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 of her visit with fellow abolitionist, William Cooper Nell and her recent illness.

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

88

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

Cornwall July 31

My Dear Friend

I should have written you
before this but I have been
very ill and am still a close
prisoner to the house doubtless
you heard of Mr Nells visit it
was very pleasant to Louisa
and myself to have an old
friend drop in upon us I was
feling [sic] very miserable at the
time but tried to keep up the
day he left I went to bed in
the evening and did not leave
my room for three weeks and
since I have not been able to
resume my duties the Doctor
says that I must give up
five months and he can
cure he insist on my going
Eest [sic] he says that I need the
salt air the trouble dear
Amy is with my womb

(Page 2)

I cannot tell you how
much I have suffered during
my illness Louisa tried
to fill my place and with
the extra care of me she
got entirely run down she
is not strong at any time
Mrs Willis is so anxious to
have Louisa stay with
her during my absence
that I have consented to
let her remain on condi
tion that she should first
go to Boston and get a lit
tle strength and rest she
is now in Boston I expect
to go there for a month
when she returns next
week I will write you
from there you must
write direct in care of
W C Nell
I want to see you very
much I hope to before the
Winter sets in if my health
will permit I have not
done much the last two

(Page 3)

months not the scratch of
a pen when William was
here [obliterated] expected to be in
Rochester before him I dread
the route to Boston I hope
I may derive benefit from
it for I am a useless commo
dity here we have had
much sickness in the
house this summer
I hope my dear friend you
and yours are well during
this sickly season
dear Amy I could but
laugh today in reading
Mrs Stowes new book page
319 her account of Miss Greenfield
believe me my friend I would
not have you Mrs Stowe nor
the Great Lady either oh no
nothing but Amy Post with
her Broad mind and whole
soul it is God Like while you
are benifit [sic] Mankink [sic] your many
acts and good deeds are record
ed before him who remember
ed Cornelius Alms and prayers

(Page 4)

please give my love to
all the dear ones at home
and friends
                        Yours ever
                                    Harriet

Remember me kindly to Mr
Robinson I often think of ^his^ kind
ness and hope some day to
tell him how gratefully
I thank him and how thank
ful I shall be to have his
approval of my poor efforts
                        [illegible]

Annotations

Harriet Brent Jacobs, a former slave and abolitionist, is writing from Cornwall, New York to Amy Post, a close friend and benefactor. William Cooper Nell was a former slave and abolitionist. Louisa was Jacobs's daughter. Cornelia Grinnell Willis and her husband, Nathaniel Parker Willis paid for Jacobs's freedom from slavery and employer her for a period. Abolitionist and author, Harriet Beecher Stowe's new book includes a slave account from Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, who would go on to become a famous singer called “the Black Swan.” Cornelius alms refer to a Biblical chapter and verse Acts 10:1-2. Mr. John E. Robinson, a clerk from Rhode Island, became involved with the Posts and their conversion to Spiritualism in 1848. Spiritualists believed that through mediums they could communicate with the dead.

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/2389.

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