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Browse Collection › LC Subject Heading › 20 records found where LC Subject Heading is Simmons, Celestia Muse Southgate, 1863-1914
	Letter from James Southgate to Delia H. Southgate, Annie Moore Southgate, Mattie Logan Southgate, Celestia Muse Southgate, and Sallie Raboteau, September 07, 1883 James Southgate, together with his son James H. Southgate, sends news to his Durham household from Richmond, Virginia where the elder Southgate seeks medical care for his ailments. James describes the visits with friends, and the medical treatment he is receiving from his physician. James H. Southgate closes the letter with a postscript that describes the "Retreat for the Sick" and its costs. This letter was written on J. Southgate and Son, General Life, Fire, and Accident Insurance Agents stationery.
	Broadside from James Southgate, July 01, 1881 In an effort to help his daughter obtain a teaching position, James Southgate distributes a broadside describing Lessie Muse Southgate's qualifications in vocal and instrumental music. The broadside gives an overview of Lessie's education at the Wesleyan Female Institute in Staunton, Virginia and the Grand Conservatory of Music in New York. Mr. Southgate gives Professor Ernst Eberhard of the Grand Conservatory and E. Louis Ide of the Wesleyan Female Institute as references. The broadside notes that Lessie is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but is willing to work as music instructor for any denomination.
	Letter from Mattie Logan Southgate to Delia H. Southgate, January 04, 1880 Mattie Southgate writes her mother Delia Haywood Wynne Southgate with news from her boarding school, Wesleyan Female Institute. Mattie celebrated Christmas with her sisters Annie Moore Southgate and Lessie Muse Southgate during the two-day school holiday provided by principal William A. Harris. The girls send their mother bills for instruction with their music teachers Lizzie Daniels, Anna Boyd and Professor Ide. In addition, they report that they must purchase more sheet music for their lessons, because their music is "out of style." Mattie provides news of an upcoming school performance and a defense of her progress in Miss Williams' history class. She closes with a request that her mother send a box with "cocoanut cake," preserves, mince pies, nuts, and ground peas.
	Letter from Mattie Logan Southgate to James Southgate, January 29, 1882 Mattie Logan Southgate acknowledges receipt of five dollars from her father, James Southgate. She shares news from Cordelia Hunter Southgate (Aunt Hunter) and tells of writing her sister, Lessie. She has lots of news to report from the Wesleyan Female Institute. The principal, William A. Harris had each student immunized and Mattie jokes that "her scab will vaccinate most all of Durham." She comments on her grades and compares her progress in penmanship to that of her friend Leland Sneed. In closing, she requests more money to pay for additional practice time on the piano. The session with Professor Ide, she claims, is insufficient.
	Letter from Thomas Decatur Jones to A. S. DeVlarming, August 30, 1889 In a letter to his colleague A. S. DeVlarming, Thomas Decatur Jones describes a difficult railroad journey to New York City and his lengthy search for a medical specialist who could treat his ailments. Thomas notes the help his sister Lessie Southgate provides him in locating a physician. The new doctor terms his condition "lung disease." Thomas Jones penned the letter on Fancy Leaf Tobacco stationery.
	Letter from James Southgate to Delia H. Southgate, September 12, 1883 James Southgate sends news to his wife, Delia H. Southgate, from the "Retreat for the Sick" in Richmond, Virginia. James describes the medicines--Blue Mass, Chlorate of Potash and calomel--that he has taken for his ailments and the effects these have had on his mouth and stomach. He notes the prices of fruits in the Richmond market, visits from the Mohsberg family, and advises Delia to make arrangements in Chapel Hill and Hillsboro to purchase peaches and pears for canning. Southgate asks for news about Mattie who is traveling, his niece Undine and expresses concern for Mrs. Lipscomb and Minnie Moore who are ill. He offers his family dietary advice and requests that Delia send him the family's newspapers after they have been read at home.
	Letter from Lessie Southgate to James Southgate, Delia Southgate, James Haywood Southgate, Annie Southgate, Mattie Southgate, December 25, 1881 Lessie Southgate writes her family in Durham from Goliad, Texas where she is teaching music. She vividly recollects her illness and recovery in the winter of 1880, the visits of doctors Carr, Battle, and Knox, as well as the rich "Christmas eatings," her spare diet of "tea-eggs, toast and mush" and the gifts of her family and friends. Lessie tells her family about the benefit concerts she has organized and gives news of a concert she will give in Victoria, Texas. She writes about a fashionable dress that she will wear at Annie Bradshaw's wedding, a garment that she purchased with her earnings.
	Letter from Mattie Logan Southgate to Delia H. Southgate, February 27, 1882 Mattie Logan Southgate explains her concern for her father's health and the rationale behind her telegraphing home for news of his condition. The stationery is embellished with hand-drawn birds modeled on those drawn by her friend Minnie. Mattie asks her mother to send a box of water colors from Dike's book shop in Durham, so she can study art on her own. She describes the dress she will wear at the upcoming soiree at Wesleyan Female Institute and closes with a promise to write her sister Lessie.
	Photograph of Lessie Southgate Portrait of Celestia Muse "Lessie" Southgate (1863-1914) holding an autoharp.
	Photograph of Lessie Southgate Portrait of Lessie Southgate reclining in chair with feather.
	Photograph of Lessie Southgate Picture of Lessie in exotic costume.
	Letter from N. O. Wilkinson to Mattie Logan Southgate, January 27, 1880 N. O. Wilkinson sends this letter to her young neighbor Mattie Logan Southgate, a student at the Wesleyan Female Institute in Staunton, Virginia. Mrs. Wilkinson sends news about her children, Willie, Minnie, and Tommie. Mattie's sister, Annie Southgate spent the day with Mrs. Wilkinson's daughter, Willie. N. O. Wilkinson reports the activities of Durham's young people over Christmas and notes the construction activity in town. She mentions her son's recent hunting trip and reminisces about her school days at Greensboro College. Mrs. Wilkinson closes with a request that Mattie's sister Lessie send her news from school.
	Letter from Delia H. Southgate to Mattie Logan Southgate, December 14, 1881 Delia H. Southgate shares news from Durham with her daughter Mattie Southgate who attends the Wesleyan Female Institute. Charlie Soong and Mr. Vaughn have been courting Mattie's sister, Annie. Delia describes her husband James Southgate's health problems, her daughter Lessie's adventures in Texas and her son Jimmie's travel to the seashore. She also inquires whether Mattie received gifts of clothing and money that she sent and promises to ship another box for Christmas.
	Letter from James Southgate to Delia H. Southgate, July 31, 1884 James Southgate writes his wife, Delia Southgate with news of their daughter Lessie's performance in Goldsboro: "Rah for Durham! Cats out did herself last night and carried the crowd." James reports on their train travel through Raleigh to Goldsboro.
	Letter from Mattie Logan Southgate Jones to Annie Southgate, March 1885 Mattie Southgate Jones writes, her sister, Annie Southgate with news of illnesses and happenings in the Durham community. "Tomato" (a pet name that she uses for her husband, Thomas Decatur Jones) and A.S. DeVlarming, her husband's book-keeper have battled fever and measles, respectively. Mrs. Bob Jones experienced a miscarriage, Kate Conrad battles pneumonia and DeVlarming copes with measles. She reports that her sister Lessie will work together with Mrs. George Watts, Dora Fanning, Minnie Carter, and, Marion Fuller to organize a concert. Mattie shares news of her visitors. She mentions her garden, quilt making, and embroidery.
	Letter from Delia Haywood Southgate to James Southgate, March 05, 1885 Delia Southgate writes her husband, James Southgate, that their son-in-law Thomas Decatur Jones is unwell and their daughter Mattie Logan Southgate Jones is full of anxiety. In addition, she notes that Jones's book keeper A.S. DeVlarming suffers from measles and pneumonia. Delia gives news about the health of every one at home: Lessie has recovered from a cold and sleeps with the dog, Zoe. Aunt Sarah Raboteau sleeps with Delia. She mentions Aunt Sarah's squabbles with the cook Neomie. Delia closes with a request that her husband purchase some artwork.
	Letter from Lessie Muse Southgate to Mattie Logan Southgate, April 02, 1882 Lessie Muse Southgate sends her sister Mattie Logan Southgate $10 for a train trip to Washington, D.C. from Staunton, Virginia. She also promises to send a dress in time for the trip. Lessie Southgate notes that Ida Seate, an alumnae of Wesleyan Female Institute (class of 1879), lives in Goliad, Texas at the same boarding house where Lessie resides.
	Letter from Mattie Logan Southgate to Celestia Muse Southgate, March 26, 1882 Mattie Logan Southgate writes her sister Lessie (Celestia Muse) Southgate with news of festive and somber events at the Wesleyan Female Institute. She provides a vivid description of Alma Ivey's death from "tiphoid and brain fever," the visit of Alma's mother to school, and the funeral procession from school to the railroad depot. Mattie tells Lessie about her new interest in drawing and her lessons with Reverend Harris' daughter, Mattie. She discusses her coursework with Lizzie Daniels in vocal music and her plans to study art and musical elocution in the next year. Mattie notes that she visited Edmund Berkeley's studio and she promises to send her sister a photograph.
	Lessie Southgate's Scrapbook (Excerpts) A page of concert programs from Lessie Southgate's scrapbook. These items document concerts given by Lessie Southgate, her School of Music students, and friends in Durham, North Carolina around 1885.
	Photograph of Mattie Faucette, Lillie Parrish, Lalla Ruth Carr Portrait of three girls: Mattie Faucette, Lily Parrish, Lalla Ruth Carr, pupils at Lessie Southgate's School of Music.

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