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

1851-01-29

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about recent articles that have appeared in anti-slavery 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

886

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

a letter was recieved [sic] here to day [sic] I think from
Geo Doughty whom I
should Judge was a                  Wednesday Eve Jan 29. 1855
firm believer in the                          10. oclock
       Spirits

I have Just returned from the anti
slavery [sic] office = where I am of late Kept
some busy arranging petitions for the
repealing the Fugitive Slave Law

Mr Walcutt this evening recorded
the names of Elias De Garmo
and Elias Doty as renewed
subscribers to the Liberator
the reminiscenses[sic] excited by the very
mention of thier [sic] names were
indeed grateful to my feelings.

The Liberator Festival was an
occasion never to be forgotten -
at least one hundred could n
were unable to obtain Tickets-
George Thompson who through-
indisposition from too much labor
had not attended the annual meeting
was present at the Levee and made
of course inspiring speeches = this and
next weeks Liberator will give You a
Birds eye view of the matter -
    Mr Thompson    I believe though
anticipates visiting Western New York

(Page 2)

It would be a happiness indeed
for me = to visit there at the same
time = but I do not See my pecuniary
way clear-
       I hope Soon to have a Boston
letter for the Star = but a press of
Vigilance Committee ,^Business^ and Petitions-
have fully occupied my time-
reading the Star account of
Your late annual meeting
the name of Milo D. Codding
Set a train of his visit at 36 Sophia St
right before my eyes = is He married
yet?
----------------------------------------------
         I saw a Young Lady last Monday
Evening at A. Brenson Allcotts Conversation
reminding me at once ^immediately^ of the once
Mary Fish. of course I saw Catherine
Giles = Benjamin & Sarah Fish = = I must
see at least some of them again-

This is not the letter You deserve
or I meant to unite = but Amy Post
will from Wm C. accept the Will for
the Deed

                   Love to every one = You
Know them =
       I remain as ever- Faithfully Yours
                                 Wm C. Nell

Annotations

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

Nell refers to Spiritualism, whose followers believed that through mediums they could communicate with the dead.

The Fugitive Slave Law was passed on September 18, 1850. Its language made it illegal for free persons to aid escaping slaves and required that those encountering fleeing slaves return them to their masters.

Elias De Garmo was married to Rhoda DeGarmo, who was an early member of the Western New York Anti-Slavery Society. Nell refers to radical abolitionist, William Lloyd Garrison's newspaper, the Liberator. George Thompson was a British anti-slavery orator and activist.

Nell refers to abolitionist and former slave, Frederick Douglass's newspaper, the North Star. The Vigilance Committee worked to aid escaping slaves in the Boston area.

36 Sophia Street was the address of the Posts' home in Rochester. A. Bronson Alcott was an American teacher, writer, philosopher, abolitionist and woman’s rights activist. He was closely associated with Ralph Waldo Emerson and became a central figure in the Transcendentalism movement.

Sarah Fish helped to plan the 1848 Woman’s Rights Convention in Rochester with Amy Post, Sarah Hallowell and Sarah C. Owen.

Tags

Abolitionism; Personal; 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/3176.

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