Thirteen (13) envelopes and paper enclosures, & two (2) prayer cards, similar in size to playing cards.
Eleven (11) of the envelopes and paper enclosures are addressed to Reverend John Smithurst at Indian Settlement, Red River. Most are undated.
Of these eleven, one (1) features a black wax seal, a hexagon border surrounding two (2) initials, possibly “K” and “R.”
Two (2) envelopes are embossed, one with an oblong border around the initials “CMS” and the other embossed with “Etches & Wilson, Manufacturers, 32 Hatton Garden, London."
One (1) paper enclosure is sealed with five (5) wax drops in different colours.
Seven (7) have red wax seals:
- Design obscured
- bearded man’s profile in a rounded rectangle,
- tiny rounded border surrounding script “Theo” (?)
- the initials “S” and “C” in a circular border,
- the initials “J” and “H” in gothic script inside a rounded rectangular border,
- an oblong shape filled with a hatched design,
- a large red wax seal with most of the design obscured except for the tiny letters “Pro P Elle” along the border.
Two (2) envelopes are addressed to Reverend Smithurst via Church Mission House, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street, London, England. Bear postal markings for Wirksworth in England for the years 1848 and 1849. Both are sealed with red wax, imprinted with a left-facing lion rampant design.
Two (2) prayer cards. Both are printed. The first one is printed in black and red with a prayer beginning “Create in me a Clean Heart." Text in the border reads, "Teach me thy way o lord and lead me in a plain path.” Handwriting in ink on the blank back reads “Master Henry W. Erwin.” The second one is printed in black with purple and green colour with an image of Eve with the serpent. "The entrance of thy word giveth light. Ps 119.130.” Handwriting in ink on the blank back reads “Henry Walter Erwin.”