Truth, Sojourner. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Truth, Sojourner. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Truth, Sojourner

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1867-11-04

Description

Handwritten letter from Sojourner Truth to Amy Kirby Post. Truth writes to Post about the new lot she acquired.

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

1661

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

                          Battle Creek Mich. Nov. 4^th 1867
                                 Mrs. Amy Post
                                    Dear Friend

I want to have written to
you before but I did not
get around to it. I never
have recieved [sic] any thing [sic]
for the transportation yet
although I have written twice
I have bought a house ^lot^
here in town and I have
Mortgaged it and I have
not got enough money
to make it comfortable
I have mortgaged every
thing [sic] I have got and I
have not got enough
yet lacking my body and
a few rags are not
mortgaged yet I wish
you and Miss Stebbins

(Page 2)

and Mrs Watkins would
get up a contribution
so that I can get my house
[down?] so that you can
[go live?] and see me but
you must bring your
rituals it is so cold I
cant go around and sell
my photographs. I want
you to come but bring
something along to eat
for I am to [sic] poor to get
anything to eat. Tell Mr.
Willis to [reach?] out
to me for I shant be
here long. I have been
at work at my cellar
myself carring [sic] the dirt
out, it was so heavy that
could not shovel it out
so I would carry it out
in my apron it was
in the ^Standard^ to send me

(Page 3)

something but they have
sent me but very little
I cant pay the $5 now
but I shall be there next
spring if I live do try and get
me something from the
ladies as soon as possible
for I have to live among
my neighbor now My
lot has got a barn on it
and I am trying to get the
barn fixed over into a house
Gerrit Smith sent me
$10 that I am gratiful [sic] for
                 Very truly yours
                     Sojourner Truth

Direct to Sojourner Truth
                    Battle Creek
                                        Mich
Care of Mrs E.. M. Rhoades

(Page 4)

45 Montgomery St Syracuse
Mrs. Howe formerly Mrs. [Morison?]

Annotations

Sojourner Truth, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Battle Creek, Michigan to fellow activist, Amy Post. Mrs. Stebbins most likely refers to Catherine Stebbins, who was a Quaker, and a member of the Western New York Anti-Slavery Society. Mr. Willis could refer to Edmund P. Willis, Post's brother-in-law, or Nathaniel Willis- an abolitionist. The Anti-Slavery Standard was an abolitionist newspaper. Gerrit Smith was an abolitionist. The note on the fourth page seems to have been written by a third party.

Tags

Personal

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Truth, Sojourner, “Truth, Sojourner. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 22, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3949.

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