Griffing, Josephine Sophie White. Letter to Sojourner Truth.

Title

Griffing, Josephine Sophie White. Letter to Sojourner Truth.

Creator

Griffing, Josephine Sophie White

Contributor

Sojourner Truth

Date

1869-01-07

Description

Handwritten letter from Josephine Sophie White Griffing to Sojourner Truth. Griffing writes to to Truth about the progress the Freedman's Bureau is making in Washington, D.C.

Subject

Griffing, Josephine W. (Josephine White), 1814-1872

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

1760

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

[Text aligned vertically along top of Page 1]

Dear Sojourner in a BasKet down below
                                     I find this
                                     letter- [illegible]
                                    [illegible] & I send
                                    it to let you Know
                                    that I did not
                                    forget you.
                                      I was of course
                                                 done through
                                                 mistake in
                                                 picKing up
                                                 papers.
                                                 Why dont
                                                 you send
                                                 for young
                                                     man we
                                                 are full
                                                     of them
                                                     wanting
                                                     to go. Do
                                                     send for
                                                     some.-
                                                 if possible
                                                 you see
                                                 by the [paper?]
                                                 how things
                                                 go- Congress
                                                 is awaKe
                                                 to duty.
                                                 but we are
                                                 in hot water
                                                 with the
                               President if he is not
                               impeached we suffer.
             that is the [prospect?] is [illegible] [illegible]
                                                                                                Washington Jan 4” 1869

               Dear Sojourner
                                     Your letter came in
due time but I had sent them gone to N. England
with another company of Freedpeople [sic] and
came home just as the Extreme cold came on
and so never not returned your Box to you and
otherwise would.
            I sent it two days ago by Express- no I
mean on Freight I found it would cost five or
six dollars to send it by Express. Mr Clark had
no way to get it to the Depot when he went to
Mich and no way to hire a man to take it &
I was not here at the time. You Know he is very
poor indeed & a dollar to him is a great deal.
            Your things are taKen care of as you wished
to [sic] are still in the house and shall remain
through this month and perhaps go on. No
decision of Gen’l. Howard yet & things on when you
left. The [more?] you much, still feel glad that
you went when you did as it has been so very
cold in the building and no new stove or any repairs.

(Page 2)

Mr Newton called to see you this weeK but
as I told him I did not Know when you would
be back did not leave the money that I
presume he would have paid you for last month
You can write him when you will come
and ask him to Keep it, send it to you. & I
think you had better do so.
             I have not been up to the Hospital or
seen Dr Glennan and should thinK you
had better write him if you did not tell
him about the money and do not liKe to taKe
the responsibility of asKing him to let me send
it to Richmond. I will do as you wish me to, with
the money if it can be had from Dr Glennan,
              As to the teeth—very soon after you left
Dr James, who had tried, but failed, to get a good
impression of your mouth-fell on the back of his
head and in two days died- and we have
not had his place filled- now Dr Howland
says you had better wait till your gums are
sound and the process dissolved and then
have an impression that will be right and give
you permanent teeth. As it is there an impres
sion taKen for your teeth here now and nothing

(Page 3)

            Can be done till you come back. Then
           the worK will be well done so says Mr Howland.
            Things go on as usual with the Freedpeople
Except that the suffering in dreadful among the
old and young children. A great many
men are going away and a good many
women There is great need of help for the
suffering ours from the South but no one is
calling attention to the fact.   Yesterday a great
dinner was given at Freedman village and
contributions sent in from all parts of the
country- even from Mass. There was not the
Govt but the friends of humanity. Sent out a
circular saying just what you said, when
you were here, or when you came from there.
       I think great good will come of it. [illegible]
       ClarK, opposed it in the Daily paper- sent as
       you and I have been opposed when we have
shown the where the freedpeople have been
wronged.
                 Dr Ellis your old acquaintance- died last
week his wife is in trouble now and perhaps
will be humbled in her spirit Mrs Baldwin came
to see us yesterday sent her love to you.

(Page 4)

I am rejoiced at your good meetings -
and the welcome that your friends give
you. I Know that it would be so- how much
I should love to worK in some of your grand
gatherings- Please remember all you can to tell
me when I see you. and if possible write me
again and pardon me for so long delaying to
write.
            The girls join me in sincere love to you
and Mr & Mrs Howland wish to be remembered.
You will hear from the Pres- in a veto this
week but Negro Suffrage & universal suffrage
cannot be Kept back by any such measures.
God has arisen for the rights of the poor and
justice will be brought to the lines in spite of [Kings?]
or Presidents.
                 I hope to hear from you soon and
will enclose the one dollar (of the two sent) as
I can do nothing about the teeth. I had to hire
a team (for a dollar) to taKe the Box. Hope it will
reach you safely- with warmest affection
                  Ever Yours Js. Griffing
                                [illegible]

Louisa sends much love to you & hopes you are quite well.

[Text aligned upside down along top margin of Page 4]

Mr. Newton called again to see if you were back has a little

[Text aligned vertically along left margin of Page 4]

Money for you. I told him I did not Know when you would come. Write soon

[Text written horizontally along bottom margin of Page 4]

Please & tell us what you think. JSG.

[Text written vertically along right margin of Page 4]

All send love to you JS. G

Annotations

Josephine Sophie White Griffing, a social reformer is writing from Washington, D.C. to abolitionist and former slave, Sojourner Truth. Griffing refers to the impeachment proceedings brought by Congress against President Andrew Johnson. General Oliver Howard was in charge of the Freedman's Bureau during this period. The Bureau was founded after the Civil War to help former slaves find food and housing, education, health care, and employment. Dr. Glennan was Truth's nephew who worked at the Freedman's Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Tags

Freed Slaves; Medicine

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Griffing, Josephine Sophie White, “Griffing, Josephine Sophie White. Letter to Sojourner Truth.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 21, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/4043.

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