Nell, William Cooper. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Nell, William Cooper. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Nell, William Cooper

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1849-08-11

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about recent anti-slavery events and the growing Spiritualist movement.

Subject

Post, Amy Kirby, b. 1802

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

749

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)
                                                      Saturday
                                                      Boston August 11^th 1849 12 o’clock A.M                                                                                             at anti slavery
                                                                                            office
My Esteemed Friend
                            “Thy” very kind and most excellent
Communication of July 7th commenced with = "Saturday morning,” Vc Vc
and an allusion to the "cares that usually ^then^ attend the inmates of
Presiding Genius of : 36 Sophia St.                          This Saturday morning
in Boston finds me oppressed with [obliterated] cares also= but
in health of body not much to complain of. The Cholera to be
sure is now increasing in some sections of our good City. but no
general Panic has seized the inhabitants= Benjamin Weeden and
myself have erected an independent Bathing Saloon in the Cellar
under his Brothers Store   a Hoghead reduced one fourth which we
supply by a pipe from the Cochituate or Long Pond: and thus
practice daily ablution= this with care as to diet I presume
contribute my security from sickness. My Box came safe
to hand and at only $2.15 cost and if the other is forwarded at
the same rate. the whole cost of transportation will be less than one
half of the charge from Boston to Rochester= = allow me now to
thank. You. Isaac and Jacob for Your trouble and that
You will permit me to increase my obligation by asking to be
done the same at earliest convenience for my remaining Box.
I believe the Book Lovells Speaker which. Joseph tendered me for the
one lost by him at Macedon: was not placed by me in the Box.
and I presume may be in Your Book Case—
“The Mysterious Knockings” are ^is^ exciting some interest in Boston=
The Chronotype. has published 3 articles. I suppose from the
Pen of E. W. Capron= the first I send You by Mail= the last
contain an account of what was manifested in Wesleys Family
Vc =- I wish now I had procured a Copy of the Fly desville Book.
If You have a spare one will You favor me with its use on loan
if You desire its return?         I have it in Embryo to
    prepare a lecture on the subject

(Page 2)

Mr. Garrison while at Northampton   and enjoying the society of Abby Thayer
had heard of the 'Knockings'=    I hardly Know Yet what his opinions
are= though we have had several sideway conversations about it
I would give worlds to Know. Yes to Know. that's the word.
What it was that pulled my Coat on that memorable
night. How is Leah: Margueritte and Cathy.? Well
and Happy I hope= Please remember me to them when You
see them: -Did Abby Thaye Leah. leave with You some
books of mine?    or Hattie Murray?-
Yesterday ^Thursday^ while Mailing Liberators a beautiful Young Lady
stepped into the office to make enquiries about Henry C. Wright
She reminded me very much of my esteemed Friend
Sarah L. Hallowell=- Has she Yet returned from visiting her
Paternal Home : and is she blessed with good health and
Spirits ? She is and that abundantly if my prayers are
answered. =    Your account of the recent controversies
with the “Lords of Creation= as connected with the
business operations of the Executive Committee created in
my mind many wishes to be present with You-
and engage for the night= of course You have my
God speed in every effort where Womans influence
can be fully and freely exercised.-
It occurs to me that I did not mention by name in my
Last. Elias & Rhoda De Garmo== I remember my visit to thier [sic]
house with lively satisfaction=     on the Liberator Mail
Book. I discovered the name of Lewis Burgess in
Harwich Mass. the coincidence of that and
Lewis Burtis of Rochester= was at once brought
to mind== Is there any relationship = ? I ofttimes

(Page 3)

remember my first night with Your anti slavery Circle at
Sarah Burtis and riding home next morning with Amy
Post and Sarah Fish. = Why? need there be an
embargo of 500 miles distance between my much
loved Rochester and my Native City Boston?
My Sister Louisa and her son Ira are well. Louisa often speaks of You
and with grateful recollection
Harriet. I shall visit again in a few days. we recently heard from her
I. have not visited Carltonville since my last. though I
have met Joe in the City and at the Worcester Anti slavery
Picnic on Zach Taylors Fast day 3^rd inst = Joe has been
recently appointed one of the Essex Co. anti slavery Executive
Committee Jeremiah has commenced as a Journeyman Hair
Dresser at Worcester: his Family are Yet at New Bedford-.-
    I. Just now met Schoolmaster Wetherell = and for the
moment. thought myself near the Arcade in Rochester.
                            I have a Bill on the Hampden Bank of
                       Mansfield Mass= marked A. Post. President
So. I. suppose Frank will soon wear a wife's mantle.
Little did I dream when leaving Boston with her 14
months since that I was carrying her to a Husband
If. there was a hidden and a wise purpose in her
thus resigning Boston Associations= Pray tell me
those who can in what respect It is to advance
my own Well Being.? when Shall I be made                                               straight = after So long a [obliterated] step backwards=
God only Knows=         But the sweet recollections
of the many nblehearted [sic]. Generous and Faithful
Anti slavery Friends of Rochester will ever live in
My memory- I have become acquainted with them
constitutes an [ev?] in my history. forming such a

(Page 4)

Contrast to my many misfortunes== as to make me despite
them all: happy to call to up to mind. the faces of
those who. in my adversity .bestowed upon me thier [sic]
Warm and Sincere friendships-
I am exceedingly anxious for Franks welfare =and hope that her new
mission will prove the one best calculated to ensure the happiness
of herself and Partner= I am of the opinion that my luck
will not run in that channel Yet a while =I must Yet
plod through the Bachelors Path Well be it so=
Several of the most prominent anti slavery friends of Boston
have left for Europe within the past Year. since Mrs. Chapman
and this is somewhat similar to Rochester for the Band of
anti slavery friends there too have met with Changes=
Mary Fish= First= and Now Giles & Catherine Sarah C. Owen
                                                                   an estimable Woman
Henry Bush and others= But it should serve to unite those who
remain the more Closely together in their labors for Humanity
in December I shall be at the Boston Bazaar: but shall be
thinking of those in Rochester and my pleasant association
with them at Minerva v Concert Hall: But wherever
We are Let us work while our day lasts-
How is Bridget Head == Joanna Inez and Little Willie
I wish I could meet them once more of an afternoon when my
School dismissed = and enjoy as I often did a regular Play
in the Parlour= does Joanna. Sing= Susannah? and
Oh! Carry Me back to Old Virginny? How is Geo. Willetts & the
                                                              Spirit manifestations?
I want to speak of everybody that I ever saw at 36
Sophia St. but space forbids= You will tender my very
best to Isaac Post: to Jacob V vc= to William &
Mary Hallowell “(Roy's wife of Aldivalloch) John S.V
                                                                Harriet
                                                                Jacobs?
Edmund P. Willis V= and other friends-
       and believe me with every sentiment
of grateful esteem.        Faithfully yours-
                                                              William C. Nell

Annotations

William Cooper Nell, a former slave and abolitionist, is writing from Boston to fellow abolitionist, Amy Post.

Nell references Post’s address of 36 Sophia Street. Benjamin Weeden was Nell's landlord. Lake Cochituate was a water source for Boston. Nell thanks Post’s husband Isaac, and their son Jacob for sending a package.

The Chronotype could refer to a newspaper. Nell mentions the recently published work by E. W. Capron, a noted Spiritualist. Spiritualists believed that through mediums they could communicate with the dead. John Wesley was a Baptist Minister in the 1700s, who recorded his experiences with spirits. This account was reprinted throughout the 1800s.

Nell references a trip, abolitionist leader, William Lloyd Garrison recently took to Northampton, Massachusetts. Abby Thayer was an abolitionist, who worked as a governess for fellow activist and former slave, Frederick Douglass. Leah, Margaret and Catherine Fox were the founders of Spiritualism and close friends of the Posts. Hattie Murray could refer to Douglass's sister-in-law.

Henry Clark Wright was an abolitionist and a close friend of Garrisons. Sarah Hallowell was Post’s sister. Rhoda Da Garmo was a woman’s rights activist and she and her husband lived next door to Susan B. Anthony, when the family lived in Gates, New York.

William Lloyd Garrison edited the Liberator. Lewis Burtis was Sarah Burtis's husband. Sarah was Susan B. Anthony's second cousin. Sarah Fish was an activist and a believer in Spiritualism. Harriet could refer to former slave, Harriet Brent Jacobs. Jeremiah Sanderson was a free black man who campaigned to end segregation in public schools.

Frances was Nell's sister. Maria Weston Chapman was an abolitionist. Giles and Catherine Stebbins were fellow abolitionists. Willie was Post's youngest son. George Willets was a cousin of Isaac Post and a fellow Spiritualist. Jacob was another of Post's sons. Mary was Post's daughter, and William was her husband. Nell refers to a Scottish poem, “Roy’s wife of Idivalloch.” John was Harriet Jacobs's brother. Edmund Willis was a relative of the Post family.

Tags

Abolitionism; Personal; Spiritualism; Women's Rights

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Nell, William Cooper, “Nell, William Cooper. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3040.

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