Letter
Dublin Core
Title
1831.06.04 – Mary D. Huntington to Elizabeth W. P. Huntington, July 4, 1831
Description
Mary D. Huntington writes a letter to her mother, Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington. She firstly laments the death of her nephew little George, before discussing her daily activities, such as visiting relatives and aiding and abetting business trips. She also outlines her experience making butter––a task that humorously goes poorly. She quotes a part of her brother Whiting’s letter regarding George’s death and the importance of faith through tribulations. She mentions the birth of her brother Charles and his wife Helen’s baby girl, and walking to see her niece with the boys and her sister Bethia. She also updates her mother of her brother Frederic and cousin Marianne’s illnesses.
Creator
Mary D. Huntington
Source
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 20 Folder 13)
University of Massachusetts Special Collections and University Archives
Date
1831-06-04
Rights
public domain
Type
Correspondence
Transcription
Hadley July 4th 1831
My dear mother
As this is the afternoon we sometimes devote to letterwriting, I thought that as my time could not be more pleasantly employed than in writing to you.
We have all got along very well since you left us, at home, but we have had sorrowful news from George, which I suppose you will have heard of before this ^letter reach-es you. Your little George! He has had a short and meaningful passage through this world. But we believe he has exchanged this scene of things, for one more glorious beyond the grave. We have had a very good visit from cousin Martha since you left us. She [hole in paper] as far as uncle Phelps before dinner ^on Friday and in the afternoon came over here. She brought––Charles and Frances with her and spent the night with us.
Thursday Edward was obliged to go to Northampton on business and offered to take me with him. As I had not been over for some time I was glad to accompany him. He left me at Susans; before, and I walked from there to Charles. I spent most of the afternoon there––Helen invited Susan Flint to come and drink tea with us. Soon after tea Edward came to take me home, and before we reached home it rained quite hard.
The day after you left us I undertook to work the butter. It was so soft I was obliged to put it down in the well. About noon I took it up and tried to work it but made out so poorly that it was hardly fit to eat.
Since that I have succeeded much better.
Monsday, July 12. Last Monday I had written as far as the bottom of the first page, but finding that my ideas did not flow very readily, I concluded to defer finishing it until I felt more in the spirit of it. I suppose you have now reached Oswego and found them ^Mr. Fisher’s family in deep affliction. I hope they will be able to derive some consolation from your visit. I received a letter from Whiting Saturday. He writes— “So there lies another budding hope crushed in to opening beauties. There closes the life of one of the most interesting and promising children within the sphere of my acquaintance.” He then after having said something about ^George’s sickness and death writes “It only remains for us to make a wise improvement of this event guiding ourselves for the active discharge of duty, looking well to the motives of our actions, performing every duty we owe to God, and his holy and beloved Son Jesus Christ our Saviour, to our fellow men in every relation in life, and to our hearts and consciences, till the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, when every secret shall be made manifest, and the purposes of the holy will be made fully [hole in paper] to the praise and glory of his grace in Christ Jesus our Saviour.” I have made this extract from Whiting’s letter, because I knew you liked to see whatever was of a serious character, I will now copy a part of a letter which ^Edward received from Charles last Saturday, and we were rejoiced I can assure you to hear the news. “Helen contributed towards the increase of the next census last night by giving birth to a girl. Please notify this to our sisters at Forty Acres that they may govern themselves accordingly.” “Friday.” Bethia and I think some of riding as far as the bridge, tomorrow, with all of the boys in the rack wagon, and walking the rest of the way, in order to see our little niece.
Frederic has been some burning for a day or two past Saturday night he had considerable fever after he went to bed. He took some medicine and bathed his feet, and has been better since. He is about as well as ever now, and has been at work with the boys today.
Marianne had another fit, Thursday night. We were at Winles last night, and she told us that she was sick two days. She was taken with so violent a headache on Friday that she said it seemed as if she should be crazy. Saturday, the doctor was sent for and she was bled, and since that ^time, she has been better.
Give my love if you please to sister E. to little niece and nephews, and kiss them all for me, I hope they will not forget dear Catherine and George. Write soon and let us know how you are, and believe me as ever your affectionate daughter
Mary D Huntington
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