Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

Letters by Martha (Abbot) Thorndike

Martha Eliza Abbot (1835-1870). Image courtesy of First Parish Church, Unitarian Universalist, Beverly, Massachusetts; now part of the First Parish Church Collection at Historic Beverly.

Martha Eliza Abbot, daughter of George Abbot and Nancy Stickney, was born 28 December 1835 in Beverly, Massachusetts, almost 15 years after her sister Elizabeth. She married Dr. William Thorndike on 17 April 1862 in Beverly, and moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She died 15 September 1870 in Milwaukee, at age 34.

These letters were written by Martha from 1846 to 1865. All were to her sister Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch in Tarboro, North Carolina, except for two - one to her father George Abbot on 6 March 1846, who was in Tarboro for the birth of Elizabeth's first child Nathaniel, and a short note to Nathaniel on 19 February 1853. Some letters have sections written by other family members.

The letters are generally in reasonably good condition, although some are torn, with pieces missing, and some have burn marks and holes (possibly from the fire that destroyed Elizabeth's house in 1880). The handwriting is reasonably good, and the letters are generally not difficult to read.

• 6 March 1846. To her father George Abbot, who was then with Martha's sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina, awaiting the birth of her first child. This is a few lines added to a longer letter written to Elizabeth by her sister Georgiana. She talks about school, and the activities of various family members. [Transcription]
• 1 July 1846. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She describes her first trip to Boston, and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 12 August 1848. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. A few sentences were written by her brother George William Abbot. She says she attends the Academy; says her sister Ellen went swimming and one of the girls fainted; describes a picnic, with a fire that almost got out of control; describes an incident involving her brother George and a runaway horse-drawn wagon, in which he was injured saving one of the ladies; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 4 February 1849. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She thanks Elizabeth for things they received in a package from her; talks about the "Gold excitement" in California, and people heading there from Beverly; describes a local trial on temperance; mentions several fires that have occurred; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 15 June 1849. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She talks about how busy her mother is, and how incompetent the Irish girl she hired to help has been; mentions the sea voyages of her brothers John and George; mentions a picnic they had on election day; describes lightning damage to Mr. Safford's house; describes the death of a woman named Chalk, from Salem; talks about Nancy Wallace acting strangely; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 9 July 1849. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She describes her activities on the Fourth of July, including a picnic and fireworks; mentions a new son for Mrs. Picket and some health problems; says Elizabeth Story lost her baby, and encourages her to write both her and Hannah Rantoul; describes how Lamson Walker was injured in an accident; mentions some people heading for California; describes her school activities, including publishing a paper and studying French; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 9 September 1849. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. This was part of a letter written by her sister Ellen Abbot. She mentions the impending marriage of Charles Stevens and Ellen Leach; talks about Jane (Woodberry) Rantoul getting her son Robert settled in at college; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 3 July 1850. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. This was part of a letter written by her mother Nancy (Stickney) Abbot. She talks about her plans for Independence Day; describes a sailing trip she had taken; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 12 August 1850. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. This was part of a letter written by her mother Nancy (Stickney) Abbot. She talks about going berry picking; describes watching the Princeton Boat Club (a rowing club) practice; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• April 1851. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She talks about Joseph Henry Bowditch being in Beverly and bringing his son Nat (then age 5), who was staying in Salem with Aunt Sarah and attending school there; says their brother John Abbot was tired of the sea; mentions the presumed loss at sea of Pyam Lovett and his wife; says she will be attending school in Framingham next term; describes a bad storm; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 4 July 1852. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She talks about the weather and their garden; mentions the sudden wedding of "Mrs. Samuel Endicott" (Martha Thorndike (Leach) (Giddings)); describes the Independence Day procession in Salem, and fireworks at the home of Luther Upton; says she met Charles Endicott, and that he looked a lot like their father George Abbot; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 19 February 1853. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. Included with this letter was a short note to Elizabeth's son Nathaniel. She says their brother George will be returning to sea, and that Mariano (a servant) will go with him; mentions a furnace that George had installed; tells about her school work; mentions "scandal" in town, and some people who don't get along; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 17 April 1853. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She talks about their brother John being expected to arrive in New York at any time, and George having been away eight weeks; says she's decided to stay in school until age 18; mentions a teacher's convention being held in town; talks about Mary (Page)'s husband returning from Cuba insane; says John Giddings is still courting Nannie, but is idle most of the time; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 13 June 1858. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She mentions that they spent the winter with friends; says their brother Fred has a position in a Counting Room (i.e., bookkeeping and accounting); describes a Mr. Gayle, saying that he and Ellen will probably be engaged; complains about Elizabeth's husband Joe coming as far north as Springfield but never coming to see them; tells about dividing Sarah's baby clothes; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 9 November 1858. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She mentions a visit from Nat, and how they wished he had stayed longer; describes changes in Beverly, and people who have died; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 8 May 1859. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She tells Elizabeth that their brother George is engaged to Emily Hooper; says Nellie Upton has asked them for "the Bowditch silver," and talks about who should get it; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 29 August 1859. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She describes the death of their grandfather Samuel Stickney and his estate, and talks about getting headstones for his family's graves, which apparently had not been done for earlier deaths; mentions that gas pipes are being installed in Beverly for lighting the town; says Frank Bowditch has left his wife; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 13 September 1859. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She mentions an upcoming visit from Nat; says they've had gas pipes installed in their house; talks about the settlement of their grandfather's estate; mentions Elizabeth's pregnancy (with Frederick Darlington Bowditch); discusses the disposition of the Bowditch silver; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 25 September 1859. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She says Nat has arrived safely, and that they will be going clothes shopping; and tries to talk Elizabeth into having Georgiana come visit and maybe stay the winter. [Transcription]
• 13 October 1859. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She says she and Nat went to Salem and had pictures taken, which she is enclosing, and that he has gained weight and needs a new coat for cold weather; talks more about the settlement of their grandfather's estate; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 31 October 1859. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She announces her engagement to William Thorndike; talks about Nat's clothes and what he still needs; mentions the farm Elizabeth's husband Joe has purchased. [Transcription]
• May-July 1860. To her sister Elizabeth in Tarboro, North Carolina. She talks about Betsy Brown's engagement to an older man, and how her family and friends diapprove, and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 1 August 1865. To her sister Elizabeth in Yancey Co., North Carolina. She talks about Nat, his release from prison camp, stay in Massachusetts, and heading home to North Carolina; says she and William may be moving to Milwaukee, which they thought would break up the family in Beverly, but that Fred may take a new job in Boston and live in Beverly; notes that Fred has been married to Emily Whiting for two months; talks about Elizabeth Story, all her troubles, and what a wonderful person she is; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]
• 24 November 1865. To her sister Elizabeth in Yancey Co., North Carolina. She talks about receiving a letter from her for the first time in four years, due to the Civil War; urges her to move back north for the sake of her children's education; says she and her husband are boarding until his medical practice is established; talks about her son Paul, then age 2; describes the current fashions, apparently in response to a question from Elizabeth; and talks about the activities of various family members and friends. [Transcription]