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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Petty, John S., 1838-? to [James M.] Maitland

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.10.036 Author/Creator: Petty, John S., 1838-? Place Written: Lockbourne, Ohio Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 19 October 1861 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 20.6 cm, Width: 24.5 cm Order a Copy

Apologizes for not writing sooner, remarking that "good resolutions being like pipe stems, easily broken, the favorable moments passed unimproved." Describes the school where he is teaching, and states that he likes the town where he is living. Recipient inferred from content.

Petty, John S., 1838-1911
Maitland, James M., 1815-1864

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