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

1853-06-22

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about their mutual friends, whom he has seen.

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

994

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

           Boston June 22. 1853

Wed AM 12. oclock at antislavery
                                             office

Esteemed Friend Amy Post.

Many thanks for Your excellent
message = I am so elated
with the prospect of soon
taKing you by the hand and
catching the inspiration
of those eyes which always
beamed so Kindly upon me
that the one thought almost
absorbs all others.
    Though my anticipated stay
in Rochester will be of but
a very brief duration: Yet You
and myself must reserve a
season for one good talk
   Here comes our mutual friend
Lucy Stone who sends her love
to You= she told me of the
good times with You-

(Page 2)

I. Yesterday assisted her in copying
at the Library = some ancient records
of Woman.-

I am very Sorry to learn that
You are an invalid = I trust
though by this time = You are on
the high road to permanent
recovery. How happy I shall be to
see Sarah Hallowell = Willis
I dont Know what to anticipate
about the Convention = If Douglass
will but act for the general
good = and ShaKe off those
evil elbow influences
which have thus far so
much controlled him we
may hope = but not if
otherwise = I have but
very little affinity with
or confidence in him now
How fallen from what
his early anti slavery [sic]
prestige promised.

(Page 3)

You ask if Miss Wood will be
at Rochester = I have no reason
to think so = though a few days
since she was preparing to
travel = If You never see
the original I have in my Scrap
Book an engraving which convey
Some idea of her looKs

You rally me also = about
rumored engagements -
a person liKe me having
withheld so long for marrying
Cannot = surrender himself
Captive Without due consideration
of the question = whether
interest and affection blend
in such proportion as to allow
no anticipation of regret –

[Two lines of text aligned horitzontally along left margin of Page 3]

Lots of talk on this matter
however.

Dorcas Collins writes me that Abby
is there and Phebe is Soon expected
So You see I look for a nice
Visit on return from Rochester.

Frank arrived safe home
and I suppose has handed
You my note =

(Page 4)

I have been put to some
anxiety thus far in getting
the Cash for my pamphlets
but I am reconciled to
such matters -
Rev D. A. Payne is now here
You remember his taKing tea
at 36 Sophia St once = He is
now a Bishop in the Methodist
(Bethel) Connection.--

Give my choicest regards to
every body [sic] at home = I shall soon
liKe the man in the story bring
my them myself
Gratefully Yours Wm C. Nell

-

How I do want to hear
Isaac Post once again on
the Spiritual communications
Shall I see Mrs J. Kirby Post?

Annotations

William Cooper Nell, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Boston to fellow activist, Amy Post. Lucy Stone was an abolitionist and woman's rights activist. Sarah Hallowell was Post’s sister and helped to plan the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention in Rochester.

Nell refers to the recent split in the anti-slavery movement between Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison. Douglass no longer believed that the United States Constitution was pro-slavery- unlike Garrison- he believed it was anti-slavery.

Abby and Phebe Thayer were relatives of the Post family. Frances was one of Nell's sisters. Nell refers to the Post family home at 36 Sophia Street in Rochester. Reverend D.A. Payne was a Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). Nell refers to the Spiritualist movement, whose followers believed that through mediums they could communicate with the dead. Mrs. J. Kirby Post refers to one of Post's relatives.

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 24, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3283.

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