1849 Letter - Founding of a Memphis Fire Company & Misconduct at its First Ball

Description

1849 Letter - Founding of a Memphis Fire Company & Misconduct at its First Ball
1849 Letter - Founding of a Memphis Fire Company & Misconduct at its First Ball
Click images to enlarge
Description
1849 Letter - Founding of a Memphis Fire Company & Misconduct at its First Ball
Letter from a young lawyer and recent graduate of Hanover College to a friend who was still enrolled reporting the founding of an early independent Memphis fire company to include the purchase of an engine and misconduct at a firemen's ball.  [Xenophon] B. Sanders to Edward “Ned” C. Porter.  Memphis, Tennessee to South Hanover, Indiana: 1
This four-page stampless folded letter measures 15” x 9.5” unfolded. Sent from Memphis to South Hanover, Indiana and bearing a circular Memphis postmark in blue, a manuscript “10” rate marking, and the annotation “via river mail.” It has a 1.5” split on one mailing fold and a small hole where its seal was removed.
Much of the letter concerns friends at Hanover College, however, a significant portion discusses an early Memphis fire company:
“I have joined “liberty fire Co no 3,” We have just ended a fair of two nights for our benefit with a ball. . . . During the fair I enjoyed myself very well. . . . as you know it could not be otherwise. There was however an unfortunate circumstance connected with it which very much allay our enjoyment. It was this, It was reported that Y. L. Conant who is a member of our Company insulted the young ladies who have a table at the fair which of course you are aware reflected no honor on the company. . . . Poney being one of the committee of arrangements and consequently feeling himself personally agrieved by the ungentlemanly act of (YLC) in the next meeting of the Company arose and after speaking for about 40 minutes ended by moving that the company expel (YLC) or make some other demonstration of its sentiment and Y had in answering him grossly contradicted him when Poney bounced him and give him a regular built flogging, and I now have the pleasure of announcing that Conant is no longer a member of our Co, I understand that he has threatened to shoot P on sight, he has seen him several times however, and hasn’t ‘burned powder yet.’ We have nearly money enough made up to purchase a new engine and think we will soon send on after one, We intend getting a rowboat engine, . . . the best now in use.”
Liberty Fire Company No. 3 was established in 1849, shortly before Sanders wrote this letter. It was the third fire company established in the city; the first was founded three years earlier Rowboat engines like the company wanted to purchase were cumbersome machines that could require up to 30 men to operate. The men would sit atop the engine and pull handles (much like the oars of a rowboat) that would shoot water much farther, faster, and in greater volume than it could be thrown from a bucket.
An insider’s first-hand report of an early independent volunteer fire engine company. Very scarce. As of 2019, nothing similar is for sale in the trade or held by institutions per OCLC. While the Rare Book Hub reports auction sales of several engine company logbooks and meeting minutes, there are no auction records of similar descriptions of misbehavior at firemen’s balls or expulsions and fisticuffs steaming from “ungentlemanly” conduct.
#
9314
View My Other Items For Sale
Payment
PayPal is preferred for both US and international payments.
Other methods of payment may be possible.
Shipping
Domestic Shipping.
Most orders are shipped to locations in the US at no additional cost. If not, shipping costs are set at a flat rate on an item-by-item basis.
Media mail shipping--when available and appropriate--is inexpensive but may take between two and four weeks, especially if delivery is to the west coast. If a quick delivery is important to you, please request USPS Priority Mail or some other expedited delivery service before paying.
International Shipping. International shipping is usually done through the eBay Global Shipping Program.  I know that this can be expensive, but I've switched to this method because I've had too many claims of non-receipt by international buyers.  If you contact me in advance of purchase it may be possible for me to ship directly to you.
If I ship directly, I will only ship overseas using a trackable method; this can be expensive, and it is non-negotiable.  Also, I will only enter true information on customs forms; if you  have a problem paying your nation's customs fees, that is beteen you and your government, I have nothing to do with it.
If you pay by PayPal, I will only ship to the shipping address specified by PayPal.
All shipments are covered by my business insurance at my expense, however if you would like to purchase additional USPS insurance at your expense, let me know, and I'll adjust your invoice accordingly.
Terms of Sale
Please don't assume anything that is not specifically stated or shown on this listing page.  Ask any questions before you bid or make an offer.
If you win this item, you are legally bound to complete the purchase.
Unless specifically indicated otherwise in the page, returns will be accepted for full refund less shipping for any reason if the item is returned to me within 30 days in the same condition as it was sent.
Buyers are responsible for paying all return postage costs.
About Us
This is a Read'Em Again Books sale. Read'Em Again books is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), the Ephemera Society, the Manuscript Society, the American Philatelic Society (APS), the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, and the Military Postal History Society (MPHS).
We hope that you'll take some time to visit both our eBay store and our larger Read'Em Again Books on-line bookstore. We think that you'll find our prices to be very competitive with other internet book sellers. In addition to a nice selection of Americana, diaries, journals, photograph albums, and other unique personal narratives, we also maintain a small stock of children's books, illustrated books, unusual non-fiction as well as ephemera, philatelic items, prints, sheet music, maps, and occassionally postcards, antique toys & games, tobacciana, and breweriana.
View My Other Items For Sale
Get images that
make Supersized seem small.
Showcase your items with Auctiva's
Listing Templates!
THE simple solution for eBay sellers.