Willis, Mary W. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Willis, Mary W. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Willis, Mary W

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1843-3-06

Description

Handwritten letter from Mary W Willis to Amy Kirby Post, March 16, 1843.

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

1999

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

Jericho the 16 of 3th [?] 1843

My much esteemed
Sister A. Post ____. It is so long since hearing or in other
words receiving a letter from thee, that I feel as though it
would be best to give thee an invitation to try to get in
the quiet and thy mind composed, and then write me a
good old fashion letter, but I expect this will be a state that
will be verry [sic] difficult for thee to com [sic] at, as it appears from
some of the A. S. Papers that thee and Sister Sarah are very
much engaged in A. S. fairs, conventions and Meetings of one
kind and another and I am fearing that your minds are to [sic] much
with these things, to the exclusion of that that [sic] is better
I saw some months ago in the A. S. standard an account of the
convention at Utica in which there was a great many resolu
tions [sic] offered and passed, some I believe said they would blow
up the constitution some would not live under the constitution
and I think one was offered by W. L.Garrison and passed,
wherein he said he rejoiced to see in his own native state
the spirit of 76 to revive. The Spirit of 76 was a spirit of
war a spirit of shedding blood, a spirit that would rather
take the lives of thousands of there [sic] fellow creatures than
ever to pay a tax of a few cents on a pound of tea. If a
nonresistant can rejoice in such a spirit as the spirit of 76
then I think the spirit of a Christian and the spirit of a
profesed [sic] nonresistant is two very, different spirits. now If thee
^and^ Sarah can unite with and vote for such resolutions, then
you may bid farewell to real Quakerism. _______ I saw in the

(Page 2)

Liberator a few weeks since a letter from (I believe) one
of your members to the editor of that paper giving an account
of a meeting in friends meeting house in Rochester and also an
account of a social visit that Sarah Underwood made with
one of your neighbours, and the conversation that passed –
at the time, and evidently intended to lesen [sic] her as a minister.
some of our Abolitionist [s?] like that part of the letter verry [sic]
much say it is just what she deserved, but I can say that I
disapprove of such treatment I think it unchristian and ungen
tlemanly _____ plase [sic] to say to William and Mary that we
congratulate them on their marriage, but the invitation for us to
attend did not reach us until [sic] after the accomplish [sic] of it. J. W.

[Here John Willis’s wife Mary Willis (Amy Post’s sister) inserts
a few paragraphs.]

My husband gave me an invitation to fill the blank of this page on
looking over and correcting the spelling I feel willing to add a little
by way of remembrance and sisterly affection. I wrote to send by Jeffries
but somehow it got left: for which I felt a regret as it was
rather better than I generally write. mother [sic] said you talk’d [sic] like com
ing early in the Spring and I begin to think whether you will step in
soon and take us by surprise as cold as it is ^ it is winter weather yet here
Abbie Thurston has been spending a week with us, just left yesterday, when
Josehp [sic] gets out to Rochester I suppose you will have an opportunity of
becoming acquainted with her, Joseph has enquired several times when you
are coming, he seems to be alive [?] to going West. As I have so little room I must
write short sentences . Catherine writes she is improving, and gaining strength
father and mother in usual health, mother W…. [Willis?] also. Lydia Seaman gains lately
has been very feeble many weeks. I think James [C K?] improves in his ministerial
line, and Robert gives ^speaks^ a little by way of exhortation. Jacob L. Mott
is in our borders [?] did you
see A Thurstons [sic] letter to S. Underwood. please remember me to her, sister Sarah

(Page 3)

and Mary and all of you as if named share a portion an equal portion
tell Matilda little Sarah can entertain her nicely with conversation
and is a prety [sic] nice girl to play with. Esther Haviland is up with her two
little boys she finds employment for both hands, aunt P. Carpenter
has pretty good health this winter. I suppose I must close as I am limited
for room and have already gone over limits. Thy sister M.W.W.

[Here John Willis returns for the rest of Page 3.]

This is for Jeffries. ---- Joseph D. Thurston has a choice in
spending some time at the west If thee could find a suitable
place for him, he would like to reside with a farmer and
in a family that are friends and not many small children he
has lived with us about 18 months and we can say that he is
well educated well behaved and industrius [sic], and richley [sic] earns
his board, and we should like to have him continue with us
until [sic] he gets his farm but he does not appear to be willing
to purchas [sic] one on long [sic] Island at present for his head seams [sic] to [be?]
filled with the west, he would like to reside within the compass
of Rochester P. Meeting, but if no suitable place is found within
the limits of Rochester, any other place that may offer within 10
or 15 Miles need not be objected to. _______ we have given him his board

and washing for his work, and that will be all that he will
expect from those he resides with. he [sic] would like to leave
here directly after our yearly meeting, in 5 month. Please
to let us know when thee finds a place and where it is, but
if there is no place to be found, just say to us that there is
no suitable place to be had at presnt [sic], and then perhaps
he may remain satisfied [sic] where he is --- (privacy. Joseph talks
sometimes as if he would like to get a Wife not far from
where he gets his farm but he has not said any thing about
thy having thee to be on the lookout, but thee may take the
hint Affectionately, thy John Willis

(Page 4)

[Here Mary Willis returns to fill the top and bottom margins,
with John Willis writing the address in the center.]

7th day morning & very clear cold weather after a severe storm
of wind and snow, and our men are talking about going to the
sale of O. Willets household furniture. [sic] Hannah lives at Jacobs but
thinks she has difficulty in getting to meeting, however she mostly
gets their [sic] first days sometimes Abby [?] and the children go with her.
At our last Mo Meeting we had 4 requests to be joined in membership
it seemed almost like a wonder that and surprise that It so, at the
present time. J. Plummer and Whitehead Hicks are having meetings within
our borders & Plummer’s wife is very poorly with scrofula appears failing

[Text continues in bottom third of page]

I think she will be a great loss to him she has been a real staff
to him through life, their daughter after a long illness recovered, although
I presume she ^is^ yet feeble I do look a little for Jacob L. Mott as there is
no meeting to day. he had two m. gs appointed yesterday Bethpage and
Jerusalem. I think they must have had a pretty trying time in getting
over the plains through snow and wind. I thought early in the morning
they would be likely to give it up, but the storm ceased, and ^the^ sun shone –
Jacob Jackson has steped [sic] and is talking and telling how wonderfully
John and Whitehead have preached he sais [sic] every body seems aroused.
he thinks there never was such a time. Do write and let us hear of your
good works affectionately your sister Mary W Willis

[Address in center of page, running upward]

Jericho NY
March 20.

Amy Post
Care of Isaac Post
Rochester
Monroe Co.
New York

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Willis, Mary W, “Willis, Mary W. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 21, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/4273.

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