Autographs
Ronald Reagan Stationery Handwritten Letter Signed Dutch
RONALD WILSON REAGAN (1911-2004). 40th President of the United States (1981-89), prior served as the 33rd Governor of California (1967-75) and a radio, film and television Actor.
January 4 (1978)-Dated, Autograph Letter Signed, “Dutch”, 1 page, 7.25” x 10.5”, on “Ronald Reagan” personal stationery, Choice Extremely Fine. This bold and vividly written Letter in in deep black ink on a sheet of fresh bright stationary. Accompanied with the original transmittal envelope addressed to, “Mrs. Peter MacArthur, Lake Worth Towers, Apt. 507, Lake Worth, Fla. 33460”. Here Reagan writes, in full;

“Dear Hup / Well the holidays are over but life gets busier. You asked what we were doing and I think most of my time is spent on airplanes. I’m out on the banquet circuit averaging about 6 to 8 speeches a month. In between banquets I’m doing a 5 day a week commentary on 300 stations & a twice a week newspaper column. It really isn’t too awful though. We have a beautiful ranch up the coast & manage to get their (sic) fairly often - sometimes for just an overnight or two - now & then for several days, We ride horses, do chores and forget about banquets. I was filled with memories a couple of months ago. The circuit took me to Iowa but not Des Moines. For a few days my name was again “Dutch”. Nancy sends her best & we both hope you have a happy year Ahead. - Love - (Signed) Dutch”.
Mrs. Peter MacArthur was Lydia Hupfer "Hup'' McArthur ( 1893-1995), widow of the man who had given Reagan his first job after college. Peter MacArthur was the program director at radio station WOC in Davenport, Iowa, which shared its frequency with WHO Des Moines.

In 1932, MacArthur gave 21-year-old recent Eureka College grad Ronald ''Dutch" Reagan a sports announcer's job at WOC. In 1937, sportscaster Reagan went to the Chicago Cubs spring training camp in southern California to do play-by-play for WHO Des Moines. Impressed by his confidence and good looks, an agent arranged a screen test for the 26-year-old sports announcer at Warner Bros. Reagan signed a seven-year contract and moved to California. But he never forgot Pete and Hup MacArthur whom he affectionately called "Ma" and "Pa" ("Maw & Paw," "Mom & Pop"). He sent Christmas cards and letters to them on a regular basis from 1938 until 1948 when Pete died, continuing to correspond with Hup until she died in 1995 at IO l.