AUTOGRAPH LETTER, Signed, to John Bratt, Esq., Mayor, North Platte Neb. July 26, 1898. Plus Envelope.
Indianapolis: 1898. 2 sheets of lined Sanitary Commission letterhead, written recto only, 34 lines of manuscript writing, ~ 175 words. Accompanied by an addressed, stamped [Trans-Mississippi Exposition Issue, Red 2¢, Farming in the West], and canceled, envelope. Letter 10-7/8" x 8-1/4". Now housed in a clear archival mylar sleeve. Hint of age-toning to paper, writing clear & legible. A VG - VG+ survivor. Item #51960
Bratt "was born on August 9, 1842, in Leek, Staffordshire, England. At the age of 21, Bratt immigrated to America. Arriving in America in June 1864, he moved on to Chicago in August, the next year, relocating to Nebraska City where he accepted employment as a bull whacker with a firm that operated an ox-team freighting service. Four years later, he was hired as a bookkeeper by the Coe and Carter Cattle Company which at that time ran immense herds in the Lincoln County area. Bratt’s headquarters were at Ft. McPherson. He later became general foreman of the outfit. In 1870, he formed John Bratt and Company with Isaac Coe and Levi Carter as his partners. John Bratt and Company ranged between ten and fifteen thousand head of cattle between the Platte River, Medicine and Red Willow Creeks, west of Ft. McPherson and east of O’Fallon’s Bluffs. The home ranch was located four miles southeast of North Platte. As homesteaders moved into the area and took up open range land, Bratt decided to retire from ranching and acquired stock yards in North Platte where he bought and sold cattle and operated a meat market. In the early 1900’s he entered the real estate and insurance business with a son-in-law, E. R. Goodman. Bratt served two terms as mayor of North Platte and had been a commissioner of newly-formed Frontier County (1872). He died in North Platte on June 15, 1918." [Nebraska Historical Society website]
In this letter, Ellis writes to Bratt, noting he is "the first branch in Nebraska. I am glad to know that your city has already sent out so many boys to the front." Ellis goes on to discuss contributions & donations sent to the deployed soldiers, exclaiming, "he who gives quickly gives double." [all underlined]. He goes on to detail efforts to establish relief stations, including "San Juan, Porto Rico", further advising that "If the war would be over today the troops would stay in conquered territory, tow years or more ... [and] our charitable work will be needed. Would like to hear from you as soon as convenient. Send donations by Draft or P.O. Money order, to me here at Indianapolis."
Unlike Bratt, at his juncture a century & a half later, Ellis remains a mystery, at least to this cataloguer, as we are unable to find any biographical information on the individual.
A final miscellaneous note, the stamp used in this correspondence was part of a commemorative set (1¢ to $2) celebrating the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition held in Omaha, Nebraska [1898].
Price: $175.00