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January 30, 1863
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Children, January 30, 1863
In this letter from January 30, 1863, Samuel Reed writes to his young daughters, Anne and Mary, in response to a letter they penned to him. He encourages them to write to him on their own as often as they can, and tells them how much he wishes he could "travel as fast as my thougts" and come home to them.
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November 29, 1863
Letter from Danforth H. Ainsworth to Samuel B. Reed, November 29, 1863
In this letter from November 29, 1863, Danforth H. Ainsworth writes to Samuel Reed informing him of his new position with the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad. He states that he is glad to have the position, even if it only pays $75.00 per month. Ainsworth also notes the progress of the work of their mutual friend and fellow railroad employee, John R. Boyle, and asks Reed to write to him at his new position as often as he has the chance.
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August 15, 1867
Letter to Jennie Reed, August 15, 1867
In this letter from August 15, 1867, Mina writes to her sister Jennie Reed, wife of Samuel Reed, discussing her experiences working in Atlanta, Georgia. She states that her pay for the last month was only twenty dollars, as she was only in Atlanta for eleven days. She tells Jennie Reed that she will write to a Mr. Knowlton the next week regarding a railway pass, and hopes to "get up home in a week or two."
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September 12, 1867
Letter from Juliet L. Elwood to Jennie Reed, September 12, 1867
In this letter from September 12, 1867, Juliet L. Elwood writes to Jennie Reed, wife of Samuel Reed, discussing plans to travel to St. Louis and the possibility of accompanying her on a trip to Omaha, Nebraska. She inquires about the prospects of Mrs. Reed procuring a railway pass for her for the journey. She also details an encounter she had on the railroad cars during a day trip to Joliet, Illinois with a "military gentleman" who knew Samuel Reed. She states that she "understood him to say he was Prest of Pacific Road, but I think I must of course have misunderstood, as Gen Dix is President, or was."
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March 4, 1868
Catharine Brown, Complaint
Catharine Brown filed suit against the Washington, Alexandria and Georgetown Railroad in March 1868, arguing that a month earlier she was forcibly and violently ejected from the ladies car in Alexandria, Virginia, because of her color. She sought damages of $20,000 to pay for her medical care and to compensate for the injustice of segregation and discrimination. Brown's original petition focused on the railroad's duty as a common carrier and on Brown's first-class ticket which permitted her to ride in the ladies car.
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1867 | Book
Woman's Work in the Civil War:
Published to celebrate the work of women during the Civil War, Woman's Work in the Civil War features the efforts of nurses, reformers, fund-raisers, and wives and mothers. In the section excerpted below, Miss Brayton of Ohio vividly describes the interior of a hospital train and recounts her experiences on one.
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1868 | Book
A Manual of Etiquette with Hints on Politeness and Good Breeding
Manuals of etiquette and behavior were incredibly popular during the 19th Century and covered every aspect of life from infancy to mourning. In this excerpt, some of the gendered expectations placed on a well-bred traveler are recounted in detail.
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1886 | Book
A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains
Isabella Bird, a peripatetic traveler, recounted her adventures in the American West to her sister in letters published as A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains. In this excerpt, she writes about part of her 1873 train journey, describing the parlor car and conditions on the train.
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1890 | Book
Manners, Culture and Dress of the Best American Society
Manuals of etiquette and behavior were incredibly popular during the 19th Century and covered every aspect of life from infancy to mourning. In this excerpt, some of the highly gendered expectations placed on a well-bred traveler on the railroad or on a steamboat are explained in detail.
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1892 | Book
A Voice From the South: By A Woman of the South
Anna J. Cooper, the first African American woman to earn a PhD, worked as a speaker, educator, and reformer. In this excerpt from Voice From the South Cooper addresses the contrast between the expectations of any middle-class, well-dressed woman traveling and the realities of the experience for African American women. Read with Richard Wells' Manners, Culture and Dress of the Best American Society, also featured on this site.
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1921 | Book
The School Days of an Indian Girl
Zitkalą-Sa (Gertrude Bonnin) writes about her sense of dislocation on the railroad as she was taken to boarding school and the feelings she had on her return home.
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June 17, 1868 | Government document
Senate Report on Catharine Brown
The U.S. Senate Committee on the District of Columbia hears testimony about the forcible ejection of Catherine Brown from the Alexandria and Washington Railroad coach. Multiple witnesses are called and the circumstances of her removal are described.
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October 9, 1859 | Illustration
Farewell!
This image from the October 9, 1859 issue of Harper's Weekly depicts a farewell exchange between a man and woman.
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August 1, 1877 | Illustration
"WifeI Guess We've Got To Strike!"
This cover illustration from the August 1, 1877 issue of PUCK Magazine depicts a poor family's decision to go on strike.
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August 18, 1877 | Illustration
"The Moral of the Strikes"
An illustration of "The Moral of the Strikes" which emphasizes their cost to working-class women and children.
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August 18, 1877 | Illustration
Pittsburgh Policemen Recovering Property Stolen by the Mob in the Recent Riots
On August 18, 1877, Leslie's Illustrated depicted the confiscation of property taken during the riots. Note that goods are being removed from working-class homes, to the distress of women and children.
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1878 | Illustration
Women Leading a Mob in Baltimore
Railroad detective Allan Pinkerton's history of the strike emphasized the unruliness of the mob and the threat of foreign, anarchist, and communist influences on American labor. He also emphasized the role of women in inciting the conflict. Here, his illustration shows women leading a mob against the police during the 1877 railroad strike in Baltimore.
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March 4, 1868 | Legal decision
Catharine Brown, Plaintiff's Prayers
A brief description of the judgement Catherine Brown hoped for as the jury decided her case.
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December 31, 1869 | Legal decision
Seth E. Beedy Deposition
Catharine Brown's attorneys deposed two white men who were on the train with Brown and witnessed her expulsion from the cars in Alexandria. Both lived in Maine and were deposed in December 1869. Seth Beedy was traveling with Benjamin Hinds, who knew and recognized "Kate" Brown. Beedy testified, "she was ejected by violence and that alone."
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December 31, 1869 | Legal decision
Benjamin H. Hinds Deposition
Catharine Brown's attorneys deposed two white men who were on the train with Brown and witnessed her expulsion from the cars in Alexandria. Both lived in Maine and were deposed in December 1869. Benjamin Hinds' testimony was particularly significant because he described in detail the violence he witnessed, and because he knew Brown "since January 1866," perhaps from her work in the U.S. Capitol, and tried to intervene on her behalf.
