A Token of Love Colonial America - Puzzle Purse Love Letters

Handwritten Valentines were popular in England and Western Europe from the 15th Century, a tradition that was brought to the American Colonies. But sometimes the lovelorn are at a loss for words. At such times, our Colonial friends might refer to English Letter-Writers, in book and pamphlet form, for advice in composing missives to their sweethearts. Among them, The Amorous Gallant's Tongue Tipp'd with Golden Expressions: or, the Art of Courtship Refined. "Valentines Writers" were also for Valentine's Day and other occasions when heartfelt sentiments were in order. Valentine Writers like The Young Man's Valentine (1797) and Every Ladies Own Valentine Writer (1798) were also perused for enjoyment of verse and witty prose. 

VALENTINE

Ye sweet feather warblers that sing thro' the grove,

Convey me this letter to the hands of my love,

Which will case my fond heart with sorrow possess;

I am weary of roving and ne'er can take rest:

Oh now to my pray'r, I pr'y thee incline

And make her for ever my fair Valentine. 

~*~

The feather'd race together meet,

And all is harmony complete.

The tuneful blackbird and the thrull,

Make vocal every tree and bulb.

Like them in love my fair let's join,

And be my faithful Valentine. 

~*~

'Tis true I love you and with great respect,'Tis true I'm treated with a cold neglegt.

I thought thy frowns were but dissemblcd heat,

And all thy threatening looks an am'rous cheat.

As nurses oft seem to deny a kiss,

To make the fender suppliant steal the bliss;

So I believe'd thou didst abscond and flee,

Only to make me faster follow thee.

But now alas! 'tis earnest all I find,

And not pretended anger but design'd.

Relent dear maid soften that heart of thine,
And try to love your loving Valentine.

Houghton Library
Harvard University

The poems and verses inspired by or copied from Valentine's Writers were written on slips of paper or posted in a newspaper by suitors for Valentine's Day. Verses were also transcribed onto handcrafted love-letters that were folded into puzzle purses as love tokens. Introduced by Pennsylvania-German immigrants who called them liebesbrief (love-letter), the puzzles were embellished with beautiful water-colors in traditional fraktur style artwork.
These puzzle purse love tokens were created on a one foot square of "laid paper" (with laid lines from the paper mold) was folded into a square "purse." The delightful Valentine was decorated with verse and decoration on the exterior. Once fully opened, secret messages would be revealed inside and sometimes an additional token of love - a ring or a lock of hair. I remember making similar folded messages in my school days, unbeknownst to me that people had been creating them for centuries.

Please be sure to click on images to see full size view.

Center view - Houghton Library

May Heavenly Angles their swift wings display 

And be your guard in Every dangerous way.

In every state most happy may you be,

Now I am for Distant pray think of me.

Inside view -  Houghton Library

American Folk Art Museum, 1799
To Sarah Newlin

My Dear this heart that you behold / When you these leaves unfold

So my poor heat with love sick pain / Sore wounded is and breaks in twain.

1769 Georg Lang, Free Library of Philadelphia

Translation from German:
When I arrive, I will be here; when I brew, I make beer; when I bake, I make bread; when I die, I am dead as a mouse.

[in hearts, starting at bottom, going counter clockwise]

1. Yes, when I don’t see you, my darling, my heart is filled with dread and sorrow

2. And would at every moment spring apart in many thousand pieces.

3. I desire faithful love, wounded completely with right love.

4. For to love and not being loved back makes many a beautiful heart sad; but if both love, then two hearts are filled with joy.

5. My heart burns in the blaze of love, but it does not know how yours is doing. Is my heart like mine, then the love will persist.

6. My dear darling, our flames of love will come together with time.

7. Hold firmly on to your heart’s love, like the tree to his branches, and the grapevine to its vine; So I will surrender my heart to you.

8. My heart, your heart, one heart, without any joking. The 26th December 1769.

Pennsylvanian or New England 1790-1810 - Soothby's

As turns the needle to the pole
So my heart's fond inclin'd

To the bright magnet of my soul

And you my Valentine

VIEW MORE HERE: Valentine Love Token Puzzle Purses at Free Library of Philadelphia



Best-selling inspirational romance author Carla Gade writes adventures of the heart with
historical roots. With ten books in print, she is always imaging more stories and enjoys bringing her tales to life with historically authentic settings and characters. A native New Englander, Carla writes from her home amidst the rustic landscapes of Maine. An avid reader, amateur genealogist, photographer, and house plan hobbyist, Carla's great love (next to her family) is historical research. Though you might find her tromping around an abandoned homestead, an old fort, or interviewing a docent at an historical museum, it's easier to connect with her online at https://www.facebook.com/CarlaOlsonGade/.

Acrostic Poems, Colonial Valentines

Susan F.  Craft

        As part of a fad that was called “the lovers’ literary campaign of 1768,” the Virginia Gazette featured acrostic poems where the first letter, syllable, or word of each line, paragraph or other recurring featured in the text spelled out a word or a message.

        Several love struck swains of Williamsburg and its neighboring plantations honored their beloveds during the month on February, beginning three days before Valentine’s Day.
        One unknown admirer sang the praises of Miss Frances Lewis of a prominent Gloucester County family. Notice that the first letter of each line of his poem spells out Miss Lewis’ name.  
        Minerva's choice;—Apollo's fond delight,
        In whom fine sense and music's charms unite:
        Sweet lovely maid; dear fav'rite of the nine.
        Say, will you be my constant VALENTINE?
        For you the Muse expands her lapsid wings,
        Rears her fall'n pow'rs, and strikes the trembling strings.
        At thy dear feet she pays the tribute due:
        Nor thinks she bends too low to wait on you:
        Charm'd with thy lovely form;—thy music fine:
        Extatic raptures all my heart entwine.
        So my once lov'd Celinda touch'd the keys:
        Lovely like you—like you was form'd to please!
        Early in life the fatal summons came,
        Wither'd my joys and snatched the beauteous dame!
        In you dear nymph, the reparation lies,
        Say you'll be kind, or youthful Strephon dies.

        For the young men and women of Williamsburg, this romantic wordplay was the equivalent of pop songs and Hallmark cards.
        Here’s another sample written by David Mead of Nansemond County singing the virtues of his fiancée, Sally Waters:
        Most praise the gaudy tulips streak'd with red.
        I praise the virgin lilly's bending head:
        Some the jonquil in shining yellow drest;
        Some love the fring'd carnation's varied vest;
        Whilst others, pleas'd that fabled youth to trace,
        As o'er the stream he bends to view his face.
        The exulting florist views their varied dyes;
        E'n thus fares beauty in each lover's eyes.
        Read o'er these lines, you'll see the nymph with ease,
       She like the rose was made, all eyes to please.

       Mr. Mead’s valentine must have succeeded in winning Sally’s heart, for three months later, on May 19, the Virginia Gazette announced, “on Thursday last David Mead, Esq., of Nansemond, was married to Miss Sally Waters, of this city, an agreeable young Lady."
         Another acrostic was written by I. E. who praised Lucy Cocke, the daughter of the mayor of Williamsburg.
        Lovely dear maid, my gen'rous tale approve,
        Untaught in verse to sign the fair I love;
        Could you but know the dictates of my heart,
        Your gentle soul wou'd healing balm impart.
        Conquer'd by you, what raptures seize my breast,
        O say dear charmer, will you make me blest?
        Constant I'll prove as light to early day,
        Kind as bright Phoebus to his darling May,
        Each hour, each moment, shall my love display.

        As with all fads, the lovers' literary campaign of 1768 faded away as quickly as it started, but cropped up sporadically with one poem appearing in 1769, and other tributes between March 1773 and December 1776.
        The final acrostic published in the Gazette in 1776 honored Sally Cary. A subsequent notice in 1768 provided a happy ending to that poem with this marriage announcement, "Thomas Nelson, jun. Esq; captain in the first Virginia regiment, to Miss Sally Cary, eldest daughter of Wilson Miles Cary, Esq; of the county of Fluvanna."

        Here’s one more example written for Alice Corbin, the daughter of a wealthy and prominent planter-statesman:
        Accept, fair Nymph, dear Friendship's Tribute due:
        Lo, here she pays her kind Respects to you;
        In this first Di'ry, as on Wings of Fame,
        Constrains the Muse to sing thy dear-lov'd Name,
        Echo through Woods and Groves resounds the same.
        Charming as is the royal Queen of Love;
        Obedient as the rolling Orbs above;
        Religious too, in ev'ry chearful Strain;
        Blest with good Sense;—engaging, yet not vain; Ingenious, virtuous, delicate and true;
        No more my bounded Theme admits!—Adieu.