A Terrible Mother’s Day

Although Samuel F.B. Morse’s legacy might overshadow Alfred Vail’s, the telegraph inventor’s assistant was not a total unknown in his day. He was prominent enough, at least, to have attracted some peculiar hangers-on. I found evidence of this colorful “following” in the Vail Telegraph Collection, Record Unit 7055, bound together in a volume of correspondence alongside telegraph accounts and other administrative materials.

The letter in question is not so mundane. Writing in June of 1846, its author, a resident of Washington D.C. named John M. McFarland, asks for Vail’s help in completing a gift for his mother. “I think I can do her some good,” John writes.

What exactly does he need for his gift? “Please send me by the bearer of this note,” McFarland begins, “100 feet or more, [sic] of wrapped copper wire if you have it to spare.” It turns out that John is working on a device for his mother—or, rather, to use on his mother. “I have a poor weakly Mother, who is always complaining,” explains John. The wire will complete his “Electro Magnetic apparatus for the purpose of giving a Shock.” Again, to his mother.

John has even planned out the design of his magnet, enclosing a sketch for Vail’s approval. All he needs now is the hundred feet of wire, preferably “not varnished” and slimmer than “1/10 of an inch when wrapped,” and he will be well-equipped to cure his mother. (Not that John will be able to reimburse Vail--“i am not very rich,” he clarifies, “or else i would buy it of you [sic].”)

Did Alfred Vail oblige John M. McFarland’s request? Unfortunately, the volume of correspondence does not include a response. For the sake of John’s mother, let’s hope that Vail could not spare the wire.

“Washington City DC June 17^th 1846

Mr.  Vail

                Sir, Please send me by the bearer of

this note, 100 feet or more, of wrapped copper wire if

you have it to spare, not exceeding 1/10 of an inch

when wrapped. in diameter, if it is not varnished

it will answer better, i want it to make an

Electro Magnetic apparatus for the purpose of giving

a Shock, please give me as much as you can spare

i am not very rich, or else i would buy it of you,

but i have a poor weakly Mother, who is always

complaining. i think i can do her some good if i can

get the wire, so please give it to me if you can, and you will

greatly oblige me

                Yours, Very, Respectfully

                                John, M, McFarland.”

Related Resources

• Record Unit 7055, the Vail Telegraph Collection, Smithsonian Institution Archives
• A Forgotten History: Alfred Vail and Samuel Morse, The Bigger Picture, Smithsonian Institution Archives