Affectionately, Rachel: Letters from India, 1860-1884

Rachel Kerr Johnson’s lifetime collection of letters offers the unique perspective of a 19th-century woman, wife, mother, and American abroad. Besides showcasing her talent for lively storytelling, they portray both the ordinary and extraordinary observations of a woman who spent more than 20 years traveling in India with her missionary husband and their children.

In 1856, Rachel attended the Female Seminary in Steubenville, Ohio, where she began her correspondence with family members i…