This ad reminds me of one that I posted about the elegant lady.   It says: "Beautiful neighbor. - Your sweet face is sunshine to me.  Where and when can we meet?  Address CONSTANT, box 110 Herald office.  State some particulars for safety."

Now here's my question: I've talke…

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You'll forgive me for posting another ad that's not strictly "advertising for love," but I saw this one today and it is so unique that I decided to post it anyway. If it's real (and that is, of course, always a big "if"), it's awfully sweet.



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Wow, I just totally and completely forgot to post yesterday. So, how about a special Saturday edition? It's hard to follow up on Washoe and Reese River, but I'll give it a try with this little gem.
It reads:

Matrimony Made Easy,
or
How to Win a Lover:
With instructions for courting, in/… Read full post »

Maybe one day I will post the entire Faith/Love correspondence, but I haven't even uncovered it all yet, so for now, we come to the conclusion of our three-part miniseries, The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedie of Washoe and Reese River. (Somehow that doesn't have quite the same ring as "Romeo…

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The crazy thing about this series of ads is that I'm pretty sure I don't even have them all. But after some serious searching this morning, I finally figured these were enough for now. If I run across another treasure trove, I'll add 'em in.

These ones remind me of…

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All of these are from editions of this paper that I hadn't cataloged yet, and it did take a fair bit of work to uncover them. I hope you people appreciate what I do for you! These are not the only ads from Faith/Hope/Love (there are a lot -…

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So, I didn't blog this morning - sorry about that. I'm down in Chattanooga for the Symposium on the 19th Century Press, the Civil War, and Free Expression and this is my first free moment!  So without further ado, today's fare:

An honest gentleman (30) would… Read full post »

Blogging from 30,000 feet! In-flight internet!! So cool!

I never thought I would say this, but I really hope this ad is fake, because it disturbs me to think that anyone could write this and actually mean it. It's got to be a joke, or a code, or an…

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For the record, I have trouble remembered what I wore three days ago.  So how can this guy remember what a woman was wearing in such detail after only meeting her for a few moments?  I don't know too many people - let alone men - who have this kind of…

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Clearly, this would no longer be the right way to advertise yourself when looking for a wife, but back in the day I suppose politics weren't quite as tainted as they are now:

A young, able politician, capable of going to the United States Senate, desires a matrimonial alliance… Read full post »

This is not actually a matrimonial, but I thought I'd throw it in today as it is quite entertaining. And, it's going to teach you how to get married - and whom not to marry. Given its length and relative legibility, I'm not going to transcribe the whole thing…

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Now I understand and honor you.  Let us assist each other.  Without letters I should break down.  Accept help in the pure spirit it is offered to make you and the children more comfortable.  Be ready to come when I can marry you.  I will… Read full post »

Whatever these people claim, marriage was not on their minds.

Gentleman (28), independently situated, desires acquaintance young lady; object, matrimony. Hamilton, 254 Herald Main Office.

A young widow, unencumbered, would accept friendship of refined, temperate, elderly gentleman of means matrimonial… Read full post »

Happy November!

So, these three ads are interesting because they read as if they were three totally unconnected people, but they're all within the same month, so it seems unlikely that there were actually three, or even two, people signing themselves "Red Rose" in the personals. What do you think?
…

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There is a whole aspect of my dissertation that I haven't covered here yet - and probably won't much - which is the development of matrimonial "agencies," which were much more common than you'd expect.  They got especially popular, or at least much more common, by the turn of the twentieth…

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I think this guy is in love. Really, really in love. Or, alternately, mentally ill.

"Salina" -- I once loved you; but now --I love my holy, precious love
With all my heart and soul;
I love my sweet and darling love
With all my… Read full post »

Check out a great interview I gave recently for the brilliant and charming Emma Jacobs, which will hopefully soon be on WKCR FM in New York.  Currently it can be heard online, right here.  I'm the third segment, but the first two are also pretty interesting.

Thanks Emma!  You've broug…

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These three ads have absolutely nothing to do with each other, but they're from the same day and they're funny. So, in no particular order:

"Stephen - If you forget the difference between my name and yours again I will have no more mercy on you."

Okay, what? I really have no…

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New blog template! Much, much nicer than the old one, I think.

Moving on. I like to make fun of these 19th century advertisers, but sometimes it's pleasant to see the ones that I think are for real and are people I'd actually like.

Take this guy, for example:

A single gentleman,… Read full post »

I was going to save this for another day, but don't have much time for editorial, so figured I'd use an ad that speaks for itself!

D.D.H. - I solemnly swear I love you only, and to death, as you declared you loved me. For the… Read full post »

This one is a little difficult to read, and there are a few words I can't make out (anyone who can, let me know), but it's worth a look.  I suspect it meant something to someone, but not me.  Here's the text, or what I could make of it, anyway:
…

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Someone's in quite a hurry!

A young gentleman of pleasing appearance, and from one of our first families, wishes to enter into a correspondence with a lady who is sincere in her intentions to enter into the matrimonial state immediately. She must be young and well educated. Beauty preferred,… Read full post »

Not the first one. Well, maybe the first one. What do you think?

December 21, 1889. — My dear friend, who sent the money and letter on Monday, I may never lay eyes on you again, but I ask you, for God's sake, to write me, if only one word;… Read full post »

One of the things I mentioned early on is how difficult it is to know who was actually writing all these personal ads. I think most of the people fall into the middle class somewhere, for a variety of reasons (Bertram being a good example, as always), but of course…

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This ad seems so modern to me. It looks like a missed connection, but clearly the players know each other. Sounds like an intrigue to me!!

To the most elegant lady in the world -- Too serious in the corridor of the first story. Your smartness fascinates me.… Read full post »