Post, Mary Robbins. Letter to Isaac Post.

Title

Post, Mary Robbins. Letter to Isaac Post.

Creator

Post, Mary Robbins

Contributor

Post, Isaac, 1798-1872

Date

1849-04-21

Description

Handwritten letter from Mary Robbins Post to Isaac Post, n.d. Mary writes of the deaths of some members of the Westbury meeting and the spiritualist response, of her temperance meeting, and of friction between spiritualists and doctors.

Subject

Spiritualism

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

189

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

Westbury 4/21^st

Dear Brother & Sister
Joseph has just
asked me to leave my work which was
sweeping the yard if I wished to say
a word to you but it must necessarily
be only a brief one as it is so near
time to go in the office We ^are^ having
a very busy time our wall fell in
the west part of the house so that we had
to take it all down over head down stairs
and some above and it has made us
any amount of work have got nearly
through cleaning it but cannot get in
order for some days to come If getting
discouraged with an accumulation of
care's and necessary work would do any good
I really think I should try it awhile but
on looking aorund I see many I would
not change places with do I buckle on my
armor of persistent endeavor and find a way
somehow We have very changeable weather
some days cold as winter then warm and spring

(Page 2)

like is is so today so that winter clothing
feels too warm you have doubtless heard
of Daniel Willets loosing [sic] his house by fire a
week ago today one at Roslyn since and
Samuel Willis, North Side a little before
^some^ others have suffered in the same way so
that it was been uncommon for the country
many individuals have passed on to a
higher state so that change has been ins
-cribed on the perishable things of earth
E Hicks's death was a sore trial to the
family but I have lately heard Sarah and
James and the word was all of them were
Spiritualsts which is one of the very unloo
ked for things that any of Robert Hicks &
children should change from the beaten
pathway I had a letter from Cynthia some
time ago and she told us the Dr and many
others had become interested in a trance
speaker who had visited their place she
exceeded any thing they had ever heard
her discources [sic] were admirable and they
wanted to hear and read more on the
subject we have a day or two since got ano^ther^

(Page 3)

letter they have all been sick and their younger
died they had counted more on him as his
constitution seemed very good she was quite
poorly with neuralgia and her lung diffcul^tis^ [sic]
she wrote as though her health was very
poor and probably might not remain here a
great while but then all things looked bad to
her in her bereavement Rachel and J Plummer
have each got minutes to attend Phi^la^ Y M
next week is the Quarterly M here do not hear
of any strangers Richard Underhill Thomas s
son and William ^s^ daughter Mary s proposals
were read in the M M I really dont know
how she can be spared from home William
is so much poorly but it is not right to
make that a sufficient reason allways [sic]
to remain there Matilda is pretty
smart I have not seen her in sometime
now she is requently at meeting Many
Seaman is trying the mode of treatment
on others E Mott for one and we hear they
think beneficially it will be a fine thing
if from being an invalid she should be able
to cure others of their infirmities Dr Ingorsoll
is very popular with some here away and esp

(Page 4)

ecially as he is so much opposed to spiritualis [sic]
Those who go to Dr Hussey loose [sic] cast but some
of us are so hardened by the constant friction
of opposition that it loses its effect on us
Shall we see any of you at the annual meeting
which is approaching to cheer and be cheered
by looking in one anothers faces and catch
ing inspiration therefrom be enabled to
battle for the right in the coming time
What think you of SS Fosters letters and
his course he shows he is nettled by his
position I hope we may have a good
meeting and that no influence may
mar the good which ought to flow from
it Tomorrow we hold our little tempera
-nce meeting at the school house it
causes talk and we hope some good
may result from it we want a good lecture
vry [sic] much have not got any yet we can
only talk and read essays some have been
very good and almost persuaded some
who do not sign to do so - It is a small
affair yet but quite great effects sometimes
follow insignificant causes so we labor and
wait in hope We are as usual as to health
Mother is pretty smart just now but father is
quite complaining with love to all branches
of your family as it rained I am as ever ^your sister^ Mary

Tags

Family; Quakers; Spiritualism; Temperance Movement

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Post, Mary Robbins, “Post, Mary Robbins. Letter to Isaac Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2490.

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