Charles W. Chesnutt to the Secretary to the Governor of Ohio, 14 September 1921
| Textual Feature | Appearance |
|---|---|
| alterations to base text (additions or deletions) | added or deleted text |
| passage deleted with a strikethrough mark | |
| passage deleted by overwritten added text | Deleted text Added text |
| position of added text (if not added inline) | [right margin] text added in right margin; [above line] text added above the line |
| proofreading mark | ‸ |
| page number, repeated letterhead, etc. | page number or repeated letterhead |
| supplied text | [supplied text] |
| archivist note | archivist note |
September 14, 1921.
The Secretary to the Governor,
Columbus, Ohio.
Dear Sir:
Please send me as promptly as convenient blank application for Commission as Notary Public.1 I have inadvertently let my Commission expire and I need it in my business.2
Your very truly, CWC/FLCorrespondent: The secretary to the Governor of Ohio was an appointed position. One of the secretary's duties was to handle the details of commissioning notaries public, of which the governor appointed as many as needed.
1. Chesnutt received the form three days later; see his letter from September 17, 1921. [back]
2. Being a notary public enabled Chesnutt to take depositions, certify official documents, and administer oaths. A commission as a notary public in Ohio required an initial certification by a judge, an application, and a bond to the state ($1,500 by 1921) and had to be renewed every three years. By 1921, the commission required a fee of $1.00. [back]
