Rebecca M. Bradford letters, 1853-1857

Summary

Creator:

Bradford, Rebecca M.

Abstract:

This collection consists of eight letters written by Rebecca M. Bradford between 1853 and 1857 while living and working in Boston, Massachusetts; Washington, D.C., and New York and Brooklyn, New York. They document her laboring as a domestic servant, residing in boarding houses while pregnant and caring for a young infant, and travelling with a baby.

Extent:

8 items

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Jayne Ptolemy, April 2024

Background

Scope and Content:

This collection consists of eight letters written by Rebecca M. Bradford between 1853 and 1857 while living and working in Boston, Massachusetts; Washington, D.C., and New York and Brooklyn, New York. They document her laboring as a domestic servant, residing in boarding houses while pregnant and caring for a young infant, and travelling with a baby. She references miscarriage and the death of one of her young siblings, symptoms of pregnancy, and boarding house owners and workers helping to assist with infant care, including at least one enslaved woman in Washington, D.C. (see April 3, 1857).

Biographical / Historical:

Rebecca M. Bradford was born on July 1, 1835, in Waldoboro, Maine, to Ebenezer Bradford (1796-1876), a mariner, and Annis (Lawry) Bradford (1800-1874). She had at least six siblings: Edwin T. (1825-1833), Salome L. (1826-1864), Andrew Elwell (1831-1908), Hannah, Hester, and Eben L. (1840-1840).

In 1855 she married Oliver M. Bradford (ca. 1834-1881). At the time of their marriage, Oliver was working as a telegraph agent in Boston, Massachusetts. On November 21, 1856, she gave birth to their daughter, Ada M. Bradford. She died in Brooklyn, New York, on July 7, 1857, at the age of 22, and is buried in Waldoboro, Maine.

Acquisition Information:

2024. M-8114.2 .

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Bibliography

"Ada M. Bradford Sanborn," U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

"Rebecca Bradford," 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.

"Rebecca M. Bradford," Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Records, 1840-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

"Rebecca M. Bradford," U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

"Rebecca M. Bradford," U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

Subjects

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Subjects:

Boardinghouses--United States--19th century.
Household employees--Women--Boston (Mass.)--19th century.
Infants--Care--United States--19th century.
Mother and child.
Pregnancy--United States--19th century.

Formats:

Letters (correspondence)