January 15 Friday – Mollie Clemens (Mrs. Orion Clemens; Mary Eleanor Stotts) died at age 69 in Keokuk, Iowa. [NY Times, Jan. 16, 1904, “Obituary Notes,” p.9]. Note: Sam referred to not telling Livy of Mollie’s death in his Feb. 14 to Carpenter.
At the Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence, Sam read William Dean Howells’ the first installment (27-pages) of Howells’ novel The Son of Royal Langbrith in the Jan. issue in the North American Review) [Jan. 16 to Howells; Gribben 334].
Sam’s notebook: “Mrs. Wheeler / Miss Godkin / Lung’ Arno 1 / (Guicciardini) / Cablegram from Keokuk, Iowa: ‘Mollie died today.’ (Orion’s widow.) / She survived him 6 years, & was about 78 years old” [NB 47 TS 3]. Note: cablegram not extant.
Joseph Blouin’s Dec. 21 and 22, 1903 bills of $61.50 and $306.66 for additional repairs to the Tarrytown house were paid Jan. 15, 1904 [1903 Financials file MTP].
C.H. Curtiss & Co. Hardware Plumbing & Tinning’s bill of Dec. 31, 1903 for $73.52 was paid [1903 Financials file MTP]. Note: this bill was likely connected to Blouin’s work on the Tarrytown house.
Henry Bodset of Bedford Petroleum Co., Paris wrote to Sam enclosing a check for 6,180 francs; Sam owned stock in the company through H.H. Rogers [MTP].