Transcription
My Dear Friends
your long and anxiously looked for
letter arrived in about 3 weeks from the time it was dated and
I can assure ^you^ it ^was^ greeted with cordial reception _ in haste did I undo
the seal _ that I might learn from its contents, the history of my much
loved friends _ who are near to my best feelings _ yes; your very
particular letter _ giving so many vlittle accounts that I was desirous
of hearing _ as I read line after line _ it seemed almost like seeing
you _ and could you have known _ how many days I was with
you _ at your home on Sophia Street after the perrusal [sic] of those
lines you would not have let your silence continud [sic] from
month to month _ and I now feel it right to thank thee Isaac
very kindly ^for^ volunteering to write, and arousing Amy and Sarah
to a sense of this duty _ and should have acknowledge it soon
er had I not been a little suspicious of their indolence ^in^ replying
we were much shocked to hear that thy sister Phebe was gone
we felt much sympathy for you all _ more particularly Catharine
she must have left an acheing [sic] void with her _ her health so
delicate _ so much her companion as well as mother _ and very
few blessed with such a mother _ I did think her a very affection
ate lovely woman _ and why is it sure enough that she must be
taken in the prime of usefulness _ and she looked so healthy when
she was up last summer _ ithow gratifying it must have been to think
you went down and made so good a visit _ how did the rest of
your Long Island friends get along _ ? we have not heard _ they
doubtless recovered or we should have heard some way _ should like
to hear how Edmunds wife is. poor girl I understand has been very
sick this winter _ today is the day for Canada friends to be
at Rochester _ should like to know if they had an interesting Meeting
and if Lewis preached _ when I think of ^him^ sitting up their [sic] entirely alone
preaching to that handful of Orthodox it surprises ^me^ to think
of his courage _ and what can his object be _ where is the use
in preaching without it is going to benefit some one instead of that
it only sours and stirs them up it appears to me to give them a most
“tremendous letting alone” would be the best way _ Griffiths
cause seem the best to he will excite for the most
[Continues on page 2 with line beginning “sympathy _ his leaving”]
[Text in left margin, written upward]
Emeline desires her love to you all
we have been staying with John and E untill [sic] we could have
an addition put on one house _ which was only one log
(Page 2)
sympathy _ his leaving his seat in the way he did _ and the
manner he conducted will gain him m^an^y more friends than
the opposite course _ and do more for the cause of humanity.
but we do not hear of his resigned _ though we did hear that Eloise
had resigned _ Sarah dont thee want me to come and go to
yearly Meeting with thee next week _ I should like to meet
with some of the good friends there_ but perhaps they have
disowned us by this time _ it was said Clarks Frost made
a proposition in the Monthly Mg to disown all that had gone
West as there was no meeting near, and they had lost all regard
for society _ that part is true we should be ashamed to confess any
thing to the contrary in the present state of things _ they are perfectly
welcome to disowned us it would not affect our feelings in the least
we never enjoyed ourselves better on first days than now do
or any other day on account of Meeting _ happiness does not consist in
going and sitting on those old dry benches still for ^an^ hour why
Amy when I get to thinking how many hours we have spent in
that foolish ridiculous way _ it causes a regret in my mind that
we could not have seen different before _ there are too many
claims on our time and attention _ thee asked me what thee should
do with my part of the cushion it was only about 50 cents. but small
as it is I should ^like^ for it to go to the Antislavery society _ if you are
willing _ every little helps _ how does your society get along _ do you
meet often _ and in what way _ did you write to England and
have you received an answer _ I feel a deep interest in your
movements _ and do wish you ^may have^good success in your undertaking
for it is an ardous one. and there ought to ^be^ something gained
then you will feel paid for your labours _ I am often with
you in your little gatherings and sometimes feel as though
I must assist you _ I did think at one time I would endeav
_our to ascertain your sewing day and do someing [sic] for you
each day _ but Brother Charley came and brought all his Ch
children for me to take care of this summer _ my time
will be quite occupied with the little things _ the youngest
requires much attention I would cordially invite you to bundle
up your goods & chattles and some with your sewing to our cotta
_ge if it would do any good _ we have just commenced house
keeping _ have been busily engaged putting down carpets today
(Page 3)
room we have added one room bed room and pantry all
good sized rooms _ we have two rooms rather larger than
fathers parlour _ you see how well it might entertain you
if you would come _ the rooms Andrew Underhill and his
wife made us a visit since they arrived said they staid [sic]
at Charles Frosts all night _ his cousin Henry took ^them^ there
they seem like agreeable people, but proslavery enough _ I
inquired about Rachel Barker _ he spoke freely about her ha
ving such a hard time to get a full certificate to go to
New Orleans _ made some free remarks about her _ and yet agr
eed with her in the course she took in regard to Antislavery
temperance &c we had a long talk on the subject he said
he should know I was from Gennesee [sic] _ he was afraid I was
too strong and many other things _ I told him he would not
be if It was to assist in getting a daughter of his out of bondage
we wound up the conversation by my offering him Douglass nar
ative [sic] _ he did not incline to take it Amy then asked me if
we had seen some things from the pen of Douglas we have
seen all that was in the Liberators _ and how interesting
his letters and speeches are _ his reply to the speech at [obliterated]
fast breakfast _ accompanying the golden gift how impressive
and beautiful he turned it in so humble an manner
how changed my circumstances he sais [sic] not long ago was
scraping old leaves out of the gutter _ now here I have it
came to ^me^ dressed in polished gold, _oh! he is truly a won
derful man of the age _ the Liberators do not come very
regular lately _ we do miss them so _ the neighbours are
very anxious to get hold of them _ two or 3 in particular
it is quite an Antislavery town _ there is one young man
here that studied law with James G Birney he lecture
once a month _ liberty party _ he is smart and I had rather
hear him than no one _ but their meetings are spent in
political disscussion [sic] _ there is one very inteligent [sic] woman
near us _ that suits me she is so feeling _ she sais [sic] the though [sic]
of the slave troubled here so last winter that she had
a strong nothing of going from house to house and
talking to ^the^ peo0ple on the subject _ she read all the An
tislavery works I Have _ do you hear from Joseph
Drigdale _ did his little book come out _ green plain
how we want to see it _ do write where he is _
(Page 4)
remember me affectionatly [sic] to Mary and tell her I often
think of her when I walk out in ^the^ woods they are beautiful
now such a variety of flowers _ two or 3 kinds grow wild
that are cultivated in the Rochester gardens _ the wild
lovely slipper is the handsomest flower I ever saw growing
the woods scenery here surpasses anything I had ever
seen before _ they look like some old orchard covered
with flowers _ so perfectly sweet and clean _ please
excuse all deformity and answer this soon and
Isaac do write again and give them a start _ I remain
your sincere friend Joel Joins in much love to all
Ann Pound
[Text in center of page, written upward]
Isaac Post
Rochester
Monroe County
Pr G. Fountain} N.Y
[Text halfway down page on right side, written downward]
Sylvester White it appears has gone to rest
at last after so much suffering _ do go and
see father & mother often _ it is pleasant to
hear up there _ I will endeavour to pay somthng [sic]
for the Liberator soon _ tell Henry Bush
I dont know how to [obliterated]ake cheese but will send
you some pop corn [obliterated] something in my line
[Text at bottom of page, written upside down]
Sarah my dear girl how does thee enjoy thyself does thee
go any where oh! how I wish thee could come in here and
tell me all about it _ if we could only have an occason
al [sic] chat all of us to gether how pleasant it would be _ I
am happy this summer but your society is such a miss
though I must be content _ did you know though how much
good a letter would do me _ you would answer this soon
this is to go by Charles Fountain of Mendon who is here
looking land _ he is to go tomorrow morning it is now
12 oclock and all are asleep in the house save myself
did Abagail Bush have Joel’s likeness it was so good
a one I wanted it kept no one has ever told me her
how her baby was or any ^thing^ about it whether it lived _ please
give my love to her and all my antislavery friends with
whom you often meet
Location
Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester