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

539

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

                                                2^nd of 9^th Mo
Dear sisters
                   I have been tempted to write a few lines to
my sisters for sometime past but have reasoned upon it and put
it by remembering I was not in debt by any means, and had not
sister Sarah remembered ^me^ so affectionately in her letter to mother
I should have felt it best that my pen should lay undisturbed
having feared that I had wounded your feelings in some way
by my plain dealing, as I had not recieved [sic] a token of your love
or remembrance untill [sic] Abbe Hicks returned and told us how
affectionately you enquired after us and that you wanted to see us
and thought we might come &c sister Amy’s health was delicate
[&c] then gave her sentiment I think you might go. I said does
thee think so really, yes I do she said, I said to ^her^ that since
hearing her speak of you and by sister S. letter we have felt
considerable like it and talk’d of a day for starting, but mother
got poorly and the way closed up and remaind [sic] so, untill [sic] to
day we begin to talk a little more like it again. It has been
rumored both far and wide that we were a going ^to Rochester^ and the enquiry
almost daily is have you fixed on a day yet to start. I expect you
have heard ^of^ our prospect before this as there has been time for it to
be reported to Canada and back again, and that Phebe does not
expect us to visit her, I wonder what she might think if we
should disappoint her. I hear that she complains in her
letters of sister Sarahs inattention to her, fully expecting that
she would pay her some attention and respect. I heard to day
that Margaret expects to spend the Winter with her, which
greater astonished me as M had so lately told me that she could

(Page 2)

not go, and I then had a suspicion that there might be
a string to her beau, that might operate as an objection,
but I am very ignorant of their affairs so that nothing can
be reported from me. [but] but Charry is very sick and
has been for two months and they feel very anxious about
her, she is extreemly [sic] sick and exhausted by vomiting so much
and so long that she has lost her flesh very much, her mother
is with her, and I have not been in to see her for some time
but feel very much interested in her, and have [prescribed?]
and [urged?] her to take medicine. but it did not prevail, they
seemed so fearing alltogether, [sic] they have a regular D^ctr attending
at present. Martha S. left her paternal roof in a few days
after the wedding took place, as cheerful as could be expected
Rebecca said, tho [sic] not so stayed [sic] as Phebe was through all.
I went in to see Judith Fleet a few days ago, and while speak
ing of John daughters going so far away, and Rebeccas giving
them up so cheerfully &c. the old woman remarked that R’s
troubles had not commenced yet, and that if her daughters
should have children, then ^Rs^ anxiety and trouble commences
she is very far advanced in life you may recollect but many
of her remarks are pertinent, hard of hearing, and cannot take
one step, or lay down at night, but has occupied her armed
chair night and day for many months, she remembers and
enquires after you, and makes the same antique appear
ance as formerly when you saw her. Aunt Phebe Carpen
=ter is and has been up here since quarterly M.g. she appears to
enjoy visiting her friends very much seems to feel like going to
see all, she expressed a wish to go ^to^ Edward Robbins they seem to

(Page 3)

be nicely settled in their new house and having other necessary new
buildings around them, and their wood pile being very snug, and the
vegetable yard free from weeds, altogether gives it a comfortable
appearance, they [are] differ from ^their^ sister Mary in their enjoyments
I think, or circumstances may re^n^der it so, they have not as yet
manifested much of meeting characters. Rachel seems very open
and free of access, her aunt Hannah lives their [sic] what I imagine has
some attraction [to] ^with^ aunt Phebe. I wish you could see aunt P. she
is very thin in flesh, having been sick most of the winter, but
seems spry and comfortable ^now^ and very natural, just like herself,
speaks frequently of uncle Samuel with affection, but seems
ignorant of his affairs, having never pryed [sic] into them much. he
did leave something for her if she should need, but how it can be
obtained, or who is to be [jud[g]e?] of her necesities [sic] I do not know but I trust
their [sic] will be no difficulty about it, she does not appear to desire [obliterated]
our Farher seems smart for him this summer and keeps e[very?]
thing picked up around that is within his reach, the garden is
very nice, by his faithfulness and the pumpkin yard adjoin
ing, but other things ^are^ discouraging. Mother I think has been better
this summer than last; seems remarkably fortified thro [sic] all.
brother Edmund has been up some days and went to South and stayed
their [sic] and had things managed very different from common, &c
are your letters all common this had better not be. We have had
several fine showers, lately, Edward has been a few times to the
City with hay was down yesterday altho [sic] it was rainy with heavy
showers between here and the City, but he was so fortunate as to
miss them all having got his wagon unloaded just in time to miss
it while there, and it clear’d off in time for him to get home again by
[I] nine o Clock. we had fear’d that he had an unpleasant time, but not so.

(Page 4)

Anna Willis seems comfortable cousin Tommy thinks her mind is
sound except in her own state of health which she thinks is poor and
that she needs medicine. she does speak very sensibly and I hope
she has nearly recovered, she has been here and seemed very affectionate
spoke of her mother &c but my paper is so nearly filled, D^ct Earl* sais [sic],
“It is the belief of a large majority of physicians of the present day, that this
disease is always bodily, and that the mind appears to be disordered only
because the organ through which its operations are manifested is not in
a condition of health.”
*D^ct E is an Orthodox friend

[Address sideways, running upward]

Jericho NY                               10
Sept 4^th
                             Isaac Post
for Amy Post                  Rochester
                   Moroe [sic] County N.Y.

[Text at bottom, upside-down]

John thinks I may just say that we think of setting out
the forepart of the week.   I hear that William Post is very
poorly in mind. perhaps we say a little more if permitted
to see you                                 affectionately M.W.W.

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/2837.

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