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

1855-01-02

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about recent events in the Boston anti-slavery 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

1051

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

                            Boston January 2^d 1855

Kind Friend Amy
                               Mr. and Mrs. Webb are now
in the office = they are writing to Samuel J. May
at Syracuse to arrange    a reading these
and She is ready and willing to occupy an
evening in Rochester = and as I understand
her, for the terms You pay to others from
abroad = Her present eastern engagements
terminate on the 10^th inst after which She
is for Westward Ho =
                                  Now let me suggest
Your immediate writing to Mr May - and
as he will have Mrs Webbs letter You
Syracuse and Rochester can promote an
arrangement Satisfactory to all parties if
a letter is despatched [sic] here for Mrs. Webb -
Soon as possible (she prefers of cous
                               Mr. Garrison lectures in
Buffalo the next evening after Rochester and
Samuel J. May has arranged for other lectures
of Mr Garrison in Central and Western New York
I am glad of this and so are You-

What with typographical errors and Omissions
the Presentation report is not what it might be

(Page 2)

But upon the whole is satisfactory for the
meeting was a grand one

Though my friends tell me I succeeded
very well =I Know not how I got
through = I carne very near breaKing
down at least once = but I hopefully
Survive = and all seem Satisfied
                      -

Francis Jackson is ordinarily well was
in the office Just now = So was
Wendell Phillips = of whom You are
very much mistaken in supposing any
aversion for Rochester = It is not his
likes or dislikes but Solely his
engagements that reluctantly prevent
his acquiescence in Your request .

   The Bazaar closed last evening with
a full company =and pleasant time
indeed = The reciepts [sic] about $5000!

   memory occasionally Sends a thought
to Your Circles Bazaar at Minerva
Hall = those were happy days for
the faithful of Rochester=
what a         Cloud has since interposed
but thier [sic] Vision is strong -and the Sun is not

(Page 3)

obscured for all that-

   Andrew T. Foss has had such a
Spiritual experience a day or two since
in Boston = (communications from a
Daughter) as to cause his saying to me
in presence of Mr Wallcut-
      Well to day [sic] I am a believer what
ever I may be in the future-

One antislavery [sic] friend in the Bazaar
last evening promised to secure a
portion of my parlor furniture if I
would get married = I declared
my       hope to be annexed to

Somebody (I don't Know who) during
this Year =   and so I will if I
can =         Now how You and
Jacob and Sarah and Mary Johnson
at and others are laughing –

Well laugh away = Sarah Burtis
is I believe to present me among
other things with a choice
Basket of Fruit from thier [sic]
unrivalled Orchard on Genesee St
My Rochester Collection will be a fine one

(Page 4)

Hope Lewis Burtis is all right again-

     Next Spring ifnothing prevents
I shall spend a day in Rochester
and have a nice time with my
friends.   =
           You will please remember
me to all the Circle = I need not
name them.
                Louisa and myself
have Rochester as a Standing
Subject of Conversation She
remembers You and the friends
with special regard =She did not
get introduced to Mrs Kedzie -
I am sorry but it cant be helped now
She had a good time I expect
with Sarah Burtis.
I Knew she would liKe Mary and Sarah
Hope William R. Hallowell has driven
off his Cold = Wm. W. Brown sends greeting
   I would liKe to be at 36 Sophia St during
New Year Week = wishing Isaac Amy
and a very happy New Year I remain
                           Sincerely Yours Wm. C. Nell

Annotations

William Cooper Nell, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Boston to fellow activist, Amy Post. Samuel J. May was a radical reformer, who advocated for women's rights, education reform and the abolition of slavery. William Lloyd Garrison was a radical abolitionist and the editor of the Liberator. Annie Wood Webb was an abolitionist. Francis Jackson was an abolitionist from Boston, who was affiliated with several anti-slavery organizations, including the Boston Vigilance Committee. Wendell Phillips was an abolitionist, Native American advocate and lawyer. Andrew T. Foss was an abolitionist lecturer for the Massachusetts Anti-slavery Society. He believed in Spiritualism- a religious belief that advocated speaking through mediums to communicate with the dead.

R.F. Walcutt published an anti-slavery pamphlet containing a speech by Reverend Bleby. Jacob was Post's son, Sarah was her sister and Mary Johnson was a free black woman, who lived in Massachusetts and helped many slaves escape from the South. Sarah Burtis was Susan B. Anthony’s second cousin. She was a Quaker, woman’s rights leader, abolitionist and a Temperance advocate. Lewis was her husband. Louisa was one of Nell's sisters. Mrs. Kedzie was involved in the Spiritualist movement. William R. Hallowell was Post's son-in-law. Mary was Post's step- daughter. William W. Brown was an African American abolitionist lecturer, novelist, playwright and historian. He was born a slave and escaped to the North in 1834, where he wrote the first novel by an African American: Clotel, as well as Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave. Nell refers to the Post family home at 36 Sophia Street in Rochester.

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/3341.

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