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

185-?

Description

Handwritten letter from Mary Robbins Post to Isaac Post, 185-?

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

810

Location

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

Text

Westbury 5 mo 5
Dear all
I have wanted to take my pen for many days for
the purpose of expressing my sympathy with you during this season of
anxiety and watching but have felt guile inadequate for the task we
too have been passing through a similar season which you have probably
heard ere this but all is past and our dear our loved and precious Mary
has entered on her higher life she had been more unwell for some
months still we all hoped she would be better again but we have
been sadly disappointed she might possibly have remained with us
a little bit longer had not another disease taken hold and aided in the
fatal work some weeks ago Mary [illegible] Hopkins’s husband did it was said
with the measles (they lived at Brooklin [sic]) the family were sick and distant
and were kindly removed to elias’s it was said they ahd the chicken pox
in two week Elias Patty and tan? Lewis all came down and Patty was very sick
Elisabeth Post was there to assist in taking care of them and in a few
days Elias jun was poorly but so as to be about and at the store some
Abby [Bushell?] washed for them was very sick the Dc there pronounced it the
real Small Pox they all recovered Elisabeth and May came down Mary
never broke out much and was soon taken with the bilious [illegible] ^and pain in her back^ which
remained very severe much of the time from fifth day night rental second
day near noon when she was kindly released from all pain was very sick at
her stomach too they describe her sufferings as being very intense and wha [sic]
made it doubly trying was that so few could go in I felt as tho I could
not stay away but [being?] circumstance as I was in relation to the school
and hoping it might be as the Dc encouraged us to think she might
recover they both ^[Des?]^ [illegible] nothing discouraging tho the symptoms they said
were not [guile?] so favourable [sic] as they had [illegible] ^told J so^ not more than two hours
before she expired she was peaceful and [calur?] sensible to the very last spoke

[Page 2]

of having no fear of death that all felt an assurance that all would be
were said I fell so peaceful in my mind I feel as tho I had never done any
thing wrong in my life bid them all farewell shortly before her close She
xpressed [sic] to Elias her desire to recover to be with him as he would be so
very lonely no mother or sister to take her place but then I leave thee with
other dear friends it seemed very trying to her not to see her not to see
us all again had I known at the time her frequent speaking of me and
that she beleived [sic] if I knew how sick she was I should come and see her I
should certainly have gone and I have deeply regretted I did not go but
vain one all my regrets she has passed away in the beautiful spring of her
life being ^aged^ 28 years and 2 days ^[devil]^ in the 28 of 4 Mo on the 29 her loved remain
-ns were intened [sic] and a very solemn meeting was held on the occasion
seldom if ever have I sat in one which seemed to me more so
[illegible] beautiful remenicencis [sic] live forever and memory has wandered
back through her childhoods fleeting hour and recalled many individuals
of her disinterested love her truthfulness and devotion to justice and right
how often has she gladdened my heart by her kindness and sympathy while
under trial and suffering both mental and physical how forcibly I have
felt that those we love make our life true we may exist surrounded by
the careless and indifferent but it hardly deserves the name of living I find
it impossible for me to love way one I cannot sympathise [sic] with them in their
feelings I frequently make an effort but my heart recoils from the attempt
and I despair of ever attaining what I desire then some pure and beautiful
influenced operates on me and I [illegible] again to gain all that is pure and holy
bereavements too have the same effect and called hom the wanderer from
I wish I might ^live^ so as to feel no regret that like our dear Mary pass tranquility
into the higher [obliterated] respected ^&^ loved by all I have been reading again Davis
Philosophy of Death and I feel greatly comforted thereby Have you ever read
it? if not I am sure you would like it it is most beautiful and I feel its
truth to pervade every feeling when such views predominate our bereavements

[Page 3]

are for less afflictive and overwhelming as we come to believe there is nothing test
by putting off mortality and leaving the [illegible] & [illegible] things of this would to pursue
lifes journey amid immortal beauties in the Spirit Land “I sometimes ask myself
whether the time will ever come when we shall cease to mourn for our friends
^5 mo 7^ our dear Matilda too has gone back very much not near as well as when she came
home she went back to NY a week agobut felt as tho it was too late to do her any perman^ant^
[illegible] she suffered so much from nervous excitement palpitation and her stomach
that she was anxious to return some of her friends do not approve it while in N York
before she consulted some of the regulars they corroborated Mary Nicols views of her case
but spoke discouragingly M N thought she might possibly be cured at any rate her
life lengthened by the water treatment Joseph was in N Y yesterday went to see her found
her more comfortable M N said she had lost a great deal while at home and if she did
not recover she should charge it to that cause It is quite sickly Measles Scarlet
fever +c have prevailed and have been fatal George Valentine has left two daughters ^with Scarlet Fever^
within a few days another and a boy have been very ill but hear today are better
Wc have received both of brothers letters and were much obliged for the contents
thanks to him for remembering us we have felt so anxious about Edumund
that we feared to open a letter hope now he will recover from his sore’s and
regain his health sufficiently to enjoy life (and reward his faithful Sarah
for the many weary hours and days of watchful love by going through the
farm of marriage they are I full beleive [sic] united truly and really ^in spirit^ and it is too
bad to stop show when the comfort and happiness of all [concerned?] would be
so greatly increased) don’t show this to them) Suppose the Anniversary once
[illegible] is now in session Oh how gladly would I be there I had [illegible] hope
I should but sickness in the vicinity and our loss made me feel less like it
still had I had company I think I should have gone Joseph said he wuld [sic] not
leave hope you will have a good time we have been waiting to see H
C Wrights communications in the Tribune suppose it much be quite start
-ling Adin Balon has had the subject introduced into his paper so that
[believers?] are multiplying We hope to see the girls here sometime I called
on them yesterday Joseph wants to hear more but seems at times doubling but in

[Page 4]

Reality his faith is pretty strong What do Henry and Catharine say to it I wait with
importance to hear Catharine had I think charged like the rest of us and almost
without being aware of it For myself it explains many things which I have
always been ready to doubt and I think it is a corrobaration [sic] of Davis and
others ^with^ similar views and I can as easily believe in communications in this
way as in many of their views which I embrace joyfully You see how greatly
I have changed I am not ashamed of changing but see more and more clearly that
I know very little am as a stranger even to myself I feel the deep mystery of my
Very being and live on from day to day the create of many influences beautifully
Has it been said “I know not what is time, nor can my spirit grasp the mean
-ing of eternity” but the feeling is present with me that guardiwn spirits are around
and that “ore my pathway daily an angel watches now,” Was pleased to
hear you had so nice a time at the [Louie?] hope that good
will result therefore and from G S visit in the West as for
the large Citys I dont know but their measure is nearly
full and will ^be^ punished by a terible [sic] retribution produced by
their great and accommodating weakness I am sad when I
think of the depravity and ignorance which abounds particularly
in New York it is the Sodom of the North There hase[ sic] been
lately an abundance of emigrants arriving last seventh day
four ship loads came in what an amount of sin and ignor^ance^
probably enough to make any place worse than it was
Oliver Johnson has come to NY expect him here [illegible] long
When Edmund gains some perhaps it might be beneficial to
Amy to come and spend some time with us and I have been thinki
ng whether it might not be so a welcom [sic] awaits her whenever
she can come DO give my love most affectionately to Edmund
I think of him in his weakness and suffering and wish it were in my
power to do something for his relief and comfort am very glad
Catharine is with him her cheerful and well balanced mind is
an acquisition in a sick room and I trust will cheer many a
weary [lom?] [sic] she and Sarah are also affectionately remembered as also
the whole household this is indeed a poor [servant?] I have been [illegible]
for I have not felt like writing so please be charitable love to
all the household William + Mary and all other write often to your
Mary

Tags

Family; Medicine; Quakers; Spiritualism

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/3101.

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