Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

George William Abbot and Georgiana Abbot to their sister Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, 21 June 1845

[From George William Abbot on the ship Tonquin at sea, to his sister Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch in Tarboro, North Carolina. The letter was started 21 June 1845, about 2 1/2 months after Elizabeth's marriage to Joseph Henry Bowditch, and added to on 10 July. It was apparently sent to his family home in Beverly, Massachusetts, where it arrived four months later. His sister Georgiana added a long section to it, dated 17 October 1845, and sent it on to Elizabeth.

In George's letter he describes leaving Boston; talks about his crew mates, and a little about life on board; and asks about Elizabeth's wedding. Georgiana's section says that their brother George appears to be a changed person, for the better; mentions Elizabeth's trip home (to Tarboro); and talks about the activities of various family members and friends.

Addressed to "Mrs. Joseph H. Bowditch, Tarboro, N. Carolina."]

At Sea, June 21st 1845

Dear Sister,

Here I am, where I so often wished to be, when I were at home so comfortably situated, not then thinking or being aware, before this time out, how dear that place is & those friends I leave behind are. As I should have so many letters to write when I arrived & you being the farthest off, I thought it expedient to com. one to you here in the Lat. 38º.38 S. & Long. 52º.52 E., booming her off at the rate of 10 knots, 83 days from Boston.

After leaving you at Beverly, Sam & I cruised about Boston in the fore noon & at 1 oc. went on board & was towed down the harbour & came to an anchor, I being so busy that I was not aware of her leaving the wharf until too late to bid father¹ or Israel² good bye, which I am heartily sorry for. At dark I turned in & went to sleep, dreaming that I was in the dancing school surrounded by all those bright faces & one especially seemed to be rather soberer than usual, talking to me about leaving, &c., when I heard that doleful & startling cry of All han----ds Aho---y come, rouse out my lads & get under weigh. All the good times that I had had at home, & every body there, came into my mind at once, & you had better believe that I wished the Tonquin, & all that belonged to her, a long way off, but after being out a few days all those thoughts vanished, & I became perfectly contented, although the living & the compactness of the forecastle came hard.

We have had as yet a long passage, the Tonquin not sailing as fast as expected, there is not much danger of our beating Elisha³ much.⁴ Capt. Blackler⁵ & the mates George Flanders & Antone Frances are all nice men, we have had watch & watch thus far & good food. The Crew are nearly all foreigners. In our watch, that is the 2nd. mates, we are nearly of a size. There is a young fellow by the name of Meredith Amory Sullivan,⁶ 29 years old, a nephew of Colonel Perkins of Boston, having been very extravagant & wild in his younger days, has spent a fortune & has now com the world again in the forecastle a reformed fellow, very much regretting his past conduct. His mother⁷ & sisters are very rich & he can have money when he wishes, but he has got too much pride to take from them, after having squandered away his own. It is a pity that W. M. W.⁸ did not have a little of such pride. Erasmus Thompson⁹ is another young fellow belonging to Boston. His mother¹⁰ is rich also, but he is not much anyhow. Sam, a Swede, a Dane, & a Dutchman make up our number.

Having now written you where I am & how I am situated, I must say something about a Mrs. B., who I immagine sitting at the Larboard window on the Starboard side of the forward part of the Tar Bucket Hotel hazing that little Jerushia to kill [?]. But stop! I am going too fast. I would first like to know how the party went off & how you felt? did you faint? Who was your groomsman, was Sarah¹¹ brides maid, & did Ann Augusta¹² eclipse the bride, & numerous other questions, which I presume all will be answered before you receive this, if you have had an opportunity of writing. The night that you were married, at 8 oc. I eat a piece of cake, giving a piece also to some of my friends, & imagined the rest. It being my watch below, I were sleeping whilst you were in the heat of action at home. I expect that our house has not been in such an uproar for a long time before, & perhaps never will be again, unless it is at my splice. Can you guess who will be the other half?

The cake & pies, which were so nicely packed, lasted but a little while, as the forecastle was so damp the pies molded & I lost two. The box I have got rigged into a book case in my bunk. I have still most of the wedding, intending to give Elisha³ a piece if he has not gone before we arrive. Sarah's¹³ pickles were Chop Chop & every time I ate one I thought of our walk around Danvers. She is a fine girl & I presume she will miss you much. Give my love & respects to your husband J. H. B.¹⁴ & tell him it is rather bad to be so near a relation, and at such a distant an acquaintance, which I hope ere long to destroy, by a visit from you to Beverly when I get home. Can you say Jo. now, or do you still stick to the him? I must now bid you adieu & com. a letter to Georgiana¹⁵ or Sarah,¹³ the weather being so bad along here that I do not get much spare time. This I expect to leave at Augier Point as we pass up the straits to Canton. If I do not I shall write more. Wishing you a life of peace & harmony, I remain your aff. brother

George Wm. Abbot

J[____] 10th

Since I last wrote we have sailed some distance & am [_____]cting to make Java Head tomorrow. I have written home [_____]an time. We are overhauling our weapons of defence, so that [_____] in readiness for the Pirates, who infest the China Seas. [_____] dirty work, that is tarring &c., which leaves me but [_____]l. Do not let Jo. see this letter, for he is a sort of literary [_____] laugh, but you must excuse every thing.

To, Mrs. Joseph Henry Elizabeth Blanchard Abbot Bowditch
O, what a name. Whew!

[The following part of the letter was written by Elizabeth's sister Georgiana.]

Friday 6 PM Oct 17th 1845

Dear Sister,

Won't you be surprised to get this letter from George.¹⁶ We were delighted. He wrote Pa¹ one, and Ma¹⁷ and I one together three pages long. I wish you could read it, tis a very good letter indeed. George seems to me to have altered. He begs to be forgiven for his ingratitude to us last winter, says he must have made us feel badly when we were trying to do every thing to please him, "but you will find me an altered person when I get home again" he says. He has given me a long message to Sarah Ellen,¹³ says he has a letter ready and will send it to her enclosed in one of Elisha's³ when he arrives at Canton. He says he shall depend on my learning some songs especially for him. He wants to hear some music, so I shall look out for the music book as soon as you have a chance to send anything.

And then your letter today was so very welcome. I have sent to the office every day hoping to get something from you. We thought you spent Sunday in Baltimore. We were so glad that you had reached home in such good time. Ma says that she shall look for her private letter with pleasure. You had better believe that I shan't read it, I'm great for searching out letters that I ought not to read. Tell Joe Henry¹⁴ I was delighteted with even[?] his line[?] if it was a "Premis[?] Garde." I won't certainly eat them all up. I do think they shrink a little but I haven't tasted them since you went away [_____]tainly.

I couldn't help thinking how you must have suffered from fatigue, as I read of your getting out of one car into another. Weren't you glad to get home. Did "Elise" inquire particularly for me. If so, my respects to her.

This afternoon I have called in to Sarah Folgers,¹⁸ she is at her Ma Lovetts,¹⁹ and into Miss Ann Augustas,¹² down to Mrs. Rebecca Edwards.²⁰ Then I carried your letter to E. Woodberry.²¹ She read it and was much pleased that you were not too spry for your own good.

This letter will be all the one you will receive this week. E. says she shall wait to get yours before she writes, as it will be better than to write the same day that [_____] Hannah²² will write the [_____]gain. She (E) would have [_____]h if I had not been going to send this.

I send you a skein of colored tambour, the red I could not get, 6 cents a skein. I will send the red some other time when the man gets some.

Mrs. Pearson²³ was down yesterday. She merely called here. You started from N. Y. before Charles Frederic²⁴ arrived there.

Miss Frink²⁵ has been in. She is waiting for her letter. Don't keep her off long.

Halsey²⁶ went today by water.

We are all well. Grandma²⁷ and Mrs. Mackay²⁸ spent the afternoon here yesterday.

I have doffed my curls and wear my hair over my ear now. I like it much better.

Hannah²² was not at home this afternoon. She spent the eve hear Monday.

I wish you had written George.¹⁶ I have written a great many times and told him all about you, and yours, so that will do.

Good bye. I won't say a word if I have a letter before my turn comes again, but shall be very particular to have one every third Sunday. Tell Joe Henry¹⁴ I won't eat all the preserves up again. Good bye. Yours

G.

 

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.