Jacobs, Harriet Brent. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Jacobs, Harriet Brent. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Jacobs, Harriet Brent

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Description

Handwritten letter from Harriet Brent Jacobs to Amy Kirby Post, n.d. Jacobs writes to Post about recent events.

Subject

Post, Amy Kirby, b. 1802

Is Part Of

Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Rights

The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Identifier

82

Location

Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Transcription

(Page 1)

               27
            Idlewild December
My Dear Friend
            It has been a long
time since I have recieved [sic] a line
for you, and I cannot tell you
how often I have promised
not to close my eyes until I
had scratched you a few lines.
but Dear Amy. Alas, for hu
man frailties, and resolutions.
my only plea is that you must
wait until I can get you up
in some little corner and give
my explanations as only Woman
can. and then you will know
that it was not for the want
of love to you that I did not
reach Rochester. I am again
at Idlewild I feel that my
general health is better but
I still suffer very much from
my left side I expect to go
to the City in the early part

(Page 2)

of next week to see my
Old Physician and I have writ
ten to ask you if Mr. Willetts
family lived in the City of
New York and if you knew
their number num and street
would you be so kind as to
send me a line by the return
Mail and let me know you
will very much oblige Louisa
has some business in the city
to attend to for me which
cannot weell [sic] be done unless
she was in some quiet place
and I thought I would try to
get her in Mr Willetts family
if it was convenient and agree
able and when I return from
the city I will tell you all
that I have done for myself
during the past six months
my Dear Friend I begin to
want courage my strongest
Motto seems to fail me some
times Louisa went to the
City with Mrs Willis this

(Page 3)

morning to hear Grisi and
Mario I hope you may hear
them for Mrs W is perfectly Charm
ed with their Operas I shall
miss Louisa very much when
she leaves for she has been with
me so long and I have felt
so anxious about my Son and
Brother not hearing anything
from them it makes me feel that
she is all that is left to me in
this World remember me kindly
to that good man Mr. Post and
Dear little Willie and all my good
friends wishing them a happy
New Year and the same to you
Dear Amy with many happy ^returns^
I wish we were both at the Boston
Bazar with busy hands doing
much good you must excuse
this poor letter my time is
limited in sending it to the
Mail so good bye and
may Gods best blessing attend
you and Yours is the prayer of
your sincere friend Harriet

Annotations

Harriet Brent Jacobs, a former slave and abolitionist, is writing from Cornwall, New York to Amy Post, a close friend and benefactor. Jacobs was living in the Idlewild estate of her employer, Cornelia Grinnell Willis and Nathaniel Parker Willis. The Willis's had paid for Jacobs's freedom from slavery. George Willetts is Post’s cousin and neighbor. Willie was Post's youngest son.

Tags

Family; Medicine

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Jacobs, Harriet Brent, “Jacobs, Harriet Brent. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2383.

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