Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

Georgiana Abbot to her sister Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, 17 May 1846

[From Georgiana Abbot in Beverly, Massachusetts, to her sister Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch in Tarboro, North Carolina. She talks about the wedding of Clara (Choate), and how Richard (Wilkinson), who was supposed to stand up with the groom, never showed up; describes an evening party, and how the next day several attendees were sick; says she went to see Ann (Nourse) Whitney, and all her wedding presents, and how she was unimpressed with what she had been told was a "splendidly" furnished room; talks about William Michael Whitney, and how he is supposed to be highly desired as a supercargo, but she doesn't believe it; says their brother George had left for Boston, to sail as second mate on the barque Anita; says Porter Lovett's wife (Lucy (Lovett) (Chapman) Lovett) was having a hard time adjusting to adversity (see letter of 26 October 1845); talks about someone going around town frightening women in the night; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends.

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

Sunday May 17th, 1846

My dear Sister,

You have probably received my last letter, read it, and now waiting for another, but before I send this I must certainly get one from you. Tis a fortnight today since we had that pleasure and that (Goodness! What ails my pen) is quite long enough to wait to hear of my nephew.¹ Doesn't he begin to talk yet. I don't know but that he will begin to cypher by the time that I see him. Tell him that he will be expected to be very precocious, he has so distinguished a name.² I told Mrs. Rantoul³ that her socks were on Nathaniel Bowditchs feet. She says she didn't send them to him, she sent them to Josey⁴ or Lissy B. I suppose they are half worn out by this time. If not you can save them.

Mrs. Giddings⁵ has a son. She calls him William.⁶ She was very much disappointed that it wasn't a little girl. You will receive Hannah's⁷ letter a day or two before you do this. She mailed one Friday.

E. Woodberry⁸ goes to Danvers today. She was down a moment yesterday and wants you to direct your letters to her to South Reading. She can get them sooner from there. Her mother⁹ has been obliged to move from Mr. Bennetts¹⁰ house, I suppose you have heard. For what reason she don't know, but thinks it likely that Robert¹¹ will be married in the fall and want it. She feels very badly about it for she can't get a house high nor low and has been obliged to store her goods in Mrs. Burleys¹² house.

We are all at home from meeting this forenoon. It rained torrents just as the second [__?__] was singing, but now the sun shines beautifully. Ma¹³ planted her seeds yesterday, the tulips and laylocks are in bloom. I'm afraid they will be scarce by lection [?]. I believe all the little plants that she brought from Tarboro are living. The jessamine grows like a house afire, very fast. She wants you to send on some of your gourd seeds, in a newspaper. By the way did you get that handkerchief that I put into a Register. I was almost afraid to risk it.

Clara¹⁴ was married last Wednesday eve. She invited a few of her particular friends to the wedding. Caroline Lovett and Richard¹⁵ went to stand up with her. He was up there the Sunday night before they made all their arrangements, and he entered into the spirit of it and appeared quite pleased with the idea of it. When the evening came he didn't come down in the last train to Beverly, so Caroline went without him, supposing of course that he got detained and would certainly come in the Salem train which gets there at 9 o'clock. So Clara waited and waited for him. There was Mr. Thayer¹⁶ and all the company assembled. Finally one of the company was called out and asked to officiate, and they were married after 9 o'clock. Nothing has been heard of Richard since. He is in Boston, but he hasn't sent the why he didn't come to Caroline. It is said that he treats her so all the time, is not attentive at all. She is a fool to put up with it. If I wouldn't ship him short notice, I'm mistaken.

Pyam¹⁷ has gone to sea again as mate of a vessel. He thinks of coming home master. Martha Ann¹⁸ is at home just as she was before being married. She is going to Fitchburg with Lucy soon to board with Rebecca.

The talk about Ann's¹⁹ party has nearly subsided, and she and William²⁰ appear as they had been settled down some time.

You recollect what I wrote you about John F.²¹ and Joe.²² It was all true, and for one week there was a great deal of talk about it in the shops. They said that to see a young man who had spoken in Temperance meetings and to all appearances disapproved of drinking so much, drink repeatedly himself, and not only that, but urge the young girls to drink too, was a little too hypocritical.

The day after the wedding W. M.²⁰ prevailed upon Ballard and Fred Whitney to spend the day, and they would have an oyster supper up there in the eve. Mr. Rand²³ was sick all the night before so that he couldn't go to Boston. So they were going to have a nice time all together. None but the Whitney and Nourse family were invited. The moon shone quite brightly, we were sitting without a lamp. Just at 9 o'clock Rand and Hannah,²⁴ and John F.²¹ and Anna²⁵ went by. We thought them very thoughtful to go home so early. But the next day, John²⁶ came home and said there was no school, John F. was sick. And strange to say, that one after the other was taken sick. They thought that something must be in the cake. I suspect they had a grand time, but John not being used to spreeing often couldn't stand it.

I called up to see Ann,¹⁹ saw all her presents. She has them spread out on a table. Ma was down to Mrs. Porters,²⁷ and Hannah P.²⁴ had been there telling about Ann, and said that she had furnished one chamber splendidly, so I had prepared to be dazzled, but I can say with truth that I wouldn't have let any of my acquaintances go into such a looking place. She had a wood fire on the hearth, the ashes all out, and it looked white it was so covered with ashes. The brass andirons were black, and loose gowns hung up by one sleeve. Trowsers, dressing gown, coats, hats, and no one knows what not about the chamber. She has a plain black walnut bedstead, a sink and toilet table. That is the splendidly furnished chamber. Mrs. Fords²⁸ old chairs, the same straw carpet on the floor that was there when Rebecca Frances²⁹ was sick there. Ann had on a dark silk.

She looked much prettier then the night she was married. She walked bride in a straw bonnet, a thin French open work. It is an expensive bonnet, but looks ordinary a [_____] distance. A bunch of blue flowers on one side and trimmed with a thin white ribbon. A black silk mantilla trimmed with lace and her dark silk dress. She had a light chameleon [?] on too.

Mrs. Ford hasn't a girl, nor can't get one. They have some one go in to cook breakfast and dinner, but get tea themselves.

William²⁰ can have a ship at any moment. He has refused half a dozen good offers. It seems as tho they will kill him to get him to go, but he is not going. He wants to stay at home a little while. He is the most valued supercargo that goes out of Boston. There was a gentleman looking out of his window, and happening to see W. M. pass by inquired who he was. That is Mr. W. With that this gentleman seised his hat, went out, sought an introduction, and told him that he might have a ship at any moment he wanted one. That is the current report. You may believe as much of it as you choose, but don't it sound like Hannah Parnell.²⁴ She told of it in several places, and is believed at none. Tis so silly for her to tell such things when a ship at any time is difficult to be got by people who have been to sea all their lifetime. It is policy for them to tell such stories when he first gets home. Then people will be impressed that tis from choice that he stays if he don't go again for a year.

Friday Eve.

I haven't had one moments time when I felt like writing to finish this letter before. We have had a dress maker two days, and we have been somewhat hurried fixing George³⁰ off too. He went to Boston to attach himself to the Barque Anita this morning as 2nd mate. He won't sail for a week or two, but I can assure you we shall miss him dreadfully. He has kept his resolution as to Sarah Ellen³¹ pretty well, hasn't been to the house once. He seems perfectly disgusted with her. Sarah Augusta is a favorite of his, and he likes Martha Jane³² right well. I meant to have told him not to forget to write you, but I can tell him when he comes down.

I had a letter from Charles³³ yesterday, from Genoa. He had a right short passage this time. He sent his love to you and congratulates you on your new treasure, and thinks he would like to see him.

Porter Lovett³⁴ and wife³⁵ are in town. I went in to see Mrs. Lovett this afternoon and had the pleasure of seeing her. She was dressed in a black silk with her gold chain and watch, and a gold comb in. Mrs. L. finds a marked difference between her friends in prosperity and those in adversity. She complains that people don't come to see her as formerly. She don't see what the reason is. She had one or two crying times while I was there. Her pride has been humbled, if ever any body was.

I went to see Abba³⁶ too. She was published last Sunday. She don't know when she will be married. If Mrs. Rodgers can find a smaller tenement she will move, and Abba will live where she does now. If she can't, they will board with her for the present. There are no houses to be let in town, every one is full. Abba was making a very pretty silk dress, a little check of chocolate, green, and white. She says she has no taste for showing off as Ann has done. She wants nothing but what is useful, and that she can wear when she pleases.

Poor Ann¹⁹ has to do her own work still, they can't get a girl. Callers have found her with her morning dress on, hard at it in the afternoon. The bubble has burst, and all is still about her now. She has settled down just like every one else. They don't seem to go on as they began.

Mrs. Porter²⁷ is quite sick. You heard what her complaint was last summer when you were on didn't you? Tis the same now, only worse. The Doctor thinks she may live along, but never will be well. Many think she has the dropsy, she has swelled considerably. Joey³⁷ is there most of the time. She is a real torment to her I guess, now she is sick. She is so fussy.

I saw Hannah Rantoul⁷ too this afternoon. She sent her love to you.

We were dreadfully disappointed at not getting a letter from you today. Tis nearly three weeks and not even a paper has made its appearance. By the way, how often would you like to have us send a paper to you. We take it daily and you may have it as often as you will say. I shall send it.

That "critter" with a glased cap that I wrote you about as going around and frightening the poor women in the night is still "in town." Lucius Walker's³⁸ little Horace³⁹ is very sick indeed with the dropsy in the head they fear. Last night this man was around the house banging on the doors and windows. Lucius hollered to him to be off, but the little boy was so sick and he felt so anxious about him that he didn't like to go out to take him. He was up to Grandmas⁴⁰ too. Bridget,⁴¹ Sam Masurys⁴² wife, went out in the yard to take some clothes off of the fence, and put her hand over the other side to lift them off. This man caught hold of her hand, and she says squezed it like the very old Serpent, but the fence was between them so she had time to run. He must be crazy, but tis so singular that he don't make his appearance in the day time.

We had a very heavy thunder shower Monday afternoon with hail stones large as a pigeons eyes. The lightning struck a barn down to the Cove, set fire to it immediately. It was full of hay, and it did look beautiful burning amidst the thunder, lightning and rain. We could see it very plainly from here. It also struck a house up street and injured it considerably. The family fortunately was not at home.

Saturday morn

We have had a Tarboro dish for breakfast, a shad caught in Beverly Harbor. It was large as the largest mackerel I ever saw. The Harbor is full of them. I expect they escorted Pa⁴³ and Ma on. They are not as good as mackerel after all, do you think so? Ma says she can't make Rose's⁴⁴ bread of any kind. She has tried but can't come it. Is she with you now. We have had salad from the Tarboro seeds, and it is considered quite nice. Ma sent Mrs. Porter²⁷ some. I told her it was Tarboro lettuce. How did they keep it so fresh, sending it so far, says she.

I have been in to see Ellen⁴⁵ and Mary Louise⁴⁶ and two such half starved looking creatures I never saw. Ellen's baby⁴⁷ looks like the old man Bridge.⁴⁸ M. L. wouldn't show hers.⁴⁹ Ellen says she don't like children and she is so afraid that she shan't treat her baby well. She flatters herself that he is treated better than common for that very reason. M. L. says she don't like them any better. So there they are. M. L. says she has tried to find time to send you a paper ever since you were married, but hasn't. She sent [_____] so much love through me.

Ma is out in the garden seeding it. She says the wax plant "stays put." It don't alter one hair, but is just the same as when you brought it on. I have put some seed of the Jerusalem Cherry Tree in the paper I shall send today.

Rebecca Cross⁵⁰ called to see us yesterday. She says tis almost impossible that you can be married and have a baby. She has been married five years and has had four children, only one of them living.⁵¹ She married an Ayers,⁵² cousin to Eliza Ann Allens⁵³ Sam Ayers.⁵⁴ Sam is dead and left Eliza Ann with five children. So goes the world.

What do they say about the war in Tarboro?⁵⁵ Will the Tarboro Militia volunteer to go think? Boarders begin to send their furniture to the Cove. Loads of go by every day. Mr. King has been here some time, and Mr. Loring will come next week. Mr. Lowell is building a beautiful house on Hospital Pt. Several others are building along the shore. Where boarders can get accomodated I can't conceive, so many of them as I hear are coming. Mr. Flanders⁵⁶ is married, is now travelling. They will board at Mrs. Stones⁵⁷ till the house is ready to go into. Mrs. Frink⁵⁸ is better, and Angelina⁵⁹ has got well enough to walk out. Pa and Ma say that you must be extremely careful of yourself this summer if you are going to remain in Tarboro. I advise you to take a trip this way and let us see the baby. I do want to dreadfully, do come.

We have coal fires yet. I don't know as I have suffered more with cold this winter than I have for the three last days. The month so far has been very wm pleasant.

Freddy⁶⁰ has got pretty well again. He and Charlotte⁶¹ are as great friends as ever.

It is said that Anna Rand,²⁵ Nourse I mean, is not well. I can't say how true it is.

You must kiss Natty every day for me and learn him to call me Aunt. Make him acquainted if he don't see me. Tis provoking that you are so far away. Pa and Ma send ever so much love to all of you. Grandma too, and wants to see you and the baby. Mrs. Lamson⁶² says she would give anything to have you come on and bring him this summer. I expect she would like him better for his name. She sends her love. So do come on if you can. We all want you too.

Your affec. sister,

Georgiana

 

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

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