Kirby, Mary R. Letter to Hannah Kirby Post.

Title

Kirby, Mary R. Letter to Hannah Kirby Post.

Creator

Kirby, Mary R

Contributor

Hannah Kirby Post

Date

1823-12-14

Description

Handwritten letter from Mary R Kirby to Hannah Kirby Post, December 14, 1823.

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

410

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

My dear Hannah It is now 5 weeks since our reception of your last letters by Lewis Vallin
& and Amy.
the time seems long, but we have all been ^favored^ with health generally, my dear J K has had a
fall he was makin [sic] garden fence by the pond stept [sic] on the old quince tree stump & it brook [sic]
he fell by his side on the [illegible] parts, at first he thought his ribs were cract [sic], but now he
don’t, has been been inwardly sore hurt him to fech [sic] a long breath, for some days, he has not
kept house, one day intirely [sic] for it is now comfortable. we went last evening to see
Samuel Jones, he had a fall out of his waggon [sic] house chamber, a week ago fell on the
waggon [sic] side he thought his ribs were injured but the doctor did not, he took some blood
from him, he is now pretty smart [guess?],laying on his settee, and walks out doors too.
Cousin Elias Hicks returned from his northern journey about 33 weeks ago, we here [sic] that he
made a very satisfactory visit to friends and others, altho [sic] report had gone before him
that he was a deist, but when they herd [sic] him they said he was no deist, he was com
plaining while he was out, but maid [sic] out about a meeting a day; he has been
[bravely?] since at home, attend’g [sic] our meetings, perhaps this will carry the first informati [sic]
of Townsends and Amys information intention being made publick which was last 5 day
Amy with John & Mary W.W spent the evening with us after its publicity, Amy
said she had felt as tho she could not move in it, without, my Amy but after, Lewis Vall
retuned she found it must be given up, their [sic] is another great secret come to light
that is to many, and if I had known it ^sooner^ I should mentioned to you, Samuel Underhill
has requested a marriage certificate to N.Y sup^p^ose we shall shortly have Mary Und
erhill for a Neice [sic] insted [sic] of Mary Willets, I feel sorry when I rite [sic] you mistakes
I had told you of P Hevelands spending the winter a [sic]Jericho, she now removed
and settled in N York in Vandewater St. and has requested our certificate.
it did affect my mind at the time to see how we were parting with our young
women one after another, and what will come next I don’t know no doubt
u [sic] are apprised of your Jacob Willets visits at [Groten?] a young woman by name of
Underhill. Amy Willis says she is coars [sic] and homely but a sensible [sic] girl,
we have another report amongst us, that I presume its true, that has indeed claim^d^
my sympathy, the English friend has returned to N York to spend the winter
finds herself in tryed [sic] situation stays at Isaac Wrights & expects to be confined
in the course of Winter, dear stranger how I pitty [sic] her. [Obliterated]
[Obliterated] – we have been quiltin [sic] for Aunt Jane to give to the
poor but she did not tell for who, we had considerable help & got it off in one day, Aunt
Jane, Ant [sic] Anna Ana W. Jesica [sic] Jackson. Esther Shearman, Phebe Whitson, &
Edmund Post and Catherine came just before we finisht [sic], and spent the evening
then to Henrys and staid [sic] 2 nights, Isaac & Lydia Rushmore was their (sic) to at the same
time, one week ago, Caty said Edmund had wrote to Isac [sic] that he thought his car
=go to [sic] heavy to bring by land, at hearing this my feelings were shocked, & thought
their [sic] is no way posibel [sic] for Amy’s return this winter, which we had been anticipate
=on with pleasure, due [sic] guard her well on every side, remind Isaac of my injunction
on him, not only a brothers, but a fathers care, of her Oh dear Amy how often after I
lay my head on my ^pillow^ at night, do I pay the [sic] a visit in thy loanly [sic] Northeast corner bed
room, were [sic] I fancy thou art laying alone & some times watering thy pillow with
tears of affection for us, I am anxious to have a particular letter from thee, when this is
received, due [sic] write by post fail not to write once a month that is the extent of time
I feel comfortable, --- It is now the 28 of 12 1823 we received letters by Obediah Willets the 15of
the month felt sorry to hear Hannah lameness thou art better now, I do very often think
of thee and feel much tenderness & sympathy with the [sic] to be deprived of thy Sister and thy
J P both at a time, and it must be expected coald [sic] wether [sic] too I want the [sic] to sleep by the fire
during Isaac absence, I had calculated to visit Obediah ameadeately [sic] after his return, but
but a little indisposion [sic] has prevented us. I think my indisposition has been similar to that
I had last spring a year, only not as severe the pain not so hard, you remember the loss
of a little blood then releived [sic] me, we now sent for Carle but when he came I had got
in a perspiration, he with, my own judgment thought best to leave it till morning
and then I felt pretty much releived, [sic] except my side, which has been but poorly
Dct. W Seaman has appeared quite interested for me, called of his one [sic] accord several times which
I took very kind, but he said we must not expect much of him, Carle has not been
neaded [sic] but the one time, and I am now comfortable about house again William
is yet at home very attentive to his studies, & expects to remain at home the winter
[Page 2]

their [sic] has been several complaining similar to my self only more. Abigale Hicks in the first
place you know that they keep house their [sic] ^a^ great while after being poorly. Abigale has not
been out at meeting for 2 months, altho [sic] she is all about house attending to family affairs
Ana W W too of the same complaint, but was brave by last evening. Vallintines girls
all appeard [sic] at Meeting last 5 day with their new camblet [sic] mantels on, I heard they cost
very large, and down headed as though they felt abashed, Lydia Seaman has one like
Amy Kirby, wether [sic] coats is going out of fasion [sic] or what it is for I cant [sic] tell. Lydia staid [sic] in
N. York with Phebe four weeks, has now got home, and expects to go down down or I here
she has an ivatation [sic] to wedding, Samuel Underhill has been in the way of going down
to market once a week with sheep and other things, and that is means it has been kept
so very still, I expect they are sorry. Mary has had a certificate to N. York. the wether [sic]
was coald [sic] when Obediah got home and the ground coverd [sic]with snow and good sleighing
I here [sic] that he staid [sic] 2 nights at his Uncel [sic] Samuel Seamans, and their [sic] he fixed a crate
on some runners, and came home in it, he said he was [look?] at in New York very much
and no doubt in other places too,-- Cousin Elias informd [sic] our last monthly meeting he
felt his mind drawn, to have meetings around ^in^ our bourders [sic] hempsted harbour Comneck great
neck herrix hempstead rockaway and sundery [sic] other places and today at Jerusalem
& tonight home, he has been out 10 days Samuel Willis & David Ketcham jun has visited on
the week past, my brother David and Henry Willis two or three day [sic] the week before
Words aligned vertically on the left side of Page 2
we have been very choice of our scrap & and felt much oblige [sic] to Amy for the information, we here [sic]
nothing late of P [Hurst?] when she will reach our [borders?] don’t hear, Phebe I think I hinted something of the concern that Phebe Johnson gave friends at New Bedford & that Ana Mott was to right [sic] to her, & Ana soon recei
ved answer from her stating that she did not know when she should return, well after this was received
N.Y mo meeting wrote on to N Bedford to deal with her in a tender manner, as she expresst [sic] no desire of return
-in. however it is conjectured she got the decion [sic] of N.Y meet., she adendid [sic] meeting on first, and had a grea^t^
to say, went home, pact [sic] up and said she felt now easy to come amendiately (sic) to N.Y which she did, &
two weeks ago today, she attended Mg, in NY went in & took her seat by the stove, at length she stept [sic]
up in the gallery & said considerably, said she was scensable [sic] she should be persecuted, and that bonds
and afflictions awaited her, but that their [sic] was a way that the vultures eye had not seen, nor the lofty
[Lion’s?] whelp had not trod, soon some said the words were very good, others said she was wild
Words aligned horizontally in the middle of Page 2
If Isaac can get some Hethhen [sic]
birds to bring down they may ans
wer well they have sold for
3 dollars a piece

Address aligned vertically in the middle of Page 2
Jericho                                  18
Dec 30^th
           Isaac Post
[Illegible]     Poplar ridge
               Cauga [sic] County
Words aligned vertically on the right side of Page 2
My J K sais [sic] that he has been so busy he has not had time to think about you lately & that he don’t
expect to write to Amy any more for she must come home he is impatient, but desires to be remembered
affectionately to you all with which I can feeling subscribe to you our dear children, with our
precious little Mary who cant [sic] know that we love her, daily. I believe of a truth, we can say
we feel a flow of pure love to our esteemed Cousins [Louise?] & ([illegible], Aunt Anna & Jane at Meet [meeting?]
today, in usual health, which is generally the case with our friends, I here [sic] today that Elizabeth
Hick is poorly with much the same complaint I have had, but I presume rather more poorly than
my self, my side is now perty [sic] well, our Boys expect to cart wood one day more and then go to
school, the large boys has mostly got in before them. after Lydia left her school, Marget [sic] Shear-
man opened one in Royals Kitchen and ^has^ 15 scholars & expects 3 or 4 more. I feel glad she has
got in the business, they are not friends’ children, so that it does not affect Benjamin
the snow all gone off and the wether [sic] very warm, the traveling like spring today, but 3 or 4 days past
the it has been hard frozen, but there may come snow enough for Amy yet    Mary Kirby

Tags

Family; Medicine; Quakers

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Kirby, Mary R, “Kirby, Mary R. Letter to Hannah Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2708.

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