Three letters written by William Howard Baker (1852-1885) to his fiancee Mary Morton Stephens were purchased by Northwestern College in the summer of 2020. In the 1876, Baker and his mother traveled to Orange City, Iowa to conduct business with the Peirce & Lewis Land Agents. (Local resident Maris Peirce was likely a family relation.) Baker and Stephens married in 1877.
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Letter from W. Howard Baker to Mary M. Stephens, Orange City, Iowa, October 1, 1876
William Howard Baker
Baker is almost done conducting business in Orange City. He described the Dutch settlers as “industrious careful people.” He loaned $6,000 to local residents.
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Letter from W. Howard Baker to Mary M. Stephens, Orange City, Iowa, September 27, 1876
William Howard Baker
Baker traveled to Orange City, Iowa to conduct business with the Peirce & Lewis Land Agents. He provided descriptions of the small town, the Dutch windmill, and the prairie.
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Letter from W. Howard Baker to Mary M. Stephens, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 27, 1876
William Howard Baker
Baker discussed seeing a sick man, the importance of Philadelphia ice-cream, and seeing an advertisement for Darlington Butter.