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

811

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

       Dear Brother & Sister     I have laid aside my work and pre-
vailed on Joseph to lay down his paper's [sic] and commune with you for
a brief period but Oh the poverty of my ideas I feel as though
there was so many things so much more interesting for you to read
and there are so many things which are more pleasureable [sic] to me
than writing that I am tempted to lay this aside and wait for a
more convenient season but as an example to Joseph I am almost
compeled [sic] to strive after an Idea       I will give a little account
of ourselves J and self are alone our girls have by invitation accom
-panied Cynthia to the reading circle which meet at Joshua's this
Evening Our Irish people have gone down to their church it is their
Jubilee which is kept with fasting and walking down to the church
occasionally &c Ignorance and superstition are powerful and control their
lives and doings to an almost incredible degree    Our girls have
been in New York on a visit came up this Eve went down on 7 day
seem highly pleased with all they saw and heard among others
they waited long in the street to see Kossuoth [sic] and like many
thousands were gratified with a look at him and the pageants
accompanying but you long ere this have seen account of all the
great fuss made and is it not passing strange they do not see the
inconsistency of their conduct in relation to his position and slavery
I have wished some "power the gift a gee us to see ourselves as others see ^us^"
     The trial in Philadelphia has been of intense interest but the pro
-ceedings we have not got for the last two days [obliterated]   The Tribune is so
taken up with Kossooth [sic] I fear they neglect the important proceedings
of a sister state and the great struggle of freedom with slavery now
going on in our own country the heros [sic] and martyrs of which are
deserving of ^the^ praise eulogy and high commendation now lavished
on the Hungarian patriot       We have not been to Jericho since
I suppose Willet Matilda and Sarah left. have thought of them while
on their journey and since have pictured to myself the enjoyment on
each succeeding day something new to attract and please aside from
the home enjoyments which cluster around your fireside and encir
-cled by other loved one's [sic] would present to me the greatest attraction
The weather here for several days has been cool but delightful I have
now a beautiful rose bud nearly expanded plucked from a bush in

(Page 2)

the garden a day or two ago with several smaler [sic] ones and how
it withstood the frost and ice I know not but here it is with a good
degree of its summer fragrance I looked on it as truly the last Rose of
Summer its companions all scattered and dead" and feelings of a pensive
nature stole over me as I thought how emblematic of the aged was this
lone rose true there were many young buds which made the analogy more
complete    Matilda strange to say has gone to Philad^{^}a^ Mary Willis went
with her will if weather permits return tomorrow and able to do so She
has been loosing [sic] ever since you were here the accident affected her very
much and when she wrote to you I think she had no idea of going on
but being a little smarter and S very anxious to have her to see the Dr again
she has gone but I have not the slightest expectation he will cure
or benefit her much   She has suffered from palpitation and nervo^us^
excitement and has found some releif [sic] at times from some one maki^ng^
passes over her She sometimes feels like trying the prescription sent
and give up all other remedies if she delays long fear there will be
no use in any prescription         What remarkable developements [sic] C Partridge
is publishing in the Tribune of spirit power and giving names of such
men as Judge Edmunds makes some unbelievers almost think there must
be something in it after all     We were very much interested in Amy's
account of spirit communication and hope that in relation to George
may prove true   Mrs Wells told Joseph that the spirits use a
pen that it had been done several times and I beleive [sic] her brother
Edward Fowler had seen it moved or used but generally it was not
in the presence of any one   Joseph has not become a medium I think
perhaps he has not confidence or faith which may be one cause in his hand
being used   We saw some weeks ago the death of a person who had been
taken to Utica Asylum and was so unwilling ^to remain^ was returning home and
died in the cars Cynthia said she thought it was very likely Milo she
spoke of it to day so I will make the inquiry          Amy spoke of
Henry Bush and the welcom [sic] given him by Frederic [sic]     I could respond
to the wish that we might hear the good things which he says for I love
and respect him even though he has retreated from his high position
and hope he will one day come on to the platform of old organised
antislavery as was his wont in former days and do battle for the
right in the power and strength of morral [sic] suasion relying on princ
-iple only for the overthrow of tyranny and wrong   Do give my love
to him and say that we should rejoice to see him at our home
and hope he will not come to N Y without making us a visit
Rachel spoke in meeting to day and well too if we could apply it for her on

[The following four-page fragment does not continue directly from the above text but seems likely to be part of the same letter. The order of the four “pages” is not marked, but this seems the most likely sequence.]

(Page 3)

First day afternoon very clear bright sunshine and muddy frost nearly
out of the ground. I found our ^out^ door affares [sic] apparantly [sic] in good order
when we got home think our man done the best he knew how. have been
to meeting to day Uncle Robert was their [sic] seemed very feeble I think he
will not make out to come much longer beleive [sic] it would be as well
if they did not tell him when meeting day come. what a difference between
him and Uncle Jacob who is 2 or 3 years oldest his faccultties [sic] bright tis pleasent [sic]
to be with him. Uncle James has just come in will lay this down

(Page 4)

Jacob ^evening^ 9 oclock Edmund Post has just gorn [sic] from here ^after dinner^ Jacob went down to
Marys, E. came back with him Jacob soon concluded to return to his
school home, Edmund took our horses and carried him a part of the way
^I forgot I had told about the mud before^
it is now very mudy [sic] frost nearly out of the ground plasent [sic] like
spring. Last evening we were at J Rushmores 2 days before their
smoke house or rather their meat got a fire and burnt very much
I beleive [sic] the house did not get a fire but the meat all fell and some
of burnt nearly up they discoverd [sic] it about sundown Stephen in
hurring [sic] with a pail of water fell and hurt his rist [sic] very much

(Page 5)

so that he cannot use his hand much. To day [sic] Rachel had much to say to
try to convince the young people not to be drawn away after the new
things that are now being advanced differing from what we were
educating [sic] in not so condemning as some times is. Edmund Post
say [sic] Rachel is much opposed to the North Sarr [sic] yet, thinks the
couloured [sic] people ought not to support it. ^ I believe [sic] Abram takes the Mercury^ so she continues by
practice to like the proslavery papers such as the Journal of
commerce better than a reform paper such as the starr [sic]

(Page 6)

Joseph Hicks had the mishap to get his fingers against a circular
saw some 2 weeks ago. little finger bone some broke under the
nail another much tore he does not use his hand much
Valintine Hicks has bought a house at the harbour ^and move into it^. They have
much trouble to or rather much anxiety on account of his way=
wardness. are in hopes to get him in some imployment [sic] in
in the sawmill to try to brake [sic] him off from his [illegible] old
company

Tags

Abolitionism; Domestic Servants; Family; 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/3102.

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