Post, Mary Robbins. Letter to Isaac Post.

Title

Post, Mary Robbins. Letter to Isaac Post.

Creator

Post, Mary Robbins

Contributor

Post, Isaac, 1798-1872

Date

1847-02-09

Description

Handwritten letter from Mary Robbins Post to Isaac Post, February 9, 1847.

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

675

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

[Previous Pages written by Joseph Post to Isaac Post and transcribed as 674_02_09_1847]

   10^th
Turn over leaf for the beginning of this letter Joseph accidentally commenced on
the wrong side and as he has gone out to fodder I have taken up his pen altho
probably only for a few minutes as it will be twilight very soon we have defered [sic]
writing lately hoping to hear from Julia and not hearing increases our anxiety and
makes us feel less like it but blessed be hope it springs up from the bosom of sadness
and bids us cherish the hope that she is recovering and that other circumstances
have prevented your writing I remember with feelings of regret our omission a
year ago when you were suffering so deeply on account of not hearing from our
loved sister yet we wished to write encouragingly so put off from day to day I
have lived over again those days of anxiety and suffering they are deeply graven
on my heart I believe it is just a year this day since her remains were
committed to the earth ---- it is sweet to dwell on her many virtues it
stimulates too to the endeavor to live as She lived that we too may attain
the goal at last--- What a deplorable condition the Irish are in the
future is indeed appalling to contemplate I see very little to hope for
in the present state of things among them of the evil being remedied
our orthodox friends are more alive in their feelings respecting their sufferin^g^
and have been engaged in collecting something to aid them the subject
was introduced in their meeting and a document read from friends in Ireland
relative to the famine and the great destitution prevailing there intreating [sic]
them to contribute of the abundance they were blessed with --- also a com=
=munication from the N York friends in which they informed that they
might be at liberty to receive contributions from those not members
of our society    how hateful this feeling of sectarianism is I despise it more
and more why not all unite as bretheren [sic] and sisters in so good a cause
without any allusion to sect--- however I am glad they feel it in their
hearts to do something which is far better than nothing and I do not
know as our sect have done any thing as a body if they are believe
=rs in the doctrine preached now a days we need not expect much __
“that whatever takes place is for our good else it would not be permitted”
war famine and pestilence” G F White continues to pour out the vials of his wrath
and as much to the comfort and edification of his congregation as ever-----
at the Quarterly meeting he enlarged pretty fully on the qualifications of a gospel
minister and asserted altho he might be charged with egotism that he had never
expressed any sentiment in his communications to the people for which he had
felt any compunction [or?] in other words he had been commanded to say all he had
said (this is not his language but the substance)      The committee in relation
to the Marlborough affair had a wonderful time they had such different
views and such a disposition to carry them ^on the part of the administration^ made it a season of great discou
=ragement to the more moderate portion of them Nathaniel Merritt showed
himself and I doubt not great good will arise from it also several others
revealed their true characters, but I cannot tell you now about it Isaac Rush
=more say’s [sic] he never felt so much like giving all up as he does now he
is really discouraged—even R Seaman S. J. Underhill L Thorne and others oppose
firmly the doings of the New York clique –- time will make manifest
the result –- in Philadelphia too the climax has nearly arrived I think
recent developements [sic] there shew it to be so - - - What do you
think of Douglass s [sic] being [bought?] there seems to be different views relative
thereto we thought Henry C Wright’s letter rather weak on that subject
When we were in New York we spent part of an evening with L Maria Child
she was in better spirits than usual and of course exceedingly interesting
Oliver too went there to meet us so we had quite a feast of intellectual
dainties --- such treats are few and far between perhaps we enjoy them
the better tho            Jacob Willets remains very low the [sores?]] very
large and deep takes 2 hours daily to dress them is resigned and pleasant
his uncle Jacob and family are still here away they would be glad to
find an opening sufficient to warrant their remaining Jacob has talked
some of trying to get a farm on our Island--- he has spent some time around
here his wife and daughters have not been up Mary Frost is quite as well as she
was last fall hope she will improve more Isaac Downing is deceased was
buried the day uncle Henry was --- we come home from New York in a
dreadful storm of wind and rain we were not fully sensible of its severity until
we got the ferry I felt as tho it was rash to venture to cross however we got over safe

(Page 2)

They have had a very anxious time at Matthews on account of their little
Caroline she has been very ill the Dr said occasioned by worms had fits
high fever and much pain did not have her senses near all of the time
aunt Lizzy too was very sick the latter part of Caroline’s sickness she
remains very feeble but calls herself a little gaining, Caroline better Matthew
had scarcely recovered from a very severe attack of ashma [sic] of 2 weeks
continuance not being able to lay down and scarcely to breathe some of the
time --- Robert Post and Daniel Titus have gone in Dutches [sic] County
a visit we suspect Robert is willing to see if there be any fine girl
there who might suit him – we know nothing of course of his intention
Henry has a second son     Uncle Robert seems like an old man
made us a visit yesterday   aunt Rachel is as well as usual ----
I had no expectation of scribling [sic] on so much and laid it down to leave
it for Joseph but he has got engaged this morning so I concluded it had
better go but you must know I feel no pride in sending such a letter
as this is perhaps if you can excuse this I may possibly do a little better
                                                                        next time

[Text in Center of Page, written upward]

North Hempstead
              Feb 11^th

                               Isaac Post
                                    Rochester
                                                 New York

[Text at bottom of page, normal]

I was glad for you when the Fair was got through with and the result
too was cheering It seems the people cannot leave off entirely the use
of eggs as arguments against AK Foster how shamefully Joshua[Lewitt?]
and others of that party act at their conventions – It seems too the [famo^u^s?]
[Streak?] letter is upp [sic] again I hoped the Liberty Party folks would do nothing
to bring that up again but so it and how true the cunning are caught
in their own craftiness but I must close as it is now 12 oclock [sic] and [illegible]
are [illegible] Lucy is away this week so I have all the house to myself
or rather the work –-- write soon for we feel anxious to hear from
Julia and the rest of you and I think we may answer it sooner
if that is any inducement   Love to all our friends Farewell Mary

Tags

Abolitionism; Family; Quakers

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Post, Mary Robbins, “Post, Mary Robbins. Letter to Isaac Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2967.

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