Willets, Hannah. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Willets, Hannah. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Willets, Hannah

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1826-01-15

Description

Handwritten letter from Hannah Willets to Amy Kirby Post, January 15, 1826.

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

438

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

                                      Skaneateles 1^st mo 15^th 1826
          My dear friend
                             Pardon dearest Amy the long
silence of thy Hannah, attribute it not to forgetfulness
nor think thou art less the object of my thoughts than
if I often wrote thee, but thou knows we sometimes
let little things hinder us from performing even a
seeming duty and we put off till [sic] a more conven-
ient season that which ought to be done to day –
   Since my return from New York I have staid [sic] mostly
at home and have felt lonely indeed. my precious
brother I miss more than ever. my sweet counsellor
and friend, he who used to participate in all my
joys and sorrows is forever gone, and I am some
times ready to say “Now on this world’s bleak waste
I stand alone” but this I know is not right for I have
dear Parents who do all in their power to make me
happy and I feel that I dearly love them kind broth
ers and friends all around me but still their [sic] is
a void, a vacant seat that no one fills, Oh how ardent
ly have I wished for thy society. yes now while
I am sitting entirely alone of thou wast here how
much more freely I could converse with thee than
it is proper for me to write, but resignation will
perform what our wishes never will, --- There
has been an uncommon number of deaths within
a few months amongst the young people particu
larly, dear Eliza Frost wife of Aaron has paid the
debt of nature, Abby Gould formerly Gifford is fast
hastening to the tomb, John Merrett has a daughter
who a few weeks since bloomed as the rose that
is now rapidly wearing away with the consumption
and many others that I could mention are declin
ing with that complaint. I have heard it

(Page 2)

mentioned that there never was such a time
known before ---
   19^th the arrival of company obliged me to lay
aside my pen and now I have resumed it I
will tell thee who they were, George Hatton from
Indiana with his companion, and Joseph Otis of
[Deruyter?], they staid [sic] with us several days, G Hatton
is really a powerful preacher, and in conversation
very agreeable, always cheerful and sometimes lively,
he appointed several meetings amongst us and we
thought him very much favored, but there are some
friends here that cannot bear to here [sic] much said
against [obliterated] priests and such were not pleased with
him ----                                    mother has just
returned from Scipio, saw thy sister, she was a little
complaining with a cold and is troubled some with
the rheumatism her little Edmund has been quite
sick but is now better the rest were all well. Anna
Searing has lost her babe, he was a fine child she
feels her loss very sensibly, -----
     Adam Cory has just left here for Canada has a long
journey before him expects to be gone two or three
months, he was at our meeting a few weeks ago,
and had a great deal to say, spoke rather prophet
ically to one individual said there was no
time to spare for the day of judgment was at
hand. Richard Tallcot took it to himself, and
has attended meetings very steadily twice a
week ever since when before he hardly came once
a month. I conclude his path will be a rough one
for his wife thou well knows is fond of gaiety
and splendour, I understand she is opposed to his
coming to meetings and she does not keep her
feelings concealed as much as she ought ---

(Page 3)

brother is waiting to take this letter to the village,
therefore I have not time to write much more
Spring is approaching, and I look forward to that
period with the anticipation of again seeing thee
yes dear Amy with pleasure we shall greet thee a
welcome visitor to this Western Land yet there must
be a sorrow mingled with that pleasure when we recol
lect what our prospects once were, -----              there
has been many alterations here since thou wast
here. our village is increasing in size very fast and
looks very pleasant. brother Jacob is at present
a resident there but he has a prospect of going
on a farm, he lately purchased one near us he has
sold his store and goods. Levi Lundy of Junius is
the purchaser, –---- I must now conclude
but in looking over my letter find it an un con
nected scrawl. I have been obliged frequently to
leave it having many things to attend to. [illegible] write
often I can make the same request that thou did
that is thou will not wait for private conveyance
at this season of the year we have but few opportu
nities to send letters to our friends and unless
we send by mail we should not often hear from
each other,   mother wishes her love enclosed and
rest assured that mine is always flowing in a
secret channel towards the [sic].
                             affectionately H Willets
PS Please remember me to your family I feel
that I love them all ---

(Page 4)

[Text in center of page, written upwards]

                             18¾
Amy Kirby
          Locust Grove
                   Long Island

Tags

Family; Personal; Quakers

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Willets, Hannah, “Willets, Hannah. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 22, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2736.

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