Indiana Historical Society - Manuscripts & Archives
User information
Biographical sketch
Scope and Content note
Cataloguing information
Processed by
Charles Latham
31 October 1995
VOLUME OF COLLECTION: 4 folders
COLLECTION DATES: 1878-1903
PROVENANCE: Robert Scott, Yesterday's Books, 3808 Turner Road, Richmond, IN 47375, 11 October 1995
RESTRICTIONS: None
REPRODUCTION RIGHTS: Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained in writing from the Indiana Historical Society
AKTERNATE FORMATS: None
OTHER FINDING AIDS: None
RELATED HOLDINGS: BV 591 Clark County Teachers Exam Record Book
ACCESSION NUMBER: 96.0007
Mattie Ramsey Clapp (fl. 1873-1903) lived in Clark and Scott Counties in southern Indiana. She began teaching in 1873. By 1878 she was apparently married to G. A. Ramsey and was living in Lexington, Scott County. By this marriage she had two children, Georgina Alberta and Ed. Mr. Ramsey seems to have died or disappeared about 1879.
By 1884 Mattie Ramsey had met J. Valentine Clapp of nearby Marysville in Clark County. He was trustee of Oregon Township. Beginning with a Christmas greeting from Clapp in 1884, the next year was one of courtship by letter, with occasional visits by buggy.
The courtship resulted in marriage sometime before 1888, and the couple lived in Marysville. Mattie Clapp was still teaching in 1892, and still alive in 1903 to receive a letter from her daughter asking for help.
Sources: Materials in collection
BV 591 Clark County Teachers Exam Record Book, entry for 4-26-1884
This collection, filling four folders, contains the correspondence, 1878-1903, of Mattie Ramsey Clapp. It is arranged chronologically.
The bulk of the correspondence comes from 1885 when Mattie Ramsey was being courted by J. Valentine Clapp. Oddly enough, the male correspondent was nearly as fond of underlining as Queen Victoria.
Among the rest of the correspondence are the following:
- an 1879 letter from a colleague, A. N. Munden, assuring Ramsey that "you have the ability to write a better reader than McGuffey's";
- a 1-10-1880 letter from "Frank" arguing with her enthusiasm for the teachings of agnostic Robert Ingersoll;
- a 5-30-1885 letter from a gentleman who has not met Ramsey but has admired her from afar, and would like to get acquainted;
- a despairing letter of 8-5-1885 from Mattie's niece, Ina
Marden, asking her to help Marden take a teacher's exam which she will fail otherwise, "or do you think I had better fail than do that way."
MAIN ENTRY: Clapp, Mattie Ramsey, fl. 1873-1903
SUBJECT ENTRIES: Clapp, Mattie Ramsey, fl. 1873-1903
Ingersoll, Robert Green, 1833-1899
Teachers--Indiana
Courtship--Indiana--Clark County
Marysville (Ind.)--History--Sources
Lexington (Ind.)--History--Sources
ADDED ENTRY: Clapp, J. Valentine
END