Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch to her daughter Georgiana Abbot Bowditch, 1888-91

[From Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, probably from Burnsville, North Carolina, and probably to her daughter Georgiana in Micaville, North Carolina. She talks about people she has visited and seen, and people boarding where she is staying.

The letter is incomplete and undated. It's a single sheet of paper, about 6.5 by 9 inches, folded in half so that there are four pages to write on. The first page in the part of the letter transcribed here has the number 2 in the upper right corner, with no numbers on the remaining pages. All four pages have been cross-written, and it ends in mid-sentence, with no closing, so the first and third (or more) sheets are missing. It was written in pencil, and has faded in some spots. Some words, especially in the creases where the letter was folded, can't be read.

From the content and handwriting it was clearly written by Elizabeth during one of the years in which she periodically spent time staying at the boarding house run by the Garrett Ray family in Burnsville, starting about 1888. The letter mentions Solomon Carter ("Sol"), who died in 1891. It was thus probably written between 1888 and 1891, and to her daughter Georgiana, like the other letters she wrote from Burnsville.]

Carter¹ to go over & see her often. She says she did not see me enter town, but that Landon² told her, which gentleman I have not even caught a glimpse of. He went to Shoal Creek on Sunday. I gave Mrs. Carter your message about the Yeast, and she said she wanted some too, and Sol³ would attend to it.

On Sunday night it rained furiously all night from the appearance of the ground. My window was open, & I waked up to shut it and then went off snoring I suppose. I have a room to myself and therefore did not hear so.

On Monday after dinner I went to Scins, saw her, and her dog. She seemed very glad to see me, and she had him perform on the chickens that had got into the garden. A very smart dog. What else could he be! A brother to Rex!

On my way home, called into Mrs. Woodfins⁴ (Johnny⁵ told you I saw her at the Drs the day I came in town. She looks well but much thinner than when I saw her last. Talked much of her mother⁶ & invited me there to spend the day today, but I declined, as I made an engagement to go & see Mrs. Dan Carter⁷ and told her I would stay some time & would come. Miss Ida Lewis⁸ was there when I went, and ere I left Miss Lizzie Ray, Mr. Briggs eldest daughter, and the next one came in from the store. I staid there till I thought it time to go back. Saw Mr. Briggs, he knew me, wh I thought rather irregular.

We have a Mr. Tiffany boarding here. He says he has been to our house [__?__] son. Mr. B.⁹ he said was not there. I think he said he dined. He is an exceedingly pleasant gentleman, is from Conn. Has rented Mr. Ray's¹⁰ old store for Mica, has bought Tom's¹¹ I think Julia¹² said. They all talk of Tom, but Mr. Ray. He has never mentioned him.

Yesterday Mr. Gear's son & a Boston gent. came & is still here. Mr. Ross left for Asheville in all the rain yesterday morn'g, but a good opportunity offered to go with a drummer[?], & he ventured.

Mr. Alfred Irwin came last night and his seat is next to me at table. Such an old looking man! I was not expecting to see one so aged.

And now I think I can imagine you all at home but Pa. I expect he has gone to Jo's,¹³ & Charlie¹⁴ was at Shoal Creek I presume on Sunday. And I presume Maggie was, as Scin [?] made her a dress for the occasion.

If you have had weather like us, you have beets & cabbages both set out.

Mr. Peterson brought home some trout, tho salt, were quite a treat. And Charlie¹⁵ killed me a partridge today. And this Eve he &

 

Copyright Charles Towne. Usage of this work is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0
Compiler: Charles Towne

Page created by John Cardinal's Second Site v8.03.