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

1854-06-13

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about the recent events that occurred in response to the Fugitive Slave Act.

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

1028

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

                                                       Tuesday Eve 9 oclock.
                               Boston June 13^th 1854
My Kind Friend Amy Post
                                                    Here I am on board the
Bay State en route for New YorK = and availing myself
of a portable ink stand here ^am^ seated at the Cabin
centre table = penning a few lines before retiring.
     I have stolen this (my first) opportunity of
escape from Boston Fugitive Slave excitement
to finish up some long deferred business in
New York = the past two weeKs have been
Crowded with events unparallelled [sic] in the
anti slavery [sic] history of the Nation = a whole
volume       I could fill with thier [sic]
narration = did the circumstances now favor
it =I may get the Chance to impart
them verbally in July =at Rochester should my
arrangements for a Western trip be successful
I. Knew Anthony Burns soon after his arrival
here and procured him a situation at Northampton
he broke his promise however = and Soon was in
hands of the Kidnapper =        I need not tell You
that from the first to the last I was up and
doing and almost wore myself out .
and this morning sent the last on my list
2 women and a Child to Canada = Some of these

(Page 2)

Cases have been very interesting-
     John G. Whittier Sent me a letter enclosing
money to aid families of those arrested.
Mrs. Stowe forwarded by me a present of her
illustrated Uncle Tom to Mr Hayes the
Noble Policeman = She also subscribed Tenderly
on the testimonial-
                                                Boston
                                      Wednesday July 21, 1854
I improved the chance of Visiting Harriet and
Louisa Jacobs at Idlewild = and shall not soon
forget the pleasure I recieved [sic] = I reached there
Thursday noon and left Saturday morning –
Mr & Mrs Willis treated me very handsomely –
I witnessed the Christening of thier Youngest
Child Edith = = the beauties of ldlewild are
Characteristic of the Poet. I had several conversations
with Harriet Jacobs = in which Your name
and other loved Rochester associations
found prominent mention = we talked
some of Mrs Stowe =and as You are
familiar with that history I forbear
further remarks = I covet a talK
with You on these and other
topics = a more congenial plan than
that of letter writing - -
what I cannot tell You. I dont breathe to

(Page 3)

anyone –
                  My Sister Louisa is now convalescent,
her little Girl lived but a few hours-
      Did I tell You of being Groomman for
Gilliard & Helen   =   I stood with Georgiana
the whole affair was most brilliant
She ^Helen^ has returned from New YorK = he has sailed for
California = I have stood Eleven times –
and I presume for the last-
      Caroline Putman accompanied Mrs Purvis
to Philadelphia = Arriel (Wood) Webb is settled
there now   =   I had a happy time with
Georgiana and friends at Williamsburgh [sic]

    Jerry writes me from California of his hard
walK across the Isthmus and dull prospects for
Business =    I trust by this time a bright day
dawns upon him = for the SaKe of Wife &
little ones at home.
                                        I learn that my
Choice friend    Sarah Hallowell Willis is about removing
to near 36   Sophia Street = How pleasant that
must be      for You and Her=-
      I often sit down in imagination
with You Sarah and Mary Hallowell
and revel in the associations of past happy hours-

(Page 4)

Tell Jacob - that he must consider
this letter as partly belonging to him= I trust
that the happiness will Soon be mine of
ShaKing him heartily by the hand

I shall bring with me some of the
Garrison Portraits = in a few months
I shall have also Wendell Phillips-
I am having illustrations by a sKillful
Artist for     the third edition of my
BooK =      This reminds me of
Harriet Jacobs= Narrative which I have
urged her putting to press pledging
any Service in my power for its promotion

   How premature but characteristic was
Douglass = censure of Wendell Phillips course
at the Faneuil Hall meeting =-

My health continues encouraging
Hope Yours is excellent –
    Please distribute my best wishes to the
whole Circle and believe me

          Ever Gratefully Your Friend
                   William C. Nell

Annotations

William Cooper Nell, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Boston to fellow activist, Amy Post. Nell refers to the Fugitive Slave Act, which made it illegal for anyone to aid or harbor an escaping slave. Anthony Burns was born a slave and eventually escaped, but due to the recent passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, Burns was returned to his master. John G. Whittier was a Quaker poet and abolitionist. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Mr. Hayes may refer to Joseph K. Hayes, who resigned his duties as Captain of the Watch and Police to avoid adhering to the Fugitive Slave Act. Louisa Jacobs was the daughter of Harriet Jacobs, who was a former slave and wrote the novel, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. At the time of this letter, both women lived at the Idlewild home of the Willis family. Cornelia and Nathaniel P. Willis had helped Harriet escape from slavery and had employed her for a time.

Georgiana Putnam was activist, Joseph H. Putnam’s sister. She was fired for petitioning segregation in schools, while being employed by the district. Caroline Putnam was abolitionist, Charles Remond’s sister, and married to Joseph Putnam. Harriet Forten Purvis was active in anti-slavery groups. Jeremiah Sanderson was a friend of Nell's and a free black man, who left Boston to go to California and explore business opportunities. Nell refers to Post's home at 36 Sophia Street in Rochester. Sarah was Post's sister. Mary Hallowell was Post's step- daughter. Jacob was one of Post's sons. William Lloyd Garrison was a radical abolitionist and editor of the Liberator. Wendell Phillips was also an abolitionist. Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist and a former slave. Nell refers to the recent split in the anti-slavery movement between Douglass and Garrison. Douglass no longer believed that the United States Constitution was pro-slavery- unlike Garrison- he believed it was anti-slavery.

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 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3318.

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