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

1850-02-13

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about recent events in the 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

829

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)
                       Boston Wednesday Eve
                                   Feb. 13. 1850.

Esteemed Friend _ I have Just Learned that

Lewis Clark (the antislavery [sic] Lecturer)= leaves
in the morning for Rochester -

I. forwarded by Mr. Douglass (when he left
Boston for the Philadelphia     North Star Fair)
a package of Rochester letters including
of course for You = and should be happy
to hear from 36 Sophia St = though
probably You have written and I shall
soon be the glad recipient -

Do tell me something of the Fair &
meeting. = Where is John Dick
any news relative to our choice
Circle of Sophia St You Know will
be highly acceptable.
                                I have not
yet seen E. W. Caprons Book of the Knocking
but will soon have one of his Second
edition = The Tribune has published
much of late on the Subject—

(Page 2)

I. could not help smiling aloud
at the Benevolent Quaker who
procured George Willets a situation

     It has been talked about here
considerable = and articles often appear
in the papers = But it is Yet
a mystery

Do You Yet Know anything of my
Bundle at Leah's_________________

Will You be Kind enough to send me
the Post office address of
Mary Howland.________________

You Know what I would say to
all the Inmates of 36 Sophia St
please govern Yourself accordingly.
Remember me to the Family in Alexander St.
                 And believe me Ever Your
                       Sincere and Grateful
                 Friend           William C. Nell

Annotations

William Cooper Nell, an abolitionist, is writing from Boston to fellow activist, Amy Post.

Lewis Clark was an escaped slave, who traveled as an anti-slavery lecturer. Frederick Douglass was a former slave and abolitionist. He started the newspaper, the North Star. John Dick was Douglass's printer. 36 Sophia Street refers to where the Post family lived in Rochester. E.W. Capron’s book was eventually published with the title, Modern Spiritualism: Its Facts and Fanaticisms, Its Consistencies and Contradictions. The book explored the belief that through mediums the living could communicate with the dead.

George Willets was a neighbor of the Posts. He too was a Spiritualist and wrote about the Fox sisters' performance at Corinthian Hall. This was their first performance demonstrating their powers as mediums. Leah was Margaret and Catherine Fox's older sister.

Mary Howland was a former slave, who joined the abolition movement.

Tags

Abolitionism; Spiritualism

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/3120.

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