Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

Georgiana Abbot to her sister Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, 26 October 1845

[From Georgiana Abbot in Beverly, Massachusetts, to her sister Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch in Tarboro, North Carolina. She describes how to make various clothes for Elizabeth's new baby (who was then about four months pregnant), and talks about the activities of various family members and friends.

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

Sunday Oct 26th / 45

My Dear Sister,

I wonder if you were goosey enough to suppose that you could write Ma¹ a letter without my reading it. Don't you know that her eyes are too poor to read criss-cross writing, and her fingers too stiff to write only when she is obliged to. Ha ha ha.

Any thing but being here a fortnight and too bashful to ask how long to make the baby's gown. Well I will tell you. Don't you think it adviseable for me to take a minitete[?] of the size of each article as I write it to you then I won't be obliged to ask such a shocking question. I shall commence with the gowns. For those waists three breadths 1 1/4 yd wide and 3/4 long will make two skirts. You will need three little robes of corded cambric, a smaller size than your smallest waist. Three breadths will make two. Run the breadths together straight, quarter it. At each quarter cut out the armhole so [picture of U-shaped cut]. From each corner slant it down a little so [picture of U-shaped cut with slanted cuts at both ends, one labeled front and the other back, and "put the sleeve here" written above the cut]. Draw it with linen braid. These will be sufficient for dress gowns.

Don't forget his night gowns, as many as four out of soft old cloth, but pretty fine. You will want three round petticoats and two open ones, the nicest flannel that you can get for the round ones. The open ones may be a little coarser. Two breadths of the common width with six inches taken from the width for hands will make one coat, or a breadth and half of the yard wide. Four smaller shirts than those you have will answer. Those are made selvage ways. You can measure the length. Make them either way, the most convenient. Towels I won't say how many, at least three dozen. Hem the ends and have them single & double square. A yard of flannel bound with any thing pretty that will wash well for a blanket. I can't tell you how big to knit your stockings, you must use your own judgement. If I have not been particular enough you must particularize in your questions.

I forgot to say that for the open coats one breadth of full wide flannel will be sufficient. When you make your tick, measure the width of the bed. Get two widths of ticking 3/4 wide. Cut the length full long so that you won't have that piece to set in, but make it whole and then you will have the less seams to sew. Make the tick quite as large as the bed, as the feathers take it up very much.

I don't see why you didn't get my letter of the 12th in its right time. I put it into the office Sunday noon. I shall have to put them in Friday eve for you to get them the next Friday. E Woodberry² will enclose this in hers, and in the paper that I shall send Tuesday I shall [___]close the pattern of a collar for her.

We have a beautiful day, quite warm for us. We have had it bitter cold this week. It has snowed, but it didn't last long.

I went in to see Miss Frink³ one eve this week. She sent her l[_____] and hopes to hear from you soon.

We are [_____] whom we shall get for a dress maker. Joey⁴ is eng[_____] to Capt. Pickett⁵ and will give up work this week. Rebecca Giles⁶ the next best one is failing fast, so I don't know what we shall do.

Capt. Ellingwood⁷ will marry Marrianne Haskell⁸ very soon. You saw by the paper that I sent you that they were published.

Also that Porter Lovett⁹ had failed for $30,000. He got his goods on credit and has been living out of them ever since he commenced, and now can pay but a few cents on a dollar. That is the way some people get along.

Joshua¹⁰ has spent two evenings here this week. He is going to Whitehall into Mr. Libbey's¹¹ store, has given up the seas. The singing meeting met here Wednesday eve, and instead of three there were ten happened in, and a gay time they had, those young girls, mostly. Hannah Conant¹² and I were the only old ones. We sat down in one corner of the room, and they with Mr. Holyoke, Joshua, and Israel¹³ played [__?__], Juniper Tree, and anything else. How I wished George¹⁴ could have been here.

Last eve we took "The Lament of the Irish Emigrant,"¹⁵ and Wednesday "A Life on the Ocean Wave."¹⁶ The Charitable commenced on Friday and the Lyceum on Tuesday. Caleb Cushing¹⁷ will deliver the introductory lecture. J. F. Nourse,¹⁸ Secy, it is reported again that he is to be married this vacation.

It is the fashion to wear short clothes and pantalettes. I have a notion of having my new dress made short. Cloaks are to be cut just like yours. I shall have my cloth one fixed if I can find anyone to do it. Gentlemen's coats are cut with bishop sleeves tight at the wrist. They look very well! I will send you a pattern of my dress when it is cut.

Halsey¹⁹ has gone to Apalach and Rebecca Dodge²⁰ has gone with her father²¹ and one of her uncles²² wives, Olive²³ I believe, to spend the winter. Austin²⁴ I think fr[_____] the movements is going to sea. Soon I'm afraid that we shan't have another dance. W. M. W.²⁵ has arrived out. Weren't you delighted to get a letter from George.¹⁴ We hope to hear again by the next Steamer. You can put a half a sheet for us in Hannah²⁶ letter if you choose.

Has Joe Henry²⁷ received the goods that Pa²⁸ sent him, also a letter? He sends love to you both and says that he will attend to his request. Ma sends love to both of you, and both please accept a great deal from me.

Yours affec'ly

Cat's Paw

P. S. I haven't eaten the preserves. I shall have to go down and ask Mrs. R. to please put in a little more syrup, if they don't go pretty soon. They won't live without a little drink.

G.

 

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

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