Nellie's Short Story

The first story I would like to tell you is about Nellie Lothrop, whom I "met" through her eight surviving letters spanning 1871-1884. These letters were part of a large parcel of family memorabilia that my aunt entrusted to me, including tin types, photo albums, numerous letters, deeds, wills, money, and even a marriage contract. I am in the process of sorting, transcribing, and ensuring the archival safety of these treasures, and they are kept (for now) in what I call my "Box of Miracles".

Nellie's story piqued my interest first as two of her letters are on Crawford House, New Hampshire letterhead. Crawford House? Was it a hotel?

Crawford House letterhead (note owners and properties in logo)

A quick Google search showed me that indeed Crawford House was one of 30(!) Grand Hotels that existed at the end of the 19th century in NH.  These hotels were built in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, vast sprawling Victorian structures built to accommodate approximately 200-400 guests in luxury surroundings and providing leisure activities for their elite clientele, many of whom would stay for most of the summer.I was familiar with the still welcoming magnificent Mount Washington Hotel in NH, and the recently restored Grand View, but had not heard of Crawford House.

Crawford House c 1873; source photos.whitemountainhistory.org

Nellie was a Laundress at Crawford House in the summers of 1883-1886. Her work appears to have been arduous, yet she remained cheerful, and indeed, her employers seem to have been quite good to work for.

On July 30, 1883, she writes to her brother Ernest back home in Lennoxville, Quebec:

"We worked from early until late. There never was ever such a daytime before. There was an excursion come for dinner. We had 653 not counting the nurses, railroad boarders, clerks or any of the help and the Thursday before the (?) broke and we had to do everything by hand. Sunday we ironed about 2000 napkins besides table cloths, towels etc and then I worked in the house helped about dinner until 3-30 and I gave out. May took my place. After I got rested I took my place in the Laundry again and worked until 6-30. After all was over we got together and had a (sing?). I never spent such an exciting day in my life it was fun for me because I felt well it beats all ?? "

Crawford House Laundry c 1880. Source: www.whitemountainhistory,org

From her letter of September 17, 1884:

"Mr. Baron was up to see us from the Fabyan house. he made fun for us. he is ….old chap I will tell you some of his speeches when I get home. Mrs H is as smart as a trap she did something at the table to-night that set me to laughing so I had to get up and leave. I could now swallow and I was not alone in leaving. they followed me...I wish you could see and know our Head Laundress. She is one of the best persons I ever got acquainted with. Everyone loves her. She is very kind and she will come right up and offer to take my place when she thinks I am tired. We can not speak to well of her."

The laundry building was located close to the hotel, and attached to the boiler room. From there the laundress' could get all the hot water they needed for washing. Each girl seems to have been given a specialty, such as Ironer or Starcher.

Location of laundry building. Drawing copy courtesy of the New Hampshire Historical Society.

Nellie worked with her cousin May most summers, and encouraged her brothers Ernest and Henry to join them. They boarded with two other girls, and it wasn't always easy:

She writes in July 1886:

"Now I will try and write a few lines. I am afraid they will not be very interesting. the girls are acting like wild cats. I am nearly wild with their actions. We have two girls rooming with us Annie Willet & Annie Keeve and they are lively ones. I have just begged of Annie to keep quiet a few minutes until I can write a few words but she and Bertha are too full to cool down. It is enough to kill anyone to listen to them." 

She was even tempted to work the winter at a resort called Lakewood ("the house opens in January and keeps until June") or follow her employer to California:

"We have thought a good deal about going to California. Elva Hall and I about made up our minds to speak to Mrs. Merrill about going with them but we have not yet. It is a long time to keep right to steady work. We would never have a day of rest, but we shall think it well over before we speak. Elva wants me to try for a chance for us in Northampton in a shop of some kind. how would you like to go with us if we get a place, as far as money is concerned we could make more near home. It is going to cost considerable to take the trip but we may conclude to go if they will take us. They are going to run the Hotel that Uncle Henry was working on in South Pasadena. Mrs. Merrill told me that it was a garden of Eden. She says it is six miles from Los Angelas."

Nellie ultimately chose to follow neither adventure, instead, returning home to Lennoxville, Quebec where she met and married a local farmer, Frederick Eccles in 1889. She gave birth to a daughter in February 1890. I was heartbroken to later discover that she died, at the age of 29 later that year.

Sherbrooke Record, June 1890