A Letter written on May 7, 1880

[Inscription on the back side: "May's lock of hair ~"]

Montague Mass
May 7th 1880.

My dear Cornelia,

Thanks for sending that piece of poetry I think that it is just as cute as can be, but guess that I shall have to keep it a little while before Harold will be able to appreciate it, he sends his love to Aunt Cornelia with a kiss. You have no idea how Baby Cornelia grows, last Sunday she weighted 9 1/2 pounds she has got a little double chin, I think that you would think it fine fun to wash and dress her now for she is just as good a as a little kitten, to give you a proof that her hair grows, I will send you a lock; there goes the still continued lar [?] (she still clings to that note) so I must stop, good by with much love from.

Jennie

write soon.

[A search on FamilySearch.org revealed that Cornelia's brother Richard Leighton Clapp was married to a woman named Jennie Clapp. According to their marriage record, Clapp appeared to be Jennie's maiden name too, but her birthplace was Kansas, so I don't know if they were related before their marriage or not. Their daughter Cornelia (0 years old) and son Richard H (2 years old) were listed in the 1880 census, but Harold was not listed. But further searching revealed that their son's full name was Richard Harold Clapp, and they must have called him Harold to distinguish him from his father.]