1854 · New York
by MENDELL, (Sarah) and HOSMER, (Charlotte), Misses
New York: Published for the Authors, 1854. 20 cm. 288 pp. Original black cloth, spine and back cover abraded. Clark III, 361: "A real contribution to travel literature." Howes M 513. Mendell and Hosmer traveled throughout the East Coast in 1853, beginning in New York state and visiting Canada, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia, and North Carolina. They earned their way as subscription book salespeople, and their narrative is an important piece of American book sales history. The volume consists of fifty-two "letters," and nearly half relate their experiences traveling through Richmond, Petersburg, Norfolk, and Raleigh, with much insight on the people, manners, and customs of the antebellum South. The authors include their observations on slavery and were supportive of women's rights. Sarah Mendell, born in 1824, lived with her family in Ellisburgh, NY. She taught school until 1852 when she elected to become a traveling bookseller. According to a Mendell family genealogy, this "unique profession" led her into Ontario, Canada, around northern New York state, and on to New York City where she met Charlotte Hosmer who would become her fellow traveler and bookseller. Charlotte, born in Vermont ca.1833, attended Chester Academy in that state before moving to New York City. She worked as a teacher and governess before joining Sarah as a book peddler.
The pair had many adventures traveling "unaccompanied" as several of the people they met along the way did not fail to mention. One man Sarah Mendell met on a boat insisted that she should be looking for a husband instead of a job: "Miss, you are very smart, but your life will lead you to your ruin, and this is my last advice to you- 'return now to your proper sphere.' " To this she calmly responded a thank you but "I feel no danger, as I seldom meet with men of your class." He was not amused.
Throughout their travels in the South, the two young women would settle themselves in boarding houses or hotels and venture out, going door to door to sell their subscriptions. In Richmond a man tried to intimidate the pair by saying they could not ply their trade without a city peddler's license. In Petersburg they spent some weeks soliciting orders. Returning sometime later to distribute their books, they had to contend with publishers slow delivery, particularly singling out Harpers. "[A]fter we have toiled to get subscribers for their books, they refuse to send them without the money in advance, as they contracted, and as other publishers do." At Portsmouth, Virginia they visited the Navy Yard. Though they were told that is was "contrary to the usual custom to admit any pedlers, whether of books or other things, into the Navy-Yard, lest some of the time that belongs to Uncle Sam be wasted," they applied to the Commandant for permission anyway. He sent them on to the Captain who agreed to allow them in, and they discovered great success amongst the mechanics there. They supplied them with books of every description and "nowhere have we found men who have exhibited more care and intelligence in the selection."
The letters in this, their only book, published in 1854, are full of their stories of life "on the road." Without regrets they had both left teaching behind and made their living by their wit and perseverance. Their keen eyed, often slyly humorous observations of the North and South the decade before the Civil War make for great reading. Sadly they did not get a chance to continue in their profession. Charlotte returned to New York City where she died of pneumonia in March 1855, aged 21 or 22. Sarah died a month later in Philadelphia of consumption. (Inventory #: 69405)
The pair had many adventures traveling "unaccompanied" as several of the people they met along the way did not fail to mention. One man Sarah Mendell met on a boat insisted that she should be looking for a husband instead of a job: "Miss, you are very smart, but your life will lead you to your ruin, and this is my last advice to you- 'return now to your proper sphere.' " To this she calmly responded a thank you but "I feel no danger, as I seldom meet with men of your class." He was not amused.
Throughout their travels in the South, the two young women would settle themselves in boarding houses or hotels and venture out, going door to door to sell their subscriptions. In Richmond a man tried to intimidate the pair by saying they could not ply their trade without a city peddler's license. In Petersburg they spent some weeks soliciting orders. Returning sometime later to distribute their books, they had to contend with publishers slow delivery, particularly singling out Harpers. "[A]fter we have toiled to get subscribers for their books, they refuse to send them without the money in advance, as they contracted, and as other publishers do." At Portsmouth, Virginia they visited the Navy Yard. Though they were told that is was "contrary to the usual custom to admit any pedlers, whether of books or other things, into the Navy-Yard, lest some of the time that belongs to Uncle Sam be wasted," they applied to the Commandant for permission anyway. He sent them on to the Captain who agreed to allow them in, and they discovered great success amongst the mechanics there. They supplied them with books of every description and "nowhere have we found men who have exhibited more care and intelligence in the selection."
The letters in this, their only book, published in 1854, are full of their stories of life "on the road." Without regrets they had both left teaching behind and made their living by their wit and perseverance. Their keen eyed, often slyly humorous observations of the North and South the decade before the Civil War make for great reading. Sadly they did not get a chance to continue in their profession. Charlotte returned to New York City where she died of pneumonia in March 1855, aged 21 or 22. Sarah died a month later in Philadelphia of consumption. (Inventory #: 69405)
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