the previous evening to his sister-in-law. Discusses the form used in the book of Habakkuk, stating that the "passages ... present ... a remarkable instance of the Hebrew form of Poetic composition." Quotes 3 Habakkuk, verses 17 and 18. Suggests Harriette read Bishop Lowth's writings on Hebrew Poetry, which for Webster "opened ... quite a new view of the beauties of the prophetical & practical parts of the Old Testament." Signed and docketed on the back by Paige.

GLC01946.28

2 October 1844

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Reports to his sister-in-law Paige that he enjoys the company of her husband, James William Paige, in Philadelphia. States that he plans to venture into the Mining District of Pennsylvania and hopes James will join him. Relates that he went to a party the evening before with James at the home of John Morin Scott, Mayor of Philadelphia.

GLC01946.29

1845

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James William Paige

Thanks his brother-in-law for sending a beautiful basket. States that he went with his son Edward Webster to a pond where they acquired some ducks to send to Paige. Referencing the killed ducks, declares it "murderous, & hardly fair sport; but it shows how things are done, down here in Marshfield." 1845 written on this document in pencil at a later date.

GLC01946.30

1845

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Declines a dinner invitation to his sister-in-law's house in favor of an invitation to Mr. Ward's (possibly Thomas Ward, the Boston agent of the Baring Brothers banking firm in England) where he plans to meet Mr. Granville Harcourt Vernon, English Parliamentary figure and son of the Archbishop of York. States that Vernon had an evening with the Webster's at Mr. Baron Parke's. Reports that Vernon's sister, Miss Harcourt, married Colonel Molcomb, son of Sir John Molcomb. October 1845 written in pencil on this document at a later date. Document comes with an envelope with an address, an…

GLC01946.31

20 November 1846

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James William Paige

Requests that his brother-in-law Paige accept a case of port wine, now in Boston, in Paige's store. States that the wine will improve with Paige's care. Instructs Paige to send one case to Marshfield, Massachusetts, where Webster owned a residence.

GLC01946.33

1 April 1847

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Informs his sister-in-law that he and others were distressed upon receiving her letters and two notes from Mary Blatchford regarding an accident that involved Mr. Blatchford (possibly Richard Blatchford, Webster's close friend and business associate). The back of this document includes a note and a docket, likely by Harriette Story Paige. 1 April 1847 written on this document in pencil at a later date.

GLC01946.34

January 31, 1848

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

States to sister-in-law Paige that he and his wife, Caroline LeRoy Webster feel uneasy about the health of his daughter, Julia Webster. Reports that he has written to his son, Daniel Fletcher Webster, to notify him of Julia's ill health, and that they do not want Julia to realize that they are alarmed. Letter and docket marked private.

GLC01946.39

November 20, 1833

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Informs his sister-in-law that he sent her several epitaphs, likely written for his deceased family members. Requests the birth and death dates of his first wife, Grace Fletcher Webster. Instructs Paige to look over the epitaphs and suggest alterations to him. Hopes to "make a better sentiment" for his deceased son, Edward Webster. 1850 written at the top of this document in pencil at a later date.

GLC01946.46

17 May 1851

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Informs his sister-in-law Paige that his son, Daniel Fletcher Webster had a sore throat but that he recovered and is now writing at his table. Reports that he and Fletcher might travel to Buffalo, New York on a steamboat that evening. Letter written at 12 o'clock. 1851 written in pencil on this document at a later date.

GLC01946.49

circa 1848

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige [incomplete]

Instructs his sister-in-law to bring him a letter she wrote on the second of the month. Reports he will do all he can for George Paige (likely a relative of Harriette's) including taking the unspecified matter in question before the Secretary of War. States that Mr. P. should write to Robert C. Winthrop, Senator from Massachusetts, and to George Ashmun, Representative from Massachusetts. 1848 written in pencil on this document at a later date. Only the final page of the letter survives.

GLC01946.51

circa 1845

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Expresses joy to his sister-in-law that his daughter Julia Webster arrived at his location with her children. Instructs Paige to give his love to Caroline (likely one of the Paige's children) and her babies.

GLC01946.52

circa 1845

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige [incomplete]

Humorously tells sister-in-law that the families of the New York congressmen James Kent, Thomas Oakley and Edward Curtis have been "put in a commotion" regarding a lost atlas. Reports that a dispatch has been sent to Europe to follow Edward Curtis through France, Germany, Switzerland, Como, Rome, and Naples. States that he will notify George Curtis (possibly his biographer, lawyer George Ticknor Curtis) to terminate the dispatch to Europe if Curtis can meet Paige at a New York Hotel. Only the final three pages of this document survive.

GLC01946.53

circa 1845

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Possibly referring to himself, states that a person of dark complexion who is as old but not as fat as Shakespeare's character Sir John Falstaff would not miss a dinner including guests J.P.D. (possibly Massachusetts Governor John Davis), J.W.P. (possibly Webster's brother-in-law, Harriette's husband James William Paige), and C.H.W.

GLC01946.54

circa 1848

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Informs his sister-in-law Paige that it is "no day for a daguerreotype." States that he can not reconcile himself to a change in his stance suggested by the artist George P. A. Healy, claiming "everyone who knows me would laugh to see me holding out my left arm in that manner."

GLC01946.55

circa 1848

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Writes to his sister-in-law, "What say you, shall you, & I, & Mr. [George P. A] Healey leave & depart, this P.M - at 3 oclock - in a close coach for Marshfield [Massachusetts] to stay there thro the week. I let him have a chance at your ugly & my beautiful face? - Speak!" Healey was painting a portrait of Webster (see GLC01946.55).

GLC01946.56

circa 1845

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Requests his sister-in-law to send him a copy of "The Spectator" from his table, so he may forward it on to his wife, Caroline LeRoy Webster. Docket marked "In Court (Boston)."

GLC01946.59

circa 1845

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriette Story Paige

Invites his sister-in-law, her husband James William Paige, his son Daniel Fletcher Webster, his daughter-in-law Caroline Story White Webster, and possibly his son-in-law, James' business associate Samuel Appleton to dinner with Mr. Homestead (likely a friend of Webster's family).

GLC01946.60