Galpin

A recent auction was a letter from Mrs. Galpin to Roy Squires. Notes below from seller:

"Dear Mr. Squires.....you are the only one...who could help me."

Letter from Isabella Galpin, June 10, 1984 to Roy A. Squires

Alfred Galpin was one of H. P. Lovecraft's earliest friend's and member of what became known as "The Lovecraft Circle". Even in his early twenties Lovecraft considered Galpin his intellectual superior, and Galpin proved him right as he became a noted Professor and expert in a variety of fields in addition to speaking numerous Romance languages. In his later years, Galpin returned to the States after spending many years in France and Italy, and perhaps sensing his own mortality endeavored to thin out his papers and among those papers, his Lovecraft collection including correspondence; he contacted the noted bookseller and friend of August Derleth and Clark Ashton Smith, Roy A. Squires to aid him in the disposition of those papers. Unfortunately they could not come to terms and the collection was dispersed. Following Galpin's death his wife, Isabella contacted Squires also seeking his aid...

"I have been working very hard on Alfred's papers, hundreds of them...I sent three boxes of documents to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin [where Derleth's papers are housed- t mcvickers], one to Brown University, and the last to Columbia, including 53 autographed letters by Sam [Loveman]. Following your advice, I have kept some papers, pamphlets and books concerning Lovecraft...I cannot yet send you a complete list of what I have but I shall do so as soon as possible...I could send everything to you and you could...contact possible interested collectors...With your experience and knowledge you are the only one of Alfred's friends who could help me..."

Signed "Isabella Galpin"