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

1850-08-05

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about the lecture schedule of prominent abolitionists, and the recent subscribers to abolitionist newspapers.

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

851

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

At Anti Slavery [sic] Office
       21 Cornhill
                                        Boston August 5^th 1850
Esteemed Friend.
                                        Thy kind communication
contributed to also by my valued friend Isaac Post
was duly recieved [sic] and the duty of now
responding is indeed a most grateful one to-
                 In answer to Your question, Mr. Garrison
that = 'He leaves here for Pennsylvania about the
middle of October and cannot go before then'-
     He was very glad to hear from his
Rochester Friends as he ever is -
          Mr Wallcut has left for a rustication at
Nantucket his Homestead = ad interim the
Mantle of Anti Slavery duties at 21 Cornhill
has been placed upon my Shoulders-
and in many respects it sets easy and pleasant
though it may not so seem to however
ungraceful it may appear to some-
               I. should have been gratified to
accompany You to Mrs Murrays and have no
doubt. but that is one of the places my
memory turns to . when I feel the Sensation
of loneliness = or for a better interpretation
let me add = That oft times even here
in my own my native City = though recognizing
many welcome visiting places = Yet they fail to

(Page 2)

create any enthusiasm =and 36 Sophia
St and other Rochester Homes claim
me as within thier [sic] magic spell
  Well so it is = and I cannot if I would
have it otherwise. . You spoke of reading
some of my letters to Mrs Murray – self defence [sic]
requires my hoping . that the Reader and
Audience were very indulgent to the [obliterated]
humble Author = = I sometimes am too
negligent to put the best foot foremost.

        I am glad to hear from John Dick
and Lady . that my efforts (though falling short of
what I intended) were so Kindly appreciated
I paid myself most amply in the enjoyment
of thier [sic] society =     May they enjoy perennial
felicity – thier [sic] only strife. being -which
shall prove the better half-
               We had a glorious First of
August at Worcester ..Several Car loads—
filled with "all Sorts of People -and every body [sic]
glad to see each other = [obliterated]
I refer You of course to the Liberator for a
general account= my limits will not
permit a detailed narration even

J. W. Duffin of Geneva was here last
      week on      business for Mr. Garnett who

(Page 3)

has Just Sailed from New York for Europe

J. W. Randolph of Albany is about opening
an Intelligence office here in this City
                     Helen Putnam is on a visit to
Poplar St = I enjoyed a pleasant Season there
last Evening-
                       I. understand Mr. Garrison
heard from         Mr. Douglass by letter this
morning =      and this brings me to an item
of business = First the money forwarded
in Your letter was acknowledged by R F. Walcut
reciept [sic] for in last Liberator -
   I. have the pleasure of forwarding for
the North Star   as follows-
By Rufus Bates} John Gill Banks Hanover Mass
                           Subscription $2~ Donation 1~        3.00
By S. S. Foster}        F. W. Sawyer Marlboro Mass
                                                   Subscription                     1.00
They expect Office Reciepts [sic]___ Sum enclosed —4.00
                       I. wish I could send on
    hundreds more-
                     Mr. Wards Paper is issued here but
I do not think Yet enjoys a large addition
to his Subscription list = though it is very likely
to make progress -

(Page 4)

Louisa. Husband and Boy are in excellent
health and spirits and so am I –
I visited Harriet last Saturday who
was quite comfortable = I. have Boarded
   her out nearly three weeks and it
was very beneficial to her

Please remember me most Kindly to
every body [sic] at home and elsewhere that
may even express a thought of me
To Mr Douglass and Family =-

So it seems from Isaac Posts testimony
that his faith is Yet bright in the
Spiritual Revelations = Mr Garrison
I Judge is skeptical about several
of the details = but time will
explain to us all - I shall
be glad to see the Girls if they
do come to Boston
I had intended a tribute to the late
Catherine Braithwaite of whom
None Knew but to love = None Spoke of but to praise
I shall again allude to this and other matters Believe me Faithfully Yours
                                                                                               Wm C. Nell

Annotations

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

William Lloyd Garrison was a radical abolitionist and the editor of the Liberator. R.F. Wallcutt published an anti-slavery pamphlet containing a speech by Reverend Bleby. Mrs. Murray may refer to writer, Amelia Matilda Murray. In July 1854, Murray toured the United States as an abolitionist lecturer.

Nell refers to 36 Sophia Street, the Posts' family home. John Dick worked with former slave and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, as the printer for the newspaper, the North Star.

Nell references a recent celebration held in Worcester, Massachusetts on August 1^st to commemorate the day of British West India's emancipation.

J. W. Duffin was an abolitionist. Mr. Garnett may refer to Henry Highland Garnet, who was an abolitionist lecturer. J. W. Randolph was an abolitionist, who owned a publishing company. Helen Putnam was the daughter of two African American abolitionists.

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

Nell refers to fellow abolitionist, Frederick Douglass's newspaper, the North Star. Rufus Bates was one of the early Presidents of the Village of Ithaca. Stephen Foster was a radical abolitionist and woman’s rights activist, who helped establish the New Hampshire Anti-Slavery Society. Samuel Ringgold Ward published an abolitionist newspaper.

Louisa was Nell's sister. Nell refers to former slave and author of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Brent Jacobs.

Nell refers to Margaret and Catherine Fox, the sisters who began the Spiritualist movement. Spiritualists- including the Posts- believed that through mediums they could communicate with the dead.

Tags

Abolitionism; Family; 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/3141.

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