September 14 Thursday – Sam wrote to an unidentified man:
“Dear Sir, /Your proposition is received. In reply I am obliged to say that my engagements are such that they debar me from accepting”[unknown amount of text and complimentary close missing; MTPO]
September 12–13 Wednesday – Sam stayed two days in Hartford and then returned to Elmira on Sept. 13 [MTL 4: 454n2]. In Hartford Sam secured rent on the John Hooker house in Nook Farm, Hartford for a temporary residence, and probably looked after his book at the American Publishing Co.
September 10 or 11 Monday – Sam stayed at the St. Nicholas Hotel probably one night, and then left for Hartford [MTL 4: 454n2].
September 9 Saturday – Sam filed his patent application for the garment strap and left Washington this day or the next for New York [MTL 4: 454n2].
September 8 Friday – Sam wrote from Washington to Livy. His only subject was the patent search [MTL 4: 453].
September 7 Thursday – Sam arrived in Washington, D.C. [MTL 4: 454n1].
September 6? Wednesday – Sam left Elmira bound for Washington, D.C. to file for a patent on his “Elastic Strap,” a strap placed at the back of a vest to tighten around the waist. The invention itself made the strap elastic, detachable and adjustable in length. It fastened to the vest with buttons and buttonholes and could be removed. It could also be used with pants and even ladies’ corsets.
September – Sam’s new lecture tour was announced in the September issue of the American Publisher [MTL 4: 414]. “A Brace of Brief Lectures on Science. Part 1” [Camfield, bibliog.]. (See Gribben 230-1.)
August 31 Thursday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Orion.
We have scarcely any hope of the baby’s recovery.
Livy takes neither sleep nor rest.
We have 3 old experienced nurses.
Three months of overfeeding & surreptitious poisoning with laudanum & other sleeping potions is what the child is dying of [MTL 4: 452]. Sam’s only son would live until June 2, 1872.
August 30 Wednesday – Sam wrote from Elmira to Ella Trabue Smith, a second cousin on his mother’s side, telling her of his family’s trip and how well his mother looked, but for his son “life is almost despaired of.” Sam had gone after a doctor and wrote the one page letter while waiting [MTL 4: 451].