This collection comprises two sewn booklets without covers and some miscellaneous material. The booklets are believed to have been kept by Ann Bedford (Jeffress) Richards (1813-1870) of western Mecklenburg County, Virginia.
One booklet, which may be in several different hands, contains recipes for Tomatoes Pickle, Tomato Catsup, Scarlet Cochineal (dye), To Pickle Onions, To dye Madder, Deep Crimson Cochineal, Receipt for dying green, Receipt for dying with red wool, Chest cake, syrup for summer complaint, green sweethearts, to dye anetto, yellow pickle, and tomato marmalade.
The other booklet, written in a single hand, includes culinary recipes for frosting, jellies, wine, cordial, beer, sweetmeats, marmalade, catsup, pickles, and yeast, as well as household recipes for candles, washing, pills for reapers, cleansing wool, cow disease, and dyes.
Collected with the two booklets is an envelope containing a lock of hair and a ribbon, which is labelled: “My Grandmother Richard’s Recipes. Found in Aunt Louis Diary dated June 1859 Hair and ribbon in here are Aunt Leila’s The rest of the book etc sent to Hollins 1942 Centennial.” Grandmother Richards was the author of these two cookbooks, Aunt Louis was her daughter, Louisa Burnley Richards Smith, and Aunt Leila was another daughter, Leila Alice Richards, whose brief life spanned the years 1851 to 1869.
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