All of the letters appear to be incoming correspondence to Moss M. Nash, of Martinsburgh, New York, and Lorain, Ohio. They are written by his parents, sister, cousin, and several friends from his school boy days. His father writes at least twenty letters, his mother nine. His sister Lottie writes eight letters. His cousin Martin S. Butrick, of Edwardsville, New York (his mother's side of the family) writes to him on at least fourteen occasions. A friend, Charles Hough, writes to him on a number of occasions, as do friends named Mell and Will. Will is at Fort Collins, Colorado and Mell moved to New York City to become an artist, later relocating to Utica.

Moss M. Nash (1858-1933)

Moss M. Nash was born 1 June 1858 at Martinsburg, Lewis County, New York, the son of Marion Nash (1828-1888) and his wife Frances A. Butrick (1835-1902). Moss' father was a physician, born at Denmark, New York, just to the north of Martinsburg. Dr. Nash's father came to Lewis County from Braintree, Massachusetts. Moss' mother kept house, she was born in St. Lawrence County. The family is found at Martinsburg in the 1865 and 1875 New York State Censuses, and the 1870 and 1880 Federal Censuses. Dr. Nash died at Martinsburg in 1888 and is buried at the Martinsburg Cemetery, with his wife and daughter Charlotte. Moss had at least one sister Charlotte "Lottie" Nash (1879-1962). The collection contains some letters written to Moss by his sister. There are also some letters written by his father, as well as his mother. On all of these censuses where Moss is found, his father is listed as a physician, his mother keeping house. Dr. Marion Nash served as the Lewis County Treasurer in 1874-79. Darwin Nash (of Denmark, NY) likely the brother of Dr. Nash, also served as the County Treasurer in 1871-73.

 An article in the Lowville Times, a town near Martinsburg, dated 28 September 1882, states: "Moss Nash went west last week in company with C. F. Hough. We learn that he has gone on a prospecting tour and if he finds such business as he can make pay will not return very soon."

 The letters offered in this collection do indeed show Moss Nash travelling west. Nash traveled west to Missouri, then to Colorado, Hough went with him for part of the way, staying in Ohio where he studied medicine. Nash wound up staying for short periods of time at various locations: Lorain, Ohio; Maryville, Missouri; Oberlin, Kansas; and Fort Collins, Colorado. There are even a couple of letters addressed to Nash at Boston, Massachusetts. Of these places, he appears to have found work at Lorain, Ohio, since this is where he seemed to have met Lizzie, his wife (she was born in Ohio) and eventually settled there after some time.

 Moss married a woman by the name of Lizzie B. (1865-1899), a native Ohioan. She died of "typhoid fever" on 24 October 1899, and thus does not show up on the 1900 Federal Census when Moss is found living at Lorain, Ohio. In 1900, Moss had two sons: Melvin born in May of 1885 and Harold born in March of 1887. Both boys were born in Ohio. While the boys were born in Ohio in 1885 and 1887, Moss must have been traveling back and forth to Martinsburg as well, since letters are addressed to him at his New York home.

  In 1900 Nash is shown working as a machinist at a stove works. He is renting his house. When the 1910 Census was taken, Nash is now working as a machinist at an auto factory. He is living on his own, his sons having apparently moved out. In 1920 Nash is boarding in the home of a German immigrant and still working at the auto factory, as a press operator. His landlord also works at the auto factory. In 1930 Moss is working as a machinist at "sundries factory"

 Moss M. Nash died on 29 March 1933 at Cuyahoga County, Ohio. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Lorain, Ohio. In his burial plot at Elmwood there are also buried his wife Frances, plus his son Harry A. Nash (1887-1961) and one Olive M. Nash (1887-). This Olive is probably Harry's (Harold) wife. There is no sign of his other son Melvin.

  Description of Correspondence:

    The first letter in the collection is dated 21 July 1869. At this point Moss Nash is only eleven years old and is apparently visiting his uncle at Denmark, New York. His father writes a general newsy letter, but also there is an early mention of baseball in the letter:

"I think Sidey has not gone to Saratoga. I saw him yesterday. The boys have not played base ball with any club as I know of."

  A letter of 29 April 1875 has "Mell", a friend of Nash's, writing him and mentions the old school that they went to in Martinsburgh:

"I should think 'Martin Institute" is getting a little run down. I am afraid they, or the trustees will have to turn it into a hen house in order to make it pay, but I mustn't run it down for the most of my big education dates back to 'Martin Institute.'"

     In 1879, Nash makes a trip to Boston where he has an aunt living and stayed for about a month, before returning back home. While in Boston he receives several letters from his parents, sister and friend. While in Boston, Nash's friend Mell writes him telling him it is the ideal time to presumably pick up some condoms:

"Oh! Moss. Just step in and get a couple of those - you know what. Get me a short one. You have a splendid chance to step in a drug store a perfect stranger you know. Don't fail.

    On 24 January 1880, Nash receives a letter from "Will". Will is located at Fort Collins, Colorado, and relates to Nash what he might expect if he comes west:

"Business here is good and is so all over the State but you can just bet it will boom this spring every body is excited on the mining question there has been several leads found near here and you can just bet your life that things will have to get in the spring. Tell Frank I shall write to him in a five days and let him know all about things. About the expense of getting depends on how a person wants to travel if he is willing to put up with most any thing and comes the same road that Frank and I did he can come for about $35.00 and it is a good idea to bring grub along as it will save you 50 cents a meal on some of the roads after you get this side of the Mississippi they will charge 75 cents & $1.00 a meal. About luggage that will depend on what he wants to do if to work in a Store of course will need more things than he will mining or herding but working in a store is poor business in this country for this reason there are so many that come here for their health that are willing to work for almost nothing that a sound man had better do something else. If you want to go mining, prospecting, or herding, one or 2 good pair of blankets they are indispensible as we do not have any here to speak of and have to sleep outside while in the mountains. I have slept indoors for 2 or 3 months now but don't like it, would rather sleep out anytime. A pair of blankets here will cost 7 to $10.00 although you can get them for $3.00 a pair but not good for much they also want to be pretty dark as they won't show the dirt so much. Washing comes pretty high here, red handkerchiefs are used extensively for the same reason a good pair of boots here will cost you from 5.00 to $6.00 a pair. I don't know what they will cost you there the soles want to be full of round headed tacks if they are not they will not stand at all among the rocks, if you have a good hunting knife if will not come amiss. "

     In a follow up letter of 10 February 1880, by Will to Nash, he mentions the cheapest way to get out to Fort Collins:

"The cheapest way to get here is to buy an emigrant ticket if I was back east would do that way as a first class ticket cost $60.00 2nd $44.00 & emigrant 34.00, I believe after you get west of the Mississippi it don't make much difference any way. Jack Ayers came that way only a week ago he came here from Minneapolis, but is from Lowville do you know him?"

     By April of 1880, Nash travels to Maryville, Missouri, to look for work. He receives several letters from his father encouraging him to move on if there are no prospects in Maryville:

"I was in hope you would find something to do in Maryville, but from what you write it don't look so & if you think you are not treated well don't stay any longer and if you go away write when you leave."

     In the middle of May 1880, Nash moves on to Oberlin, Kansas, where his father again writes him, and finally by the end of May Nash arrives at Fort Collins, Colorado, where he finds work. His father writes him warning him of the dangers of certain work:

"We rec'd you letter yesterday telling of the work you have done, &c. I should make no more attempts to carry brick or engage in any of those risky 'jobs.' For you must remember you are not used to such hard work, & whatever you do be careful that you do not overdo & get sick."

In another letter he writes his concern for the company he is keeping:

 "I need not tell you Mossie that it was rather unpleasant news for the thought of you going so far into a wild country with perhaps no communication out & probably surrounded by rough men has given me much anxiety. Not that I think you will become rough, or will not try & do the best you can for I certainly believe you will; but we all probably become more or less like those in whose company we are placed."

      By the end of the summer of 1880, Moss Nash appears to have given up on Colorado and returned home to Martinsburg, New York. Nash's friend Charles F. Hough starts to write him. Charles went to Ohio and writes back home to Nash:

 "Arrived at L. Breeze House at 9 P.M. We have not any borders now, but Sat. will find us with 20 or 30. Eight girls, all 19, are coming the 15th to stay 2 weeks. I of course, will stay in my room & not even come to my meals. Just think, 8 school girls, what a racket, yum yum”.

    While in Cleveland, Hough sees the various political candidates for President, Sherman, Hancock, Garfield, and he shook hands with Hancock. Hough’s letters are descriptive of Cleveland, telling of the street cars, fishing on the lake, and other things. Hough is a student at medical school, as there is discussion of dissecting a corpse, as well as other medical discussions. Hough seems to be having a good time in Cleveland. He writes on 12 January 1882 the following:

"I am well, having a good time had my pockets picked, and seen legs shows, where they sang 'They all do it' &c &c. seen both sides of the Cleveland world."

 And this in another letter from Hough:

"Now I have the finest piece in the City worked up. She comes to the office 3 or 4 times a week, & I like our room up and ------. Then I go to her house (not while the old man is home to be sure) as he is away all day and we lock the house up and have a gay time. But I tremble in my shoes to think of him catching me. She is 22 jet black eyes and hair, 5 ft high & plump as a partridge. Armstrong says I will have softening of the spinal cord but I can 'stand it.' What would the Rev. Lewis Webber think of the S.S. boy?"

      The fun Hough described was enough to convince Nash to go out to Ohio as well, we find him at Lorain, Ohio by the end of 1882, where he appears to stay at least through 1883. It is in Ohio that he meets his wife and marries her. But he eventually moved back to Martinsburg, New York, by 1884, but then returned to Lorain, Ohio, where his two children are born in 1885 and 1887.

     By 1885 a friend, Samuel Amsler, is writing to him. Amsler is in military service stationed at Fort Sidney in Nebraska. Samuel's letters are informative about life in the military at Fort Sidney. Nash's old friend Mell writes in 1885, he's visiting New York City and plans on moving there to study portrait painting. He sold his first painting. Mell's description of an old classmate showed his artist's eye:

"I took dinner Christmas with Mrs. D --- and spent the afternoon and evening with them. She is a handsome woman - very attractive and pleasant, but she has faded just a little since she was at M --- Of course it is natural - as she was only twenty then - now twenty seven. She is more stout - her complexion not quite as good and fair, and in fact looks just a little more course, but she is a beautiful woman still, and will be for a long time. She has the handsomest hands I ever seen. When she was at M --- she was right at her height in every respect."

      Mell writes again on 3 May 1885 that tells that he has now moved to New York City and lives at 61 Prospect Park Place:

"I am studying part of the time with a young man in Brooklyn, who has been studying in Paris with Gerome for three years. Shall get a good many valuable points."

     In another letter (3 June 1886) Mell writes of seeing the pieces of the Stature of Liberty from the Brooklyn Bridge before it was installed:

"It's wonderful to cross the bridge - the view is grand - way above the buildings, shipping &c. It takes seven minutes to cross the bridge on the cable cars. One can see the pedestal for the statue from the bridge  - lovely. By the way, I am going over to Bedloe's Island Saturday with a friend, who is an amateur photographer and we are going to get some views of the statue before it is put together."

      There are several letters by Mell describing his life in New York City during the summer of 1886 studying art. Mell eventually moved to Utica, New York, where he wrote and sent a couple more letters to Nash. During this time (1885-1887) Moss had moved back to Martinsburg, however since his children were born in Ohio, he must have left and then gone back, or perhaps left his wife in Ohio and traveled back to New York. When the correspondence ends in 1891, Moss Nash is still at Martinsburgh, however his wife died at Ohio in 1899, as did Nash in 1933.

    Overall, a fantastic collection of letters, documenting various aspects of late 19^th century American social history, very informative on the coming of age of Nash and his friends, their comings and goings, as Nash travels the country looking for work, and his old school chums seek to improve  their lives in various locations as well.