Letter to Achsa Johnson of Worthington, Ohio from Mary Johnson in New York City

This letter was written to Achsa Johnson of Worthington, Ohio from her daughter, Mary Johnson Sessions, who is honeymooning in New York City. In the letter, Sessions fills her mother in on the events that have taken place since she and her new husband arrived in New York. She talks briefly of visiting Canada and of the new acquaintances she has made. She gushes about how wonderful her husband, Frank Sessions, is to her and how wonderful marriage has been so far. She then goes on to discuss their frustration at not having found a house yet in Columbus and that they had hoped to be able to buy some furniture for it on their trip. She tells Johnson that she hopes to buy a dress pattern for her and give her the best life the rest of her days.

Mary Johnson and Frances Sessions were married Wednesday morning, August 18, 1847 in Worthington by Columbus Presbyterian minister Rev. H.L. Hitchcock, with Dr. Peter and Mrs. Goble standing up with them. They left that afternoon for their honeymoon. The couple was interested in promoting art and art instruction in Columbus, and their collection formed the basis for the Columbus Museum of Art collection. Mary’s parents, Achsa and Orange Johnson, were among Worthington’s founders. Orange Johnson was a comb-maker by trade who migrated from Connecticut to Ohio in 1814.