Monday, September 29, 2014

Amanuensis Monday: They "Liked it Immensely"


Benita (McGinnis) McCormick (1889 - 1984)


Letter to Benita McCormick from The
Jewel Tea Company, thanking her for
her Christmas story and enclosing a
check for $50 as payment in full.  From
Benita McCormick's scrapbook.
[Note:  Amanuensis is an ancient word meaning one who performs the function of writing down or transcribing the words of another.  Derived from the Latin root manu-  , meaning manual or hand, the word also has been used as a synonym for secretary or scribe.]

One morning in mid-December, 1937, just months after returning from her trip to Mexico with my great-uncle Phil, my great-aunt "Detty," or Benita (McGinnis) McCormick, opened her mailbox to find a check in the amount of $50.  It was payment for a Christmas story she had sold to The Jewel Tea Company for use in their company Christmas cards. 

The Jewel Tea Company originated in Chicago, but as its success grew, the company relocated to Barrington Illinois.  Though the company originally started out selling tea and coffee, it gradually expanded to include a trademark china pattern and a variety of household goods.

Whether or not the Christmas cards noted here were sent to customers is a mystery. So, too, are the cards themselves and even the subject of this letter, The Story of Shamus Beg.   Nonetheless, knowing my Aunt Detty's vivid imagination, her story must have been filled with fanciful prose and whimsical sketches of leprechauns, or "little people," probably based on the tales she heard during her travels in Ireland nearly a quarter of a century earlier.  




                                                                     December 10, 1937
Mrs. Phillip C. McCormick
8032 Vernon Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
My dear Mrs. McCormick:
I purposely delayed sending you your check because I had hoped to be able to include a few copies of our Christmas card.  However, I appreciate the continued urge to "do your Christmas shopping early," and I am therefore sending your check today.  The cards will come pronto. 
Naturally, the check is payment in full for all your right, title, and interest in and to "The Story of Shamus Beg."  You will be delighted to know that all those folks who had an opportunity to "preview" the story liked it immensely.  It has the qualities of charm, simplicity, and dignity, which ought to make it ideally suited as a Christmas greeting.
I am returning under separate cover the material which you had given me earlier this year. I was very happy to be able to use your story and if in my contacts I come across people who are interested in stories of this nature, you may be sure I will keep you in mind.
Best personal regards.
                                                               Sincerely,
                                                                         THE JEWEL TEA CO.
                                                                         
                                                                         By:  Clayton N. Watkins, Chief 
                                                                         Publications Division


************

Copyright ©  2014  Linda Huesca Tully

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Popular Posts

Labels

(Huesca) Diaz (1) Abuelita (1) Adele Fay (1) Agnes Evelyn Gaffney (3) Agnes Gaffney (5) Alice (Carlow) Gaffney (1) Alice (McGinnis) Schiavon (40) Alice E. Gaffney (1) Alice McGinnis (2) Amaro (6) Ambrose Fay (1) Amelia Tully (1) Andres Huesca y Sus Costenos (1) Angelina (Ciliberto) Schiavon (7) Anita Parkhurst (1) Anna Liisa Heiska (2) Annie Quinn (1) Anthony Schiavone (1) Arne Schairer (1) Arthur Tully (3) Aune Kangas (1) Aunt Detty (2) Barbara (Bowman) McCormick (1) Baron (1) Benita (McGinnis) McCormick (80) Bennett (3) Bernice Althaus. (1) Bessie Quinn (1) Bing Tully (3) Blanca Perrotin (6) Bridget (Quinn) Gaffney (3) Buddy McCormick (1) Carlos Huesca (5) Catalina (Perrotin) Huesca (12) Catherine Grady (1) Catherine O'Grady (5) Cayetano Huesca (11) Celaya (1) Celia Perrotin (1) Charles Hoppin Tully (2) Charles Huesca (2) Charles Jacques Francois Perrotin (3) Cherry (2) Cid (1) Cora (Terrill) Gaffney (3) Daniel Fay (1) Delfina (Huesca) Yañez (1) Delia Domitila Huesca (2) Delia Gaffney (4) Domitila Huesca (1) Dorothy Fay (1) Edilberto Huesca (1) Edith (Hoag) McGinnis (1) Eduardo Huesca (10) Edward Bennett (1) Edward Gaffney (1) Eileen Kelly (2) Eldon "Ole" Olson (3) Elizabeth (Kane) Gaffney (1) Elizabeth Cain (1) Elizabeth Gaffney (3) Elizabeth Lyle Gaffney (6) Emanuel “Vito” Schiavone (1) Emanuela Sannella (2) Emily Scheurer (1) Enrique Huesca (12) Ernest F.W. Johnson (2) Ester Perrotin (1) Eugene McGinnis (2) Fay (3) Fay Family (1) Fern (Lawton) Waples (6) Fisher (1) Frances (Gaffney) Cherry (5) Francis Eugene McGinnis (4) Francisco Perrotin (5) Francois Perrotin (4) Gaffney (13) Gene Sheebo (1) Gilbert Huesca (38) Gilberto Huesca (3) Grady (1) Haltie Eaton (1) Healey (2) Helen Crannell (1) Helen Keller (1) Hubert Hotchkis (1) Huesca (11) Hugo Perrotin (1) Jack McGinnis (2) James Cherry (2) James Gaffney (2) Jane (McCormick) Olson (21) Jennifer Fisher (2) Joan (Schiavon Huesca) (1) Joan (Schiavon) Huesca (72) John Charles McGinnis (1) John Cherry (4) John Francis Gaffney (1) John Gaffney (2) John Jussi Kangas (1) John Kangas (1) John McGinnis (9) John Moyer (1) John Patrick Gaffney (1) Jose Calletano de la Trenidad Huesca (1) Jose Enrique Florentino Huesca (4) Jose Gil Alberto Cayetano Huesca (3) Joseph Ciliberto (2) Joseph E. Frick (1) Joseph Fay (1) Joseph Marcinkevich (1) Juho Kangas (1) Kangas (1) Katherine Fay (1) Kelly (1) Leo Dowling (1) Leo Schiavone (2) Licenciado Ocampo Alonso (1) Lorenzo Yañez (1) Louis Algarin (1) Lucia Huesca (1) Lucio Diaz Studio (1) Luz Merlo (1) Lyle Gaffney (1) Maggie Gaffney (1) Margaret (Craven) McCormick (1) Margaret Gaffney (1) Maria (Amaro) Perrotin (2) Maria Amaro (3) Maria Amaro Perrotin (1) Maria Angela Catalina (Perrotin) Huesca (1) Maria Angela Catalina Perrotin (5) Maria de la Luz Merlo (2) Maria Dolores (Perrotin) Bennett (2) Maria Dolores Perrotin (3) Mariano Pantaleon Huesca (1) Mario Huesca (2) Mary (Gaffney) McGoorty (1) Mary Elizabeth Gaffney (1) Mary Jane (Gaffney) McGinnis (26) Mary Tinney (1) Matt Oskar Kangas (2) McCormick (4) McCoy (1) McGinnis (6) McGinnis Family (2) McGinnnis (1) McGoorty (1) Mercedes (Formento) Huesca (8) Merlo (3) Monica Fay (1) Murray (1) Nancy (Gaffney) Zoldak (1) Nancy (Goss) Terrill Frick (1) Nancy Petters (1) Nathaniel Ellery Terrill (1) Nicky Schiavone (1) O'Grady (4) Ofelia (Ortega) Vázquez (2) Ogradi (1) Olson (1) Pasquale Schiavone (1) Pat Schiavone (1) Pat Tully (2) Patricia Fay (2) Patrick Cousins (1) Patrick J. McCormick (1) Paul Schiavon (1) Pellervo Kangas (1) Perroten (1) Perrotin (13) Philip "Bud" McCormick (2) Phillip “Bud” McCormick (8) Phillip McCormick (33) Plutarco Elias Calles (1) President John F. Kennedy (1) Quinn (3) Rafael Amaro (1) Ralph Schiavon (20) Ralph Thomas Schiavon (12) Ricardo Diaz (1) Riney (2) Roberto Perrotin (1) Rose (Bruton) Fisher (1) Rose Fyleman (1) Ruth Robertson (2) Ruvalcaba (1) Sannella (3) Sarah Ellen Riney (1) Schiavon (5) Schiavone (2) Shirley Ann Althaus (1) Soledad Cid (1) Susanne (Hurley) Gaffney (1) Suzanne (Olson) Wieland (2) Sylvia Gianorio (1) Terrence Quinn (1) Thomas Charles Gaffney (1) Thomas Cherry (1) Thomas Eugene McGinnis (14) Thomas Gaffney (6) Thomas McGinnis (4) Thomas Schiavon (1) Timothy Bennett (5) Tinney (1) Tom Schiavon (1) Tomasso Schicchitani (1) Tully (6) Victoria (Huesca) (1) Victoria Huesca (1) Vito Schiavone (1) Vivian Tully (1) Welner Bing Tully (2) Welner Clayton Tully (1) Welner Tully (3) Welner Tully; Bing Tully (1) Western Union (1) William Hupertz (1) William McGinnis (1)

Cyndi's List

Cyndi's List Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet

Family History Challenge

Family History Writing Challenge