Potter, Nathaniel Jr. Letter to Isaac Post.

Title

Potter, Nathaniel Jr. Letter to Isaac Post.

Creator

Potter, Nathaniel Jr

Contributor

Post, Isaac, 1798-1872

Date

1844-10-19

Description

Handwritten letter from Nathaniel Jr Potter to Isaac Post, October 19, 1844.

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

617

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

Buffalo 10.. 19.. 44
As I expect to send this by Brother Isaac
who is to pass through here on his way
to Newyork after his fall goods – I shall
add a few words more about the storm
I started out before sunrise to see what
was destroyed – just as I had started the ballas-
trade [sic] of the house I went out of fell on the
side walk about a rod behind me. – I then
thought to go to the starting place of the
Batavia railroad – but found the lake in
the way – passing along towards the Mansion
house I saw a new two story brick store
designed also for a dwelling thrown down
to the basement – owned by Hatch a friend
of mine – building not finished – I passed the
Mansion house and went down main St – to
Huffs Hotel – Where there was two women
drowned in the cellar kitchen bedroom in
the basement story – This is just below the
canal – I passed along tho’ not without
interruption tho’ the water had fell several
feet to the floor of main St. where the
pipe of a Steamboat was blown down and
other damage done – passing down Water St.
I found a plenty of tin roofing in the
street blown from the storehouses with brick
and other materials. – I continued down to near
the mouth of the creek where was a wreck of

(Page 2)

a blacksmith shop and other wooden buildings
my attention was attracted by seeing two men
at a little distance fighting about some things
that a man had picked up near by and
which an other claimed as his property. –
I prevailed on the Irishman that had
found the things to give them up – but
soon saw them in close contact with
dreadful threats made by the Englishman.
I requested him to desist & I would get the
Irishman away – which I did without any
difficulty by speaking to him in a friendly
manner. – Much anxiety was manifested for
the Julia Palmer – the opposition Steamboat
that went out last evening. – Indeed a tear of
gratitude was felt in my own eye as she [hone?]
in sight – some said she was a wreck – but I soon
discovered her engine at work – she came to
the mouth of the creek and turned round
to enter the harbour with wind a head and
the waves dashing tremenduously [sic] – I think from
appearance she must have been nearly out of
wood – besides two line boats and a scow
lashed together had broke loose and was
carried by the current out of the mouth of
the creek just as she was ready to enter
with five or six men on board and some
women – I presume the Steam boat stoped [sic] to
avoid dashing them to pieces – these floated
down and the waves so high they would appear

(Page 3)

to be lost – The scow broke loose from the
boats – broke in two and was lost the boats
were drove ashore and no lives lost. – mean
while the Julia Palmer was buffiting [sic] the
waves some times make a little headway
and then would be carried back – Finding
they could not enter they again put out
to sea – as the wind is a rising she is probably
not out of danger – but they have a good
captain and with a kind providence I trust
their lives will be spared.
         Many lives have been lost and
great destruction of property in this city
one place where the water never before
was known to come – an man lost his
wife and 4 children who are drowned. –
In some parts of the city they were nearly
frightened out of their senses because they
thought the time of the end of the world
had come. Steamboat chautauque [sic] driven ashore
towards Blackrock and no lives lost – One
of the Steamboats that went out in oppose-
tion to the Julia Palmer had not been
heard from when – I came in.
   Since I have been writing the firebells
have been ringing – but they soon stoped [sic]
and I presume no great damage done. –
   I would be in vain for me to attempt
to describe the half I have seen
Isaac Post    As ever thy friend Nathaniel Potter

(Page 4)

The Advent people will regard this as signs
of the coming of Christ – “And upon the earth distress
of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves
roaring; mens hearts failing them for fear, and
for looking after those things that are coming
on the Earth: for the powers of [the] heaven shall
be shaken.” “see the son of man coming in a cloud” &c.

I have not time now to [overlook] read what
I have written
                           N. Potter

[Text sideways]
Isaac Post
                  Rochester
                        City
per Isaac Potter

Tags

Personal

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Potter, Nathaniel Jr, “Potter, Nathaniel Jr. Letter to Isaac Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2909.

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