Encyclopedia o f Chicago

Historical Sources : Bound Volume
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John L. Shortall's Letter to His Daughters, 1895

John L. Shortall's Letter to His Daughters, 1895
In April 1895, John L. Shortall sent this illustrated letter to his five and three year old daughters Katherine and Helen who had been taken to visit friends in south central Michigan. Accompanying the children was the family's nurse, Frances Meseroll. Shortall's illustrations captured the sights familiar to travelers on the approximately 170-mile ride on the Michigan Central Railroad: stands of trees, farm animals, windmills, and, for those able to afford the luxury accommodations, the Pullman porter.