A Monumental Task

The next group of letters I reference in my book had to do with the designing, building, and financing the Confederate Memorial Monument in Montgomery, Alabama, after the Civil War.The correspondence was between Martha Dandridge Bibb, Presidient of the Ladies' Memorial Association, and the company, as well as sculptor, in charge of making the monument.

CURBOW-CLAPP MARBLE CO.

Dealers in Marble & Granite Monuments

and Building Stone

Importers of Italian Monuments and Statuary

Iron Fences a Specialty

209 and 211 Dexter Avenue

Montgomery, Ala.

Dec. 3rd 1897
"Dear Mrs. Bibb,
I send you letter from Mr. F. Barnicoat, our sculptor in Quincy, Mass.-also send the photo he speaks of. I think it is a fine piece of modeling and will certainly be a grand piece of work when executed in granite.
There will be no photographs of the Infantry and Cavalry as they were accepted as shown with a few minor changes which are in our specifications with Mr. B.
You will please note what he says about the Marine statue time of shipment. I was afraid it would not be possible to ship as early as February.
If possible I would like to telegraph Mr. B tonight."
Yours very respectfully.
Oliver A. Clapp

A letter from the sculptor:

Hand-written

By Sculptor to Curbow-Clapp Marble Co.

F. BARNICOAT

GRANITE AND STATUARY

QUINCY, WESTERLY, SOUHEGAN

MILLSTONE POINT GRANITE MONUMENTS

CIRCULAR WORK A SPECIALTY

PORTRAIT FIGURES AND BUSTS

MODELING OF EVERY DESCRIPTION SOLDIERS AND IDEAL FIGURES IN GRANITE

SEND FOR DESIGN SHEETS OF GRANITE STATUARY

Quincy, Mass.
March 7, 1898
Curbow-Clapp Marble Co.
Montgomery, Ala
"Dear Sirs,
...We have commenced to cast model in plaster and shall be ready to commence work in the granite as soon as we hear from you. To model and cut this anchor will cost $100.00 extra. It means a good deal of relief work which takes time in granite."
Yours Truly,
F. Barnicoat

Oh, the problems that go hand in hand with construction! Those decisions were just  more in a string of challenges for Martha Dandridge as she marched on to complete her mother's dream. Her involvement  not only meant dealing with the sculptor, etc., but there were money problems as well.
Here's a little background:

"The men’s Historical and Monumental Association founded in 1865 had become quiescent during the dreary, difficult years of Reconstruction in Alabama. In 1885, a new organization, The Monumental and Historical Society, was formed on September 30, chaired by Montgomery Mayor Colonel Warren S. Reese. Under its auspices, Ex-President Jefferson Finis Davis, then 78, laid the cornerstone of the Confederate Monument on the north lawn of the Alabama State Capitol Building in elaborate two day ceremonies on April 29, 1886. However, the Society ran into difficulty raising the $46,000 needed to finish the job. Alabamians were still devastated and struggling...
The women stepped into the breach. The men’s Society had raised $6,755.00. Some shamed politicians raised $5,000, managed to get a legislative grant for $10,000, and then another $10,000 grant. The Ladies’ Memorial Association raised $10,000."

Nothing seemed to deter Martha Dandridge and the Ladies' Memorial Association from seeing their task completed. Martha did say in a communciation--

"…Though I am opposed to women’s rights in general yet regarding all things pure and tender as being within a woman’s presence, I am quite a lobbyist and have strong hopes of success for our Ladies’ Memorial Bill when the Legislature re-convenes in a few days..."

I dare say, she would have been a marcher for women's rights eventually.