‘Yes, Virginia' letter especially meaningful

To the editor: On Friday, Dec. 21, 2007, The Courier on Page 13 reprinted the story of 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon and her letter to the editor of The New York Sun in 1897 asking if there was a Santa Claus. I was so pleased you printed the letter along with pictures of the reply’s author, Francis Church, and Virginia herself and a short biography of each. My personal interest lies in the fact that my great-grandfather, Edward Page Mitchell, was the editor of The New York Sun to whom Virginia addressed her letter. He was with The Sun from 1875 to 1927 and Editor-In-Chief for many years. Upon receiving Virginia’s letter and realizing the significance, he gave it to one of his top editorial writers, Francis Church, with instructions to reply to Virginia and his reply would be run as an editorial. Church’s reply, as you clearly recount, became world famous and is reprinted each year all over the world. It is a beautiful, stirring piece of English literature to which I and my family are fortunate to be remotely connected. Thank you for reprinting the letter and for including information about Mr. Church and Virginia which many newspapers omit. Alan Mitchell Potter Hamburg, N.J.