1790. The use of Miss for Mistress in this country is a gross impropriety. The word Mistress (or Madam to an old lady) should always be applied to a married lady, and Miss to one who has never been married.—Noah Webster in the Am. Mercury: Gazette of the U.S., Nov. 17.
1819. I concluded he had resolved to marry Miss Spruce, but found upon inquiry that his name was Spruce, and Miss Spruce was his wife.—“An Englishman” in the Western Star: Mass. Spy, May 12.
1834. Unkle Josh, who led off old Miss Sprague, Seth’s mother, had got Zekil Bigelow’s youngest darter.—C. A. Davis, ‘Letters of Jack Downing, Major,’ p. 31.
1835. It’s true, I brought about the fight, but I wouldn’t have done it, if it hadn’t o’ been on account of Miss, (Mrs.) Durham.—A. B. Longstreet, ‘Georgia Scenes,’ p. 66. (Italics in the original.)
1840. Her mother “wanted Miss Doubleday to let her have her baby for a little while.”—Mrs. Kirkland, ‘A New Home,’ p. 132.
1856. At last she draw’d in Major Coon … and now she ’s Miss Major Coon!—Whitcher, ‘The Widow Bedott Papers,’ No. 3. (Italics in the original.)
1857. Her husband always calls her “Miss,” but we shall not adopt that Down-East peculiarity.—T. B. Gunn, ‘New York Boarding-houses,’ p. 227.
1861.
| A lady owned the bed, ye see, a widder, tu, Miss Shennon; | |
| It wuz her mite; we would ha’ took another, ef ther ’d ben one. | |
Lowell, ‘Biglow Papers,’ 2nd Series, No. 1. |
1866. I dare be bound she’s handsome … if she’s a sister to Miss Johnson [Squire Johnson’s wife].—Seba Smith, ‘’Way Down East,’ p. 342.
1867.
| ‘Wal, Square, I guess so. Callilate to stay? | |
| I ’ll ask Mis’ Weeks; ’bout thet it ’s hern to say.’ | |
Lowell, ‘Fitz-Adam’s Story.’ |
1878. Mis’ Potter sent that, and it is the beateree for bread, but ’tain’t rye.—Rose T. Cooke, ‘Happy Dodd,’ chap. x.
