While you are out buying those valentine cards for those special someones, think of Esther Howland. Who is she? you might ask. Well, Esther was born in 1828 in Worchester, Massachusetts. And as the story goes, after graduating from Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in 1847 at age 19, Esther received a valentine card from a friend. In those days most valentine cards were imported from England and were very elaborate and expensive. Esther felt that she could make a better one and less expensive at the same time. Her father owned a book and stationery store and she convinced him to order supplies for her to make her vison a reality. She also would import fancy laces, ribbons and specialized papers to create her cards. Eventually she added silk and lithographs to her designs.
Esther's brother was a salesman for his family's book store and took samples of Esther's cards on a sales trip. He returned with $5000 worth of orders. Esther was hoping for $200. She immediately setup an assembly line of local women workers to put her designs together to fulfill these orders. She called her now business, the New England Valentine Company.
In 1866, Esther injured a knee but managed to run her business from her wheelchair for the next 15 years. In 1870, she was incorporated but still operated the business in her home. In 1879, she finally moved the business to a factory. And by 1880, her company was earning over $100,000 in profits yearly. About 2.5 million in todays dollars. One year later, she sold the business to an associate and retired. Esther died in 1904 and sadly never married. Esther is credited with commercializing the greeting card industry in America into what it is today. Her cards are sought after by collectors.
In looking at Esther's ancestry, I saw one coincidence in that her great great grandfather, John Howland, died ON Valentines Day in 1738, 90 years before Esther's birth. Esther could also proudly claim that her 4th great grandfather, another John Howland and his wife Elizabeth Tilley, both arrived in America on the Mayflower. My Heacock family can claim cousinship to Elizabeth Tilley as my 3rd cousin 11 times removed, therefore making Esther Howland my 9th cousin 5 times removed.
So let's remember Esther this year as we give and receive Valentines and other cards and thank her for her contribution to the industry that has helped keep all of us in touch with loved ones far & near.
Esther Howland obituary - Boston Globe, Mar 16, 1904
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