SPECIAL POST! Tin of Treasures

SPECIAL POST: Tin of Treasures – Items related to the family of Prof. (Marinda) Frances Stewart Mosher, Hillsdale College, Michigan

Array of handbags that were in the tin. The origins of some of these were identified by a letter that came with them. Top left: Native American bag possibly from the Shenandoah Valley, circa 1890s. Remaining three bags: Hand-beaded, 1920s, with at least two made by family members. The one at the lower left has an intricate dragon fly-shaped clasp.

Cookie tin that held fantastic treasures from the Mosher family. We reached out to the Dutch cookie company from which the tin originated. They very kindly responded to our email, but were unable to give us any information about the tin.

The tin had many items inside, including a number of beautiful handbags.

Envelope with the name "Frances." We believe this to be Frances Mosher McDonald, the granddaughter of Marinda Frances Stewart Mosher, and that Frances wrote the first part of the letter.

One side of the handwritten letter.

The Vintage Purse Museum was fortunate to acquire an incredible tin full of treasures. Inside the tin are beaded handbags, lace, handkerchiefs, a calling card case, a business card, a mother-of-pearl barrette and other items. Per the letter included with this tin, these items were connected to family members of Marinda Frances Stewart Mosher. (Known as Frances, she did not use her birth name of Marinda. For clarity, we refer to her as Marinda throughout this post because her granddaughter's name was Frances.) It appears that Marinda Frances Stewart Mosher was an early advocate of the women's suffrage movement and Black civil rights. Her daughter Alfrieda Mosher carried on her mother's work.

(Marinda) Frances Stewart Mosher photo and biography from New Hampshire Women: A Collection of Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Daughters and Residents of the Granite State, Who are Worthy Representatives of their Sex in the Various Walks and Conditions of Life, The New Hampshire Publishing Co., Concord, NH, 1895, page 39.

"FRANCES STEWART MOSHER, A. M., Professor of French and History in Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Mich., is the daughter of the late Rev. I. D. Stewart, for many years connected with the New Hampton Institution, and afterwards with the Morning Star Printing Establishment at Dover, a well known clergyman of the Free Baptist denomination, and Elizabeth Rice, daughter of Isaac Rice, Esq., for thirty years postmaster of Henniker, N. H. She was graduated from New Hampton Institution in 1864, attended Mrs. Hodges’s finishing school in Boston, and spent two years at Mt. Holyoke Seminary. She was a teacher in Dover from 1868 to 1871, when she was united in marriage with Hon. George F. Mosher, LL. D., then editor of the Morning Star of that city, subsequently United States Consul in France, and later in Germany; but for several years past President of Hillsdale College. Possessed of strong and well-cultivated literary tastes, Mrs. Mosher had charge of the young people’s papers, The Little Star and The Myrtle, issued under the auspices of the Free Baptist denomination, and assisted on the Morning Star from 1872 till 1881, when she accompanied her husband abroad, still contributing to several newspapers. In 1887 she accepted her present position in Hillsdale College. She was one of the committee of three for organizing the F. B. Woman’s Missionary Society in 1873, in which Society she has constantly held responsible offices, and was a delegate to the World’s Congress of Representative Women in connection with the Columbian Exposition in 1893. She is also a trustee of Storer College, West Virginia, and a member of the Woman’s Commission of Hillsdale College. Her two daughters are Misses Freida and Bessie Mosher. As a successful educator, a graceful writer, and an earnest worker in behalf of the religious denomination with which she has been associated from childhood, Mrs. Mosher has done splendid service, and is still in the maturity of her powers."

Business card case with business card of G.F. Mosher, husband of Marinda Frances Stewart Mosher. George F. Mosher was editor of the Morning Star, a New Hampshire abolitionist newspaper. The other card has unknown initials on it.

There was a letter included with the tin. The letter is in an envelope that says: “Frances – List of Articles in Box.” We believe this to be Frances McDonald, who was Marinda Frances Stewart Mosher’s granddaughter. Although we can’t be certain, we believe she was the one who wrote the letter. We’ve transcribed the handwriting as best we could below. The Vintage Purse Museum’s notes are in yellow. Below this transcription is additional information about Stewart and Mosher family members, which we found on various websites.

Transcript of letter:

This portion written in ink. Vintage Purse Museum notes in yellow.

1. Frances’ (this is most likely Marinda Frances Stewart’s granddaughter Frances, daughter of Elizabeth Stewart Mosher McDonald) great-grandfather Stewart’s wedding handkerchief 1845? Isaac Dalton Stewart (1817-1887). We are unsure which one is Rev. Stewart’s handkerchief.

2. Mexican vase bought by the parents of Frances on their Mexican trip, 11941 ? Date unclear; vase was not in this tin or part of the acquisition.

3. One lady’s Indian muslin handkerchief with fine tatting and hemstitching, belonged to Frances’ great-grandmother Stewart This would be Rev. Stewart’s wife Elizabeth George Rice Stewart (1819-1908).

4. Monogram on card GFM also calling card of GFM This is George Frank Mosher, Marinda’s husband. George was editor of the Dover Morning Star, an abolitionist newspaper.

5. Handkerchief with tatting made by cousin Nettie Rice about 1920 Nettie may have been the nickname of a granddaughter of Hiram Rice (1816-1894), Elizabeth George Rice’s brother, as that would’ve been a cousin of Frances McDonald’s generation.

6. Crochet doily made by Frieda at time of Frances’ mother’s wedding Likely Elizabeth (Bessie), Freida’s sister and Frances McDonald's mother.

7. Brass and copper tray More info written on the original letter; this tray was not included with the tin.

8. Picture of Momma Ban and her friends More on the original letter; picture not included in this tin. Unsure who Momma Ban was; possibly a nickname for Frances's mother, Elizabeth (Bessie).

9. Handmade handkerchief with “F” for Frieda when she was a baby Marinda's daughter Alfrieda; she went by the name Frieda.

10. Old handbag made by an Indian (American) in the Shenandoah Valley given to Elz McDonald by one of her descendants (Mrs. Daniels at Harpers Ferry). Authentic American beadwork made at least 150 years ago. It’s unclear who Mrs. Daniels was. Elizabeth McDonald (Frances McDonald's mother), her husband and their children lived in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia for many years. Elizabeth was a faculty member of Storer College in Harpers Ferry, and Elizabeth's husband Henry was president. Marinda had been a trustee of Storer College, which opened to Black students and staff in 1867. At one point, it had a dormitory named Mosher Hall.

In pencil below this in different handwriting

Written about 1955

Black & white bead bag made by Mama Ban, 1920

Blue bead bag made by Frances Caywood, 1920 We found several Frances Caywoods on a genealogy website, but the most likely person to have made this was one born in New Hampshire in 1902, died in Connecticut, 1975.

Linens, lace and handkerchiefs that were inside the tin, including the "F" initial hankie that belonged to Frieda (Alfrieda Mosher).

Mosher Family Tree:

Marinda Frances Stewart (known as Frances, 1845-1926) married George Frank Mosher (1844-1929) in 1871 in New Hampshire. Their two daughters attended their parents' alma mater Hillsdale college in Michigan. Marinda's father was the Rev. Isaac Dalton Stewart. (I.D. Stewart's Find A Grave bio here.)

Screenshot of George F. Mosher from the website of Hillsdale College.

Daughter Elizabeth (Bessie) Stewart Mosher (1877-1967) married Henry Temple McDonald (1872-1951) in Michigan in 1901. They had four children, Frances, Elizabeth, Marian and Frank. We believe the letter and tin belonged to Frances (1902-1974).

13 Mar 1975, Thu The Hillsdale Daily News (Hillsdale, Michigan) Newspapers.com

Daughter Alfreida (Freida) Marian Mosher (1873-1966): “Alfrieda Marian Mosher, born in Denver, New Hampshire, on September 19, 1873, was the daughter of George and Marinda (Stewart) Mosher. While her father served as Consul in France and Germany, Mosher was enrolled in French and German schools; she later studied at Hillsdale College in Michigan. She received an AM in 1897 and L.H.D. in 1900. Mosher was the head of the International Department of the Young Women's Christian Association in Boston from 1905 until 1926 and, from 1926 until 1961, secretary of the International Institute in Boston and editor of the International Beacon. Her international work was recognized by foreign governments and international organizations. She spent her last years in a nursing home in Boston and died in August, 1966.” Bio from https://hollisarchives.lib.harvard.edu/repositories/8/resources/5528,

Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study,

https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/schlesinger-library