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

1852-12-16

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post and shares news of their mutual friends in the abolitionist 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

961

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

Boston Dec 16 = 1852
antislavery [sic] office Thursday 4 oclock
P.M
My Esteemed Friend Amy Post

Our mutual friend Oliver
Johnson having Just stepped
out after some of his mirth
provoking remarks= I will
put down a few items on this
Sheet for the home circle at
36 Sophia St= I. have this day
recieved [sic] a letter from Benjamin
informing me that Frances has
deferred her Boston visit until
Spring = I shall therefore
be enabled to devote perhaps
Sometime longer to the
business before me of as
getting my pamphlets into
market and the finishing
up other affairs better
done personally than by
proxy = I cannot then

(Page 2)

anticipate leaving for Rochester
until after the Bazaar.
of which the busy notes of preparation
are constantly Sounding in my
ears = after then should I be
fortunate enough in arranging
a lecturing tour = I’ll asK not
more =       Oh that I had my
former health and strength
enabling me so much better to
fulfil [sic] the mission that
Amy – Sarah and Mary Hallowell
so faithfully promoted.

I am Yet relying on Your
influence for Some Western New
York meetings = but God willing
You will Soon see me in
Rochester.
                    Evening 10. oclock
Here I am at Mrs Scotts (opposite
Belknap Church = ( She remembers
Amy Post in the meeting -
She is now ironing = Her Son
Henry Garnet and Daughter
Julia ( whom I often assist in
School lessons have Just bid me
good night and gone to shut
       eye   town.

(Page 3)

I have been at Lewis Haydens this evening
where while waiting to see Louisa I heard
little Ira: Grammar and Arithmetic
he improves = and I am delighted
only wish I could do what my heart
prompts for his progress in life
but a las [sic] ! a las [sic] ! there is such a
gulf between my pursuits and my
wis hopes ^I have also been giving some
                             writing lessons to a Woman^
                    I am very curious to learn
of Rochester anti slavery [sic] movements
how unreconciled [sic] I do feel in view of
the misapplied energies and
sympathies = oh that it was deserved
how gladly would I commend them
but I shall hear the narration soon
at Mr Alcotts Conversations last eve
I saw a lady reminding me much
of our mutual friend Sarah Burtis
Do give her and hers my Kind
regards How does Sarah Thayer = my
good friend= No more to see Phebe and
Abby in Rochester is too much = but regrets
avail nothing = I am very fast learning the
lesson of resignation to Chances and
Changes in this world = there is nothing
Substantial = How much need of a
vital and abiding trust in a hopeful
immortality Charles Lenox Remond has been
unwell some but is now convalescent
such a wife as he has maKes it almost a
luxury to be sick= He supposing I would have
left last week has entrusted me with some
letters to Rochester Friends

(Page 4)

Joseph H. Putman thinks of going to California
soon = if he goes = my heart will in deed [sic]
feel lonely = I cannot but think I ought
to have a good wife to smooth my
declining Years = too late = too late
Wendell Phillips will not live in Boston
this winter his wife is Yet in the water
cure = though to the present without
much benefit
                         I want very much to meet
You and all at home once more
Do write me a word about each.
Sarah Hallowell = Sarah Birney = Jacob Kirby
Joseph Post = Mary Ann and Little Willie -
does Isaac Post Yet have communications
of this Spiritual Theory and practice I could
write a long chapter = wont we have a
long talk about it = I have heard it
discussed every day [sic] and every where [sic] since
I left Rochester-
Last Friday December 10^th Garrison was
47 = I heard him and Edmund Quincy
comparing ages = E.Q is 44 -
Next Monday 20^t^h , Amy Post and
W.C.N = each have a birthday anniversary
part of my observance or I cannot be
at 36 Sophia St = will be to devote
some choice moments ^that day^ in thinking
of my Kind Benefactor Amy Post
Please remember me gratefully to William and Mary
Hallowell = my regards to Mrs Van Lew =
I have commenced several letters to friends in
various parts = one to Louisa Jacobs in fulfilling
a 3 months promise Charles Summer has Just
Sent me a Document from Washington
Glad to learn of the Debating Society = wish I
was among them Love to all friends in and
out of the Family Circle = I am ever yours Wm C Nell

[Text aligned vertically along Page 4]

Remember me to Elias & Rhoda De Garmo

Annotations

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

Oliver Johnson was an editor and writer for many anti-slavery newspapers in the United States. Nell refers to the Post family home at 36 Sophia Street in Rochester. Benjamin Cleggett was Nell's brother-in-law, who married Frances. Sarah was Post's sister. Mary was Post's step-daughter. Henry Garnet was an abolitionist lecturer. Lewis Hayden Grimes was a former slave, who became an abolitionist leader. Louisa was Nell's sister, and Ira was her son. Amos Bronson Alcott was an American Transcendentalist. Sarah Burtis was Susan B. Anthony’s second cousin and an abolitionist and woman’s rights activist. Nell inquires about their mutual friend Sarah Thayer. Phebe and Abby were relatives of Post's.

Charles Lenox Remond was an American orator and abolitionist. Joseph H. Putnam was Remond's brother-in-law and an abolitionist. Wendell Phillips was an American abolitionist. Nell refers to the "water cure", a nineteenth century health remedy.

Sarah Hallowell was Post's sister. Sarah Birney was a mutual friend and abolitionist. Jacob, Joseph and Willie were Post's sons. Mary Ann helped to take care of Willie. Nell refers to the growing Spiritualist movement, whose followers believed that through mediums they could communicate with the dead. Isaac Post believed himself to be a medium and in 1852 published the book Voices From The Spirit World, Being Communications From Many Spirits. William Lloyd Garrison was a radical abolitionist and the editor of the Liberator. Edmund Quincy was a member of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society and edited a number of anti-slavery publications.

William and Mary Hallowell were Post's son-in-law and step-daughter. Mrs. Van Lew was an abolitionist who would serve as a spy for the Federal Government during the Civil War. Louisa Jacobs was author and former slave, Harriet Jacobs's daughter. Charles Sumner was a Senator from Massachusetts and a radical abolitionist.

Elias and Rhoda De Garmo were early members of the Western New York Anti-Slavery Society.

Tags

Abolitionism; Personal

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 24, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3251.

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