Carry Nation's Purse

One case in point is this purse, used by temperance advocate Carry Nation. Caricatured for over a century, Nation is a symbol of obsessive overreaction to the consumption of alcohol. The real woman, however, was a much more complex individual known for acts of charity and a quick sense of humor.

In 1999 family heirs donated a number of Nation's personal items to the Kansas Historical Society. This donation included temperance campaign materials as well as clothing, sewing supplies, and even dentures and hairpieces. Among the donation's personal items was this purse, typical of late 19th and early 20th century handbags. Made of sturdy dark brown leather, the handbag has seen heavy use and the strap has worn in two at the shoulder.

Nation carried this purse on many public appearances and was photographed wearing it on several occasions (one such image is pictured at left). In her autobiography, entitled The Life of Carry A. Nation, the author refers to a "leather case" that is almost certainly the same bag. The following passage from the book refers to a steamboat trip on the Fall River between Boston and New York in the summer of 1903. Mobbed by people, Nation provoked the wrath of the boat's captain by protesting a group of men smoking and blocking the door to the ladies' lounge. The captain responded by threatening to lock the crusader in her stateroom. She describes what happened next:

"When I had finished my lunch, and had put on a clean tie and fixed my hair, I took from my valise a lot of little hatchets and put them in a little leather case I carry by a strap over my shoulder. Thus equipped I entered the ladies cabin, where there were perhaps fifty people sitting. When I went in, they began to look at one another, some smiled; I knew they had heard of the captain's trying to prevent my coming out.
Taking my seat on a sofa in the middle of the room, I was listening to the lovely string band when some one came up and began to talk to me. After a while I was quite surrounded and the cabin soon became crowded. Some one asked to see a little hatchet, so I opened my satchel to show them. One of the officers . . . came up saying: 'Madam, you are not allowed to sell these here.' I replied: 'You sell wine, beer, whiskey, tobacco, cigarettes and anything that will drug these people. Now these are my own little souvenirs, and they will advertise my cause, help me, and be a little keep sake from the hand that raised the hatchet, so I claim the right to sell them, where you have no right to sell bad things.' He went up to see the captain, who said: 'I am too busy to fool with that woman.'
. . . We had a nice time. I repeated poetry on the evils of drink and smoking. All were happy, and at ten o-clock, I bade good-night to many friends who regarded me not as the wild vicious woman, but as one who meant well."

For more information on the prohibitionist's life and work, see Carry Nation's Hammer and Lecture Poster.

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