Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

Georgiana Abbot to her sister Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, 9 August 1846

[From Georgiana Abbot in Beverly, Massachusetts, to her sister Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch in Tarboro, North Carolina. She mentions seeing Jane Rantoul and talking about her jelly; describes her trip to Brunswick (Maine) and her activities there; talks about Mrs. Lovett and her daughter Betsey and their problems; mentions William Whitney and his drinking problem; describes a boating trip and how they were caught in a storm; describes a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Weld; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends.

Addressed to "Mrs. Joseph H. Bowditch, Tarboro, N. C." and postmarked "Beverly Ms., Aug 15."]

Beverly August 9th, 1846

My dear Sister,

We received your letter this noon and were quite pleased too, notwithstanding it was written on little coarser paper than usual, and glad that you continue so well. Natty¹ too is growing fast. He will be a great boy before I see him. Who would have believed it, that I have a nephew as old as he is, and my first one too, and never have seen him.

Every one who ever knew you inquires for you and your [_____] time they see me. Parson Thayer² asked about you today [_____] school. Mr. Rantoul³ and Hannah⁴ also. Hannah sends her love to you. Mrs. Lyman⁵ is here for a few days.

I saw Jane Rantoul⁶ a week or two since. She had been making her currant jelly. She says tell Lizzie "that I thought of her all the time I was making it, and wishes she was near me that I could give her a bottle of it." I told her that you often praised her apples and talked of sending her a bottle of cherries. She has just returned from a journey to the White Mts. Her hopeful son Bobby⁷ prances about with his cane looking like a little ninny.

I have been my journey and got back again. I started the day I expected too in an easterly storm of rain as we were all packed, and the next day being Sunday, would be obliged to unpack again, and as it were under cover all the way we concluded to go in the midst of it. We arrived at Mrs. Dunlaps⁸ at half past nine in the eve. Alice⁹ was delighted to see us. She had a young girl staying with her, Helen Fales¹⁰ from Wentham, and a first rate body she is too, and a perfect beauty into the bargain. I was on my feet about all the time, when off was flat on my back.

There was to be a party down to Harpswell, about fifteen miles from Brunswick. It is called the "Down East Nahant." They have the "Ocean House" there and it is full of company all the time. This party was got up expressly on our account and I anticipated a good deal of pleasure. You know I always a pic-nic amazingly.

Tuesday we were all invited to Mrs. McKeans to dine and spend the day. About eight o'clock in the eve I was taken sick in the same way as I was when Ma¹¹ had gone to Niagara, and was obliged to go home, and sick enough was I all night. You can judge of my feelings when I heard the party go away without me at 1/2 past six Wednesday morn. I was so disappointed. With care I got better fast, tho if I had been at home I should have been [_____] week.

Helen's manner reminds me of yours. She is the greatest [_____] and eater that I ever saw. She and Charles¹² tried to see which would eat the most gooseberries. She beat him I believe, but they eat an enormous quantity. I thought of the cherries that you and he eat together. I enjoyed myself very much, came home a week ago yesterday.

Mary Lincoln and Clara Little inquired very particularly for you. I found a letter from you waiting for me in which you described your journey. You have come to the conclusion you say that home is the best place for babies. Well I should think so too, but from your account I should think Natty was remarkably good. I expect to hear by the next letter that he has got a tooth.

Mrs. Lovett¹³ has been very sick the last week with Lumbago, and Betsey¹⁴ has got such a cold she can't speak above a whisper. Ma and I went in Friday afternoon and Mrs. L. seemed so discontented with every thing, small house, not half room enough, every thing huddled together, and a thing in the kitchen, and there she ran on. Betsey said that her mother was cross, and she and the children were cross, so there they were. Poor Betsey is brought down pretty low. Mrs. Choate¹⁵ has offered her her garret chamber and she is glad to get even that to stay in. Brown¹⁶ has been down but twice and now he is going to the Springs with a party of pleasure. They will pay his [_____] and he is to paint for them. Mrs. L. says if she had a husband as near as Boston she should want to see him once in a while, and Betsey says I guess my husband loves me as well as yours¹⁷ does you mother. So goes the world. What do you think of it E.

Hannah Parnell¹⁸ is boarding here for a month. Ann¹⁹ is sick mornings. Ahem!! William M.²⁰ is not sober more than one quarter of the time. He don't go to Boston without being actually [__?__] home. His father²¹ is very dull about him, says if he don't get something to do soon he will starve. That is what I should call beginning at the large end of the horn.

Yesterday afternoon Charles,¹² John E.,²² Hannah Conant²³ and I went out in the [__?__] to catch fish and have a sail. We were having a fine frolic down by the "Haste" about three miles from the shore [_____] it suddenly grew black and to all appearances we were going to [_____] a blow. Charles and John hurried to get the little cuddy cleared out, that little place about a yard square where they keep fishing lures &c., that Hannah and I might go in if it rained. Before it was entirely ready for us the squall was upon us, and if it didn't pour I don't know. We had to come to an anchor and all four of us got into that [_____] hole. It wasn't high enough to sit upright in it. We couldn't get home till nearly eight o'clock on account of head wind and rain. John and Charles were drenched to the skin. As we neared the beach we saw that it was lined with people. They knew that we were out, and thinking we might be drenched, thought they would like to see how much like drowned rats we did look like. As we came nearer we could distinguish who they were. If Hannah and I didn't feel cheap, obliged to crawl out of that little hole before so many I don't know. Austin Kilham²⁴ was thoughtful enough to bring a horse and carryall down for us, so we out of the cuddy into the carryall without getting wet one bit. It was quite an adventure, but as the saying is All's Well That Ends Well. I think upon the whole we had a grand time.

Friday Noon

I couldn't finish this letter to send Wednesday as I intended when I commenced. I have waited till today to finish.

Tuesday we were surprised with a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Weld²⁵ with James²⁶ and Eliza²⁷ to spend the day with us. Mrs. Weld has been in Roxbury about a month. She lost her little baby²⁸ about a month before she left home. She has grown very old to me since I saw her last. I never had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Weld before. He is better looking than I had imagined him, but he appears to me to be only two thirds baked. Mrs. W. told me to remember her to you when I wrote and tell you she missed you some. Mrs. Gould has been quite sick since Ma come from there, had one of her throat complaints. She says twas a terrible disappointment to both Mr. and Mrs. G. that you wouldn't smile upon Harlan.²⁹ Mr. Weld says he don't blame you for not doing so. They think of coming to Roxbury in the spring to live. She wanted to go all around to see if every thing looks as it used to, and came to the conclusion that there was no place so pleasant after all.

Oh about your dress. Ma thinks it impossible that your form is enough like mine now to have a dress cut on me for you. She says that you have changed more than you think of. She shouldn't care about venting it if she were you. What is the matter with your dress makers. Don't they make dresses set well?

Mrs. [_____] has been in an hour this morning. She wants me to go into the water with her this afternoon. I would like it if it wasn't [_____] much trouble, it is growing more fashionable every day. Mrs. [_____] has had another ill turn. This is the third one. The Dr. thinks tis owing to some disease about the heart, and when she goes into the water she exerts herself more than usual, which causes a more rapid circulation and causes her to lose her senses as she does.

Pa³⁰ and Ma went out to Mr. Auburns last week. Capt. Pearsons³¹ and wife³² went with them. It was an extreme hot day, but they didn't suffer at all. We have it very warm today. You say that you haven't suffered, excepting those days that I mentioned. You have got accustomed to hot weather I reckon.

Rose³³ has got through at last, and by this time almost ready to resume her labors I suppose.

Mrs. W. M. Whitney¹⁹ called upon me for the first time a day or two ago. She can't make her husband return calls with her. She says she don't feel at home, tho she is perfectly happy. It appears to her that she is visiting.

Israel Howe³⁴ was married last week to a Miss Slocum³⁵ of Salem. He keeps house over there.

You asked when Frank³⁶ was expected home. He is now every day. He is coming into New York.

We suppose that George³⁷ is about leaving Rio now, will be here in two months if he is.

Berries are very plenty with us. The streets are alive with people going. Last Saturday W. M.²⁰ went with half a dozen and spent the day. He enjoys gunning, fishing, and all those sort of things.

Mrs. Ford³⁸ is going down to Brunswick next week, and Hannah P.¹⁸ is going to stay with Ann.¹⁹

Freddy³⁹ is very well now. He has grown quite tall, and is quite a boy, and as great a talker as ever Charley⁴⁰ was. And often he runs on in the same strain as he used to, which makes us think that he is like him much.

Ma sends her congratulations to Mrs. Owen⁴¹ and Mrs. Thomas,⁴² also Rose, and says that you must feed her up with gruel and tell her that she wants to see the baby very much. Her flowers are all doing wonderfully. The jessamine continues to grow, bud, and bloom, tis a yard high. The mock orange is living, and the hollys also. The wax plant grows fast. Have you dahlias in Tarboro?

My paper is beginning to grow small. Do write me soon. Charles¹² sends his love to you, says he will write soon and tell his own story. I don't know where he will go next voyage. Blake wants him to go out in the Griffon again to bring her home, but his Uncle [_]srael⁴³ don't want him too. I want him to go [_____] he can come home some time in May or June, or about that time. Then we can probably have the house where Stanly is now but more of th[_____] when I can [_____] decidedly. Mum is the word now.

Good bye dear E. Love to Joe Henry⁴⁴ and you from Ma and Pa and myself. Also good bye.

Georgiana

 

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

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