Collins, Henry. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Collins, Henry. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Collins, Henry

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1867-01-19

Description

Handwritten letter from Henry Collins to Amy Kirby Post, January 19, 1867.

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

1593

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

                                Vineland, N Jersey
         Dear Amy         Jan. 1867
         I wrote thee very soon after
my arrival here and not a line
has reachd [sic] me from thee I think
my dear friend must be very busy
or in some trouble or anxiety
I do want to hear from you
all my Rochester friends have yet
a strong claim on my regard
and may I not have some proof of
your esteem pretty soon
I have been a resident of Vineland
almost 2 mo^th^s and I am more happy
than I anticipated The society here is good
and I can attend at the Hall which be=
longs to the "Friend of progress" tho we are
3 miles distant - H Collins goes to the village
of "station" almost dayly [sic] and Thomas attends
school there this winter we have a thin
coat of snow not enough for a sleigh
and the roads are as good as summer
the woods of pine and oak are so full
of foliage tho the latter is dry and brown

(Page 2)

2 page
contrasting with the pine still green and
all small being only a few years growth
we can see but few houses but we know
they are on every side all the land taken
up and mostly built on for 5 miles around
The winter is more uniformly cold and
freezing than usual I suppose from
sympathy with the "north" we have had
letters from Ashwood and Auburn also
from W^m C Well and now comes the stand
ard & Commonwealth - from the well known
hand of the good man who does not for
get us - He is not ejected from the P Office
it seems _ We have had Charles Burleigh
here gave a good Lecture also Emma
Hardinge _ Lucy Stone and H Blackwell
who have started the Question of "Equal rights"
and now H C Wright tommorr [sic] (sat) we
are to have a convention of 3 meetins in
one day to give the "earnest ones" a chance
to discuss the subject I intend to go down
and stay all day I hope H C Wright will not
monopolize too much tho' people are
apt to like long preachments those who
cant do their own thinking but I want
to hear from those who have not been
in the habit of hearing their own voices
I regretted no seing [sic] Lucy Stone but
I cant go to evening Lectures very well
tho my health is about as good

(Page 3)

3d
My health is very good has been im
   proving ever since I left Auburn
   Isaac and Abbie have now in
prospect a new home on the east side
of Seneca Lake near the head close
by a village calld [sic] Hector and planted
partly with grapes a small house like
that at Genesee St a barn pearch orchard
orchard and small fruit Isaac has been
to see the place and A thinks she
shall like it and I shall be glad for
them to have a little home
We have had a very pleasant visit from an
old friend of my girls she is the daughter
of Ellen Haviland attended school with
Dorcas when young and now comes here
a widow for the 2^d time from the West where
she has pass'd thro' an experience which has
been instructive I have enjoyd [sic] her company
and now she has left for N Bedford visiting
her [frnd?], there intending to see "old Scipoo"
before her return West
Well I have been with George Prior thro the
last of his Earth life he linger'd a few weeks &
passd away in his 88^th year full of hope
hope and full of love saw a lovely vision
of light a day of two previous, and was vis=
ited by several good Mediums who are
                                          residents of Vine Land

(Page 4)

I shall be able to see some of them
at their homes but there are not much
going on now here publicly indeed
I think I prefer such a treat privately
Wilson Prior has married a dear good
woman who has been a comfort to his
dear aged Father thro' his sickness (they
were married after he was taken ill)
she is very dear to me as a friend
already she seems to understand me
and _ makes herself familiar with my
inmost feelings _ Her ^former^ home is in
Randolph Cataraugus Co (I believe) she
knew Mary Davis in and through her
trials and was with her at the time of
her separation from M^r [Love?] she gives a
very dear statement of facts, and states
that he is a very fickle man and must
have exiting [sic] changes his Business transactions
&c &c are all in that line that she loved
him dearly but as her love was not returnd [sic]
she could not live without the "Article"
and Lucetta Prior (formerly Brown) describes
the Anguish which Mary suffer'd at the
parting as most in tense I know my dear
Amy will be glad that I have such a
new found friend give my love to Susan
Richmond and ask her to let me hear from
her some time
                        Direct to H Collins -

(Page 5)

Dorcas Collins has had one poor turn like the
Influenza but is now well as usual she
enjoys having me with her and I am able
to make myself useful to her   They are all
H & D & son Thomas all at the Village the men
attend a Lecture by Solon Robinson the subject
"What is [Dirt?] D has gone to have a short
dress fitted I am all alone not even a
"cat" I shall finish writing and retire
as it is evening and I am making tracks
for the [sic] to decipher if the [sic] can I dont write
good at all but thee will be able to
find out my meaning if any one can

(Page 6)

Do let me hear from Willit the dear
boy how much I think of him
Ann Pound told me of a Brother Elijah
who had some intention of coming to this
country _ please let her know I wish
to hear from her niece Emma Coleman
good night my dear friends
Isaac & Amy Post . . .

Tags

Education; Friends of Human Progress; Spiritualism; Women's Rights

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Collins, Henry, “Collins, Henry. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 24, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3880.

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