Willis, Mary W Kirby. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Willis, Mary W Kirby. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Willis, Mary W Kirby

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

[184- ?]

Description

Handwritten letter from Mary W Kirby Willis to Amy Kirby Post, 184-?

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

537

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

[Added text in far left margin running upward, and three lines in top margin running normal, are continuations to page 4 and are transcribed at the end of page 4.]

Dear sister,                                                                      5^th of 1^st M^o
                   Little did I think it would have been so long a
time without writing to my sisters Amy and Sarah as I know
not which to direct this too [sic] but as I am in debt to Amy
it may be best to pay off old debts first. It is very cold weath[er]
the Mercury is down to Zero. Some snow and ice that we ride
in Sleys [sic] yet and sister Elizabeth has a son 4 days old (I heard
to day) is pretty comfortable but wanted Mother to go and
stay with her [wh] is yet there. I hope to hear more particular
before closing this letter. Rachel Hicks and Maria F........ has
been to Jericho making social visits among us and appoint
ing meetings she appointed one for coulored [sic] people at our
M.g. house a snow storm prevented her attendance and
uncle David and Robert officiated, a day or two after
she proposed a meeting at Cold Spring, a violent Snow
storm again come and prevented her attending that. Sam
uel J Underhill set out to go and inform them, got fast in a
drift and that was the end of his journey. Rachel was here
at the time said she felt comfortable and that she had heard
of the will being taken for the deed. uncle Gilbert [L-----?]
uncle Sammy P. wife and sister eight or nine others were
here on that day uncle James Post among the rest and
it appear’d to be the prevailing sense of the assemblage, that
the design would not be answerd [sic] if they attempted to go, for
the people could not get there. Adon Seaman opend [sic]
to our last M.o Meeting a concern that had for years been upon

(Page 2)

his mind to pay a religious visit to friends to the north and west
and he now ask’d a minute for a part only, to appoint and atten[d?]
some meetings in Stanford Quarter. the subject claimed the
attention and unity of men friends, when it came to the
female department it seemed more difficult. no one
expressd [sic] encouragement, and but few a willingness to
even set him at liberty. just a month previous Rachel
was there and requested the shutters lowered that we might sit
together, expressed to us that the same subject that impressed
her mind ^at^ quarterly meeting, yet remained with her &c
“That ^the^ powers that be are ordained of God.” &c after
she got through [Ardon?] step’d up and spoke communi
cated a little in the course of which he alluded to
the forgoing [sic] testimony and said he did not unite with
the language &c    some consider it disorderly in Ard-
=on. and thus we move one thing occurring after another
for us to converse upon, I thought after the marriages
and weddings had pass and gay carpets had passed by
their [sic] might be possiby [sic] a time of rest. Edmund P. gave
you the particulars of the marriages, weddings, and
the offering that was made [here in the] to the groom in the
evening by Gertrude, it seem’d innocent and solemn
at the time, but as it is spoken of now it would
appear just the reverse. I was very much in hopes
that you would have come at that time, yet at the time
I wrote to thee we did not calculate upon the brothren
and sisters, but the scale turned and some where [sic: were?] here
and I have a cake reserved for you but it is on the
decrease I fear that it will not last untill [sic] you come.
          Do you take the nonresistant? we are cautioned
against it, not be able to see the impropriety [of] there of
we continue to take and read it: and I consider much

(Page 3)

of the contents valuable, we had the perusal of thy letter
to mother, has thee heard how th [sic] Lady liked thy books
I wished thee had Elias letters to offer her they are so good
          I must just tell you of a sick woman over to
Hempstead who has been sick a long time and under
the Drs direction getting discouraged, her husband a young
man came to see me and to hear what I might say of
the Hygean [sic] Medicines, after conversing awhile with him
I thought I could reccommend [sic] them and gave him some
to commence upon, she took them about a week and sent
for me, I accordingly comply’d [sic] although an entire stran
=ger found her Dr with her, I thought her a pretty looking
sweet young person a stranger in the place had lately
married and commenced housekeeping their, [sic] however
the Dr and I had nothing to do with each other. she laid
aside her calomel and all his medicine even the removal
of a seton from her neck, I have been again to see her
and thought her a little improved began to sit up to [obliterated]
her bed [obliterated] which she had not for six weeks been [obliterated]
and in delicate health for years, she is a New England[er?]
and her mother can not be with having another daughter
sick at home. Rachel is to Westbury and Edward to Jericho
this eve a visiting with his wife to Valentines. I do
not know what course will be taken for Edward and
E yet but think they will remain with us at present.
but I dread that of Mother inlaw. Mary U Hicks said she
could live with a son in law, but a daughter in law she could
not think off. [sic] first day James Cock was accidentally to our meeting
and said he had been comforted in sitting with us, this day, had much
to say, received a note from Rachel saying she had been to see
sister Elizabeth and that she is smart and met [there?] smiling
father has gone there to day in order to bring [mother?] Willet
and Matilda rode with us. we ask’d them to come home with us
W said no it wounderfull nice to home without the old folks once
and a while

(Page 4)

[Top Margin]

David Ketcham yet lives seems quiet and peaceable a great
favor. Esther Rushmore is to Westown shcool [sic], has been very
home sick indeed will be very glad when spring comes, been
there 9 weeks, enter’d for 6 Months, she says they are so very strict
and the governess so very cross, the sternest looking woman she
ever saw, scolds and frets all the time says they eat too much
molasses, that they have eat 130 gal already will not let them
even look sideways at the boys if they do thy are punished.
just recieved [sic] a letter from her my love to Mary, Jacob,
and Joseph, Edmund P and all as is named tell sister Sarah we
wonder she does not write M.W.W. –

[Text sideways, running upward]

Jericho NY.                              18³Jan 10^th
                   Amy Post
                             Rochester

To the care of        Monroe County
Isaac Post

[Bottom margin]

I have but very little time to write more as this letter
must go this afternoon I was sent ^for^ to go to Hempstead again
since writing the above they thought my patient was more
poorly a good deal. I thought her on the mend she seemed to
not know it (is near being confined too)* mother desires love to
you, lives by her self yet but is very dependant [sic] on us, wants to
be carried to Westbury to day cold and icy as it is. Edward dreads it
much.

[Additional closing comments are written on Page 1: upward in left margin and horizontally across top margin.]

(Page 1)

[Text sideways in left margin]

*I took my consulting physician with me (Abbe) she appear to think her in a good way.
I hope it may prove so.

[Text at top of page]

tell Isaac the time begins to feel long [over] that we have
not seen you and do write it is so desirable to get a letter
often   I felt pleased to hear from P Fish and [Esther?] in mothers
letter

Tags

Family; Medicine; Quakers

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Willis, Mary W Kirby, “Willis, Mary W Kirby. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 22, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2835.

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