Looking Past the Fold: A Short History of the Envelope by Jo-Ann Roberts

I love getting mail...and I'm probably part of a dying breed who still receives their utility bills by daily mail. Oh, I text and send emails, but there is something intriguing about an envelope with MY name on it sent by someone else! 

Yet, the humble envelope which houses a bill, a get-well message, or birthday greetings is often not given the credit it is due. Designed to protect correspondence from damage and prying eyes, this stationary item can be the bearer of both good and bad news.

But when and where did the envelope first appear?

The Early Days of the Envelope

Historians believe that the envelope made its appearance in ancient China. They were made from clay, which was molded into a sphere, in which the message would sit. The envelope was sealed with more clay and then smashed to reveal the contents upon delivery.

A similar method was developed about 2,000 years before the birth of Christ in Babylonia. This version was more like a folder than a round case, and it was sealed by pressing both ends of a rectangular sheet together.

The First Paper Envelope 

Around 200 B.C., wealthy Japanese and Chinese men sent gifts to relatives after a death, coins, usually wrapped in cloth by hand.

During the Medieval era, the design of envelopes was little more than extra sheaf of paper folded over the message and sealed with wax. These messages were common between the aristocracy and senior members of the Church. The seal was made with beeswax and resin and sealed with a coat of arms.

The Industrial Revolution

One of the first ever long-distance messages sent in a modern envelope was written by Sam Adams. He sent a single letter from Boston to Philadelphia and paid twenty-two cents for the privilege.

As printing and manufacturing processes improved, the cost of envelopes--and the cost of sending mail--dropped. A British economist, Sir Rowland Hill proposed charging by weight, opening up new opportunities for postal services around the world.

U.S. Envelope Manufacturers

As envelopes grew in popularity in America from Hill and others like Benjamin Franklin, a craft industry grew around their production. Stationery stores, already popular for their sale of high-quality papers, bookmaking materials, pens, and sealing wax, began to hand craft envelopes in the rear of the store when business was slow.  They would take thick stacks of paper, place a diamond-shaped form made of tin over the top and used a sharp knife to cut out envelope "blanks" at once. These would be folded and gum-sealed by hand along all edges except the top closing flap.

The process of making an envelope was relatively laborious until Edwin Hill (no relation to Sir Rowland!) invented and patented a steam machine that could fold and stick paper into the shape of an envelope. 

This was followed up by the first automatic envelope maker invented by Russel Hawes in 1853. At the time, this machine was a revelation, as it was capable of producing up to 12,500 envelopes every day!

In 1876, Henry Swift and D. Wheeler Swift perfected a machine initially designed by James Arnold. this was the world's first machinery that was capable of applying sticky gum to an envelope.

And the last significant envelope patent was granted to Americus Callahan, who developed the first envelope with a window.

 

So, despite the advent of the Internet, billions of envelopes are produced and sent around the world every year. Whether they're protecting personal messages, business correspondence or marketing materials, these essential items of stationery are still part and parcel of modern life.

Rocky Mountain National Park - Early History

Post (C) Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

This is a repost of an earlier post.

Image (C) Doris McCraw

Would we have Rocky Mountain National Park without Lord Dunraven's actions?  It is a question I've been pondering as I research the background for my upcoming book, "Isabella, Rocky Mountain Bride."

Let's begin with who Lord Dunraven was. Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin, 4th Earl of Durraven and Mout-Earl, was born on February 12, 1841at Adare Manor, County Limerick. His early years were spent at Duraven Castle in Glamorgan, Wales.

Image from Wikipedia

At twenty-six, he was a war correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, a London newspaper, and covered the Abyssinian War in Africa. Then, for another paper, he covered the Franco-Prussian War, the Third Carlist War in Turkey, and witnessed the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1871 at the end of the Franco-Prussian War, and the 1919 Treaty of Versailles ending WWI. 

He was also involved in British politics as a conservative.

In 1872, Dunraven visited the Estes Park area to hunt wild game. This was a year before Englishwoman Isabella Bird visited the area. In 1874, he decided to create a game preserve in the area for himself and his English friends. He used the Homestead Act to acquire control of 15,000 acres. Some say this is one of the biggest land steals in Colorado history. He sold his land in 1907. This area is part of the Rocky Mountain National Park. 

On a side note, this same Lord Dunraven commissioned artist Albert Bierstadt in 1876 to paint a canvas of Longs Peak and Estes Park. Bierstadt was paid $15.000 for the work. Image of Bierstadt painting

Would we have a Rocky Mountain National Park without this early land grab? The park was officially designated in 1815, so it was eight years later. 

For more on this interesting person: Wikipedia, National Parks website

Until Next Time,

Doris

Angela Raines - Amazon

Doris A. McCraw - Amazon

Wisdom from the Frontier: Faith, Fences and the Good Book

 By Kimberly Grist

“Don’t Squat with Your Spurs On” - Old Cowboy Saying — circa late 1800s

Some lessons hurt more when you learn them the hard way.

The American frontier was a land filled with significant challenges, offering hard lessons at every turn. Some challenges arose from the land itself, including scorching summers, freezing winters, sudden prairie storms, and swarms of grasshoppers that devastated entire harvests. As pioneers dealt with hunger, illness, and isolation, they built resilience that was tested and strengthened by faith and endurance. Their wisdom, shaped by trial and error and shared moments over campfires with coffee and the comforting presence of Scripture, reflects a deep, often hard-earned understanding of perseverance and hope.

https://issuu.com/utah10/docs/uhq_volume81_2013_number2

 📖 Reading the Word on the Frontier

Though national literacy in the 1880s approached eighty-five percent, rates were lower on the frontier, where schools were scarce and books even scarcer. Families often relied on a neighbor, preacher, or child to read the Scriptures aloud. Whether gathered around the hearth in winter or a campfire under the stars, pioneers found both comfort and instruction in shared readings.

 🌾 On Faith and Providence

· “Man proposes, but God disposes.” — A saying of preachers and settlers alike.

· “The Lord will provide.” — Found repeatedly in pioneer women’s diaries.

👢 “Don’t Judge a Man Until You’ve Walked a Mile in His Boots”

https://www.heddels.com/2019/04/horses-hollywood-high-fashion-history-cowboy-boot/

In the 1880s, a sturdy pair of hand-stitched boots could cost a week’s wages. Those boots weren’t just footwear; they were a record of hard miles, weathered trails, and long days in the saddle.

“Every man’s boots are filled with his own gravel—don’t go borrowin’ it.” — Old Trail Saying

💬 “Never Miss a Good Chance to Keep Your Mouth Shut”

Popularized later by Will Rogers, the wisdom echoes Proverbs 10:19: 'When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.' Frontier mercantiles and blacksmith shops traded goods—and gossip. The wise learned to speak less and listen more.

https://www.theattic.space/home-page-blogs/2020/9/10/the-wonderful-will-rogers

🪶 On Neighbors and Boundaries

· “Good fences make good neighbors.” — Common American proverb, 1840s Farmer’s Almanac

· “Let each man mind his own field, and God will bless the harvest.” — Midwestern farm journals, c. 1860s


https://www.farmcollector.com/equipment/history-barbed-wire-fencing/

🌧️ On Weather and Hardship

 “After the Rain Comes the Rainbow”

Before forecasts, families read the sky as carefully as Scripture. Handed-down sayings guided daily life: 'Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning.' 'When the smoke goes to the ground, ’twill soon rain in your town.' 'A halo ’round the moon means rain by noon.'

· “Make hay while the sun shines.” — Cherished by settlers (Proverbs 10:4).

· “Don’t pray for rain if you ain’t willing to plant.” — Late-19th-century farm wisdom.

 

🐴 On Character and Honesty

· “An honest man’s word is as good as his bond.” — Printed in frontier newspapers and almanacs.

· “Keep your tongue between your teeth and your hands to yourself.” — A pioneer mother’s advice.

 
❤️ On Kindness and Community

“Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you.” — The Golden Rule, often quoted verbatim on the frontier.

 
✝️ More than Quaint Phrases

The pioneers’ sayings were more than quaint phrases—they were living sermons, shaped by the land and steeped in Scripture. Each proverb, whether spoken by a campfire or read from a family Bible, carried a truth as enduring as the frontier itself: Faith, hard work, grit and kindness built fences strong enough to hold a family and community together.

Farewell, Chinese Camp by Zina Abbott

 

In many ways, this post is a difficult one to write, for the topic strikes close to home. By that, not only do I mean that the community of Chinese Camp is not that far distant from my actual dwelling, but I have written books—and am now working on a series of books—in which Chinese Camp is either mentioned or plays a small role. I have been there, and I wrote about the history of Chinese Camp in another post on a different blog two years ago.

Although at the time of the fires that broke out I had no idea of what would take place, I recall witnessing a smattering of nearby thunder and lightning displays. They were part of a rather large dry lightning storm that occurred on the evening and night of Tuesday, September 2, 2025. The storm raged through California from the southwest toward the northeast. The portion that affected the San Joaquin Valley and Mother Lode foothills to the east ended up being known as the TCU September Lightning Complex fire. 

Google Map showing larger TCU September Complex Fire locations

Particularly hard hit were the counties of Tuolumne, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, and Calaveras—all to the east and north of my home. It is estimated over 22,000 individual lightning flashes resulted from this storm. The weather service recorded 5,282 lightning strikes between Modesto and Shasta County from Tuesday morning to Wednesday.

These five thousand plus lightning strikes produced twenty-two fires in Tuolumne, Stanislaus, and Calaveras counties. Ranging from a few acres to several thousand acres, they jointly burned 13,371 acres as of Wednesday afternoon, September third. They came so fast and furious—all in the middle of the night—that there was insufficient time to give each a name based on location or distinguishing characteristics. Instead, each was assigned a two number combination. The first number stood for the battalion number associated with the area where the fire started. The second number stood for the fire’s numerical order.

6-5 fire in Chinese Camp, photo credit: Straight Arrow News via Video Elephant

 Although the 2-7 fire destroyed structures in Vallecito, a historic mining town in Calaveras County that is home to one of California’s largest caves, the largest fire—the 6-5 fire—included Chinese Camp. 

The town was evacuated in the middle of the night. Residents were awakened and ordered to flee—the rapid evacuation credited with preventing the loss of a single life. Some residents fled by running across smouldering debris on the ground while ash and sparks rained upon them from above.

Landscape surrounding Chinese Camp, Modesto Bee photograph 9/03/25 by Andy Alfaro aalfaro@modbee.com 

Before the flames, Chinese Camp was a rare throwback to California’s Gold Rush era — a place where several surviving buildings from the nineteenth century still existed. 

Former IOOF/Knights of Pythian/Masonic Hall and Dr. Stratton residence, ctsy Cary Bass

Lost in the fire was the Odd Fellows Hall, which later became the hall for the Knights of Pythias, then the Masonic Hall, and eventually the residence of Dr. Stratton.

Odd Fellows Hall/Masonic Hall/Dr.  residence. Photo credit: Modesto Bee, Andy Alfaro aalfaro@modbee.com

Old stagecoach stop and post office building, ctsy Wikimedia Commons

Burned stagecoach stop and post office: photo credit KCRA 3 News Sacramento, CA 9/04/2025 

Like most Mother Lode gold mining towns, Chinese Camp has survived other fires. One in June 1856 prompted many to rebuild with brick, stone, and iron. Another fire in the 1890s that burned a portion of the town was also devastating. However, many of the historical buildings survived. 

Not so this fire. 

Fortunately, the Catholic Saint Francis Xavier church building was saved—barely. One of the several YouTube videos I watched of the fire and its aftermath showed how the fireline stopped just short of the church property. 

Old Chinese Camp cemetery, public domain

However, the main Chinese Camp cemetery did not fare as well. To see images of it still smouldering, click HERE and watch the first part of this video.

A quote taken from Stephen Provost, author of Chinese Camp: The Haunting History of California’s Forgotten Boomtown, as quoted in the  article published by the Modesto Bee:

“Chinese Camp was the crossroads of the Mother Lode. Stagecoaches from Stockton to Yosemite stopped here. Black Bart is said to have bought candy at the old post office. Joaquin Murrieta stabled his horses here. Five thousand people once crowded its saloons and hotels…a town that still felt alive even in decay.” He continued, “It breaks my heart. You can read about history, but nothing compares to standing where it happened. Now people can only read about it.”

Rob Gordon of the Tuolumne County Historical Society noted that Chinese Camp remained much the same as it was at least one hundred years ago, which make it one of the county’s last truly untouched Gold Rush sites. Almost all of the historical buildings have been destroyed, although the front façade of the Odd Fellows Hall still stands and the Catholic church outside the town proper survived.

To understand the historical significance of Chinese Camp beyond the initial gold rush years, it is important to know that this town was a depot for stagecoach and freight wagon runs since the 1850s. It was part of the Stockton to Sonora route. Also, a road was built heading southeast toward the old mining town of Big Oak Flat, which was higher in the mountains. This road passed the mining town of Jacksonville (now submerged beneath the water of the Don Pedro Reservoir) and climbed over the steep Priest Grade. It allowed stagecoaches from Stockton and Sonora to reach Big Oak Flat in 1856. By 1860, this road extended to other mining towns like First Garrote (today’s Groveland) and Second Garrote. In 1874, this road allowed stagecoach access by way of Tamarack Flat to the Yosemite Valley. This stagecoach run brought passengers who stopped at Chinese Camp to Yosemite until 1914, when automobiles were finally allowed inside Yosemite National Park.  

 

Although some estimates claim ninety-five percent of Chinese Camp burned, there are portions of the town that remain. Some “after” photos show and entire block of current residences that were saved, even though they are surrounded by charred ground and burned structures. Others show newer homes that escaped the fire. I am happy for those current residents of Chinese Camp whose homes were spared, and I wish the best for those who plan to rebuild after losing their houses. The 1934 Chinese Camp Store & Tavern survived, and it has become a gathering place for swapping news and checking on neighbors.

However, the majority of the historical buildings—many that date back to the California Gold Rush era which, for Chinese Camp, ran from 1840 to the 1870s—are gone. Whether or not some are able to be restored remains to be seen.

To see a post I wrote for a different blog two years ago that show many of these historic structures, please CLICK HERE.

 

Chinese Camp was a well-established town at the time of my MailOrder Barber, set in 1859 Tuolumne County (Shaw’s Flat and Columbia). It is now available for sale as an ebook and at no additional cost with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. To find the book description and purchase options, please CLICK HERE.

 

Although Anthelia Yosemite Bride set in mostly in late 1880s Mariposa Grove focuses more on the Yosemite Turnpike Stagecoach Company route that reached Yosemite National Park from the south, it also mentions the stagecoaches that reached Yosemite Valley from the north. Greater mention of the Big Oak Flat stagecoach route will be made in one of my future National Park Brides books set in Yosemite. Anthelia Yosemite Bride is currently available for sale as an ebook and at no additional cost with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. To find the book description and purchase options, please CLICK HERE.

 

 

Sources:

https://www.bbbunny.com/chinese_camp.html

https://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/california/fires/article311956235.html#storylink=cpy

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-09-03/california-fires-lightning-strikes

https://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/california/fires/article311956235.html

https://www.modbee.com/news/california/fires/article312067730.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-RCVGDDsfw

No-Knead Bread

 

A while back, I happened upon a recipe for No-Knead Bread. It sounded simple (which is always a plus), required few ingredients or time (another bonus) and it had been a long time since I'd made homemade bread. 

I was skeptical about how well it would turn out, but it was so good!

According to info I could find online, no-knead bread goes back to the invention of flour and fermentation.  The method of baking bread this way uses a long fermentation time (rising of the dough) instead of kneading to form the gluten strands that give bread its texture. 

The method is ancient, although it has experienced a number of resurgences over the years. 

One of the earliest written references to the bread is in The Compleat Housewife by Eliza Smith published in 1739. 

Older methods involved fermenting the bread for twelve hours and other steps I sure wasn't willing to pursue. 

The recipe I found is easy, and the result is delicious!

I think it should be called Rustic Bread, because I could imagine a tired pioneer wife whipping up a loaf of this for supper. 

Rustic Bread

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (or 1 packet) of instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm water

DIRECTIONS:
Mix dry ingredients together, then stir in water until the consistency is even. The dough will be very sticky.
Cover the bowl and rest on the counter for three hours.
Place a large Dutch oven (I used a 7-quart) in the oven and preheat it to 450 degrees.
Spray a sheet of parchment paper with non-stick spray (or butter it). Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto the parchment with a spatula (I coated mine in non-stick spray) into a ball (or roundish blob). Place parchment paper with dough into the Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove lid, and continue to bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, place bread on rack to cool for about ten minutes, then slice and enjoy!

Note: for added yumminess, I slathered butter over the outside of the bread as soon as I took it out of the oven and it sank into all the crusty crevices.

Heartfelt love stories wrapped in laughter, warmth, and happily-ever-afters.

 USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where hay fever and life lessons were always in season. Today, she blends her rural roots with a love for storytelling, crafting sweet, wholesome romances filled with hope, humor, quirky characters, and realistic heroes paired with strong, inspiring heroines.

When she’s not writing or baking new recipes, you’ll find her cherishing quiet moments at home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband—affectionately known as Captain Cavedweller.

 Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Newsletter | BookBub | Pinterest

A TRAIL OR A DEATH SENTENCE? by Marisa Masterson

Troubles. What's a plot without them? 

Jack Poston's troubles comes in pairs. He needs to make more than simply $3 a piece for his cattle. His mail-order bride is late arriving.

He must travel through war-torn states to push his cattle northward when no one else is willing to brave the trip from Texas to Missouri in 1865. His late arriving bride insists she come with him. Thus, The Bride on the Shawnee Trail is born. From the book:

“Can’t spend more time on this, Caroline. The boys and I need to drive the animals closer to the river today. We only stopped so I could meet up with you and get the marrying done.”

“Well, it’s done.”

She looked at her boots as she talked. Not a good sign, he was discovering. She always insisted on having her own way when she did that.

Her voice lowered and took on a submissive note. “I’m ready to help Stubby with the
meals.”

Jack took off his Stetson and slapped the new-fangled hat against his leg. The maker had started selling them last year. Already he and two of his men wore their Stetsons daily. No keeping this hat only for good, not when it was such a help against heat and rain.

“Caroline, you need to go to my ranch.”

Before she could argue, the old cook piped into the conversation. “I qu—”

He did not allow Stubby to finish. The man would not go on the cattle drive if he did. With Stubby quitting, Caroline would be forced to learn everything on her own. Jack could not foist that burden onto his new bride. Bad enough she had to start on another trip right after finishing the long ordeal of getting to Texas.

“Alright, Stubby. I surrender.” Jack beat the hat against his thigh once more. 

https://www.truewestmagazine.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/01/
the-shawnee-trail_
austin-texas_sedalla-missouri.jpg

And what a trail the Shawnee was! The American Civil War all but closed what was also called the Texas Road or the Kansas Trail. In reality, no one drove herds north from Texas in 1865. The cattle drives resumed in 1866, though not peacefully.

While the war had stopped, the battles with unhappy settlers continued. The Texas longhorns brought what was called the Spanish Fever, killing farmers' livestock. Actually from a tick, the longhorns were immune while cows grazing on that same land they crossed were not.

Jayhawkers

Often, vigilantes tried to block herds from entering their land. Drovers learned to skirt those settlers. 

One of the first to resume the drives was a young cowhand named James Daugherty. He joined a cattle drive in the spring of 1866. After more than a thousand miles, he neared the Kansas line with the herd. Anti-slavery vigilantes known as Jayhawkers ambushed in the night, stampeding the longhorns and killing one of the trail hands. Daugherty managed to recover 350 steers and sell them at Fort Scott rather than his original destination. (https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/shawnee-trail)

Six states passed legislation to block the cattle drives in 1867. Because of unrest as well as the risk to the settlers' livestock, the Shawnee trail became obsolete. A new and well-known route resulted--The Chisholm Trail.

Jack Poston longs for more than beans to eat. In need of a wife to cook for him and to tend the chickens, he sends for a mail-order bride. When she arrives later than he expected, it throws his plans into disarray. He must leave for a cattle drive, while she heads to his ranch.

Having lost two grooms, Caroline refuses to lose sight of her new husband. She determines to keep him safe from the unknown danger that lurks on the Shawnee Trail. But, as they face the hardships of the trail, Caroline realizes another real threat follows her.

Will they find a love strong enough to survive the treacherous journey and bring them together, or will danger ultimately tear them apart?

For fans of western romance and suspense, The Bride on the Shawnee Trail is a must-read. Don't miss out on this thrilling tale of love, danger, and survival. Buy now before the price changes!

Halloween Fun in the 1800s

October is here, and I couldn’t resist talking about Halloween in the 1800s. Today, we think of costumes and candy, but back then folks worked hard to take the “scary” out of the holiday and focus on community and fun. By the late 1800s, Halloween parties were common for children and adults alike, filled with games, laughter, and the occasional spooky twist.

Some of the favorites you’d recognize: Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Bobbing for Apples, Blind Man’s Bluff, and good old-fashioned scavenger hunts. But they also had a few games you probably haven’t heard of

One was called Halloween Pudding. The host baked a fruitcake with five objects hidden inside — a thimble, a coin, a button, a key, and a ring. When the cake was served, each item had a meaning: the ring meant marriage, the coin wealth, the key a journey, the button true love, and the dreaded thimble? A future as an old maid or lifelong bachelor! (No one wanted the thimble.)

Victorians also enjoyed games of fortune-telling. A young woman might sit in front of a mirror with a candle, peeling an apple in one long strip. If she succeeded, her true love’s face was supposed to appear in the mirror… unless, of course, a skull appeared instead. Not exactly the most cheerful of predictions!

And then there were “haunted” games. One version had young women enter a darkened room, told it was haunted, and retrieve a box from a dresser drawer without screaming. Inside the boxes? Party favors for the guests. Compared to the modern game Green Ghost (for those who remember it), the Victorians had it easy. My siblings and I played Green Ghost in a dark attic, with cold oatmeal or Jell-O cubes in the boxes. You can imagine the shrieks when we reached in and touched something slimy!

Halloween in the 1800s was less about candy and costumes and more about fun, fellowship, and perhaps a touch of romance.

How about you? Do you celebrate Halloween, or simply enjoy the season’s pumpkins, apples, and crisp autumn air?

Until next time,

Kit