Letter to Mary Johnson of Worthington, Ohio from D. R. Solomon of Werts Grove

This letter was written to Mary Johnson of Worthington, Ohio from D. R. Solomon of Werts Grove, Lockbourne, Ohio, in response to a letter Miss Johnson had written weeks earlier. From the context of the letter, it appears that D. R. Solomon is Damaris Solomon, a long-time friend of Mary from the Worthington Female Seminary school. She regrets having been too busy to promptly respond to Mary's letter and speaks of an upcoming trip to Worthington. She mentions hearing of Mary's broken engagement and promises that they will discuss it in detail when she visits.

Although it is not clear, it sounds as though James Moreland had proposed to Mary and they had an understanding--likely not a formal engagement as we would know it today--but that her parents did not approve. A few letters between Mary Johnson and James Moreland remain including the one where she ends their correspondence.

Mary was daughter of one of Worthington's founders, Orange Johnson and wife Achsa (Maynard) Johnson. She married Francis Sessions on August 18, 1847. The Sessions were interested in promoting art and art instruction in Columbus. The Sessions art collection formed a basis for the Columbus Museum of Art collection.