James Gould to Nancy (Stickney) Abbot, 12 January 1850

[From James Gould and his wife Eliza (Leach) in Baltimore, Maryland, to Nancy (Stickney) Abbot in Beverly, Massachusetts. They acknowledge the receipt of the account of income and expenses for the Leech house, and their share thereof; say they look forward to seeing Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch when she visits in March; and talk about selling their part of the Leech house, and ask if Nancy would like to buy it.]

Baltimore January 12th 1850

Dear Cousin,

We this day received your letter (miss Martha1 being amanuensis) containing the account of income and expenses of the Leech House for the past year, together with the draft for the amount of our part of the same, for all of which please to accept our thanks for your kindness in the matter.

It gave us much pleasure to hear from you, and we fully reciprocate the kind feelings expressed in the letter, which letter by the way we think handsomely written, and should be much pleased to hear from the writer at all times. Even if no particular business should seem to require it, the simple fact of assuring us of your welfare in so fair a hand would be doubly pleasant. We suppose that Miss Martha has forgotten us, but we shall not soon forget those bright Eyes or the bright Intellect of the child we then saw when last with you. And should she come this way a warm welcome awaits her with us.

How much of Joy and of Sorrow has visited us since then, all wisely ordered doubtless, but to us Inscrutable in mystery yet leaving us much to be thankful for.

May this Year prove one of happiness to all of us and may our retrospect at its close awaken a host of kindly feelings and reminicenses together with gratitude for the many many blessings received by all of us.

We shall be much pleased to see Lizzie.2 Had a letter from her a short time since in which she spoke of coming on in March. It will soon be here, and we shall see if the Matron Mrs. B. is still the Lizzie of former days.

Remember us to cousin Alice3 and to all who feel an Interest for us. Also to Mr. & Mrs. Pearson4 from whom we expected to have received a letter long since. Catherine5 joins us in kind regard to all.

Yours as ever,

J. & E. Gould

P.S. Wishing to purchase an Annuity for Eliza6 we have thot best to sell our part of the House and add that amount to it, and would be glad if you would buy it. Or shall we get Mr. Rantoul7 to sell it for us, leaving it to him to fix a fair value upon it, subject to our approval. Please to write to us upon the subject and oblige us.

Ever yours,

J. & E. Gould

  1. Martha Eliza Abbot (1835-1870), Nancy's daughter
  2. Elizabeth Blanchard Abbot (1821-1902), Nancy's daughter
  3. Alice Odlin (1796-1855), cousin of James's wife Elizabeth
  4. Charles Pearson (1787-1862) and Eliza Wallace (1797-1861)
  5. Catherine Gould (-1869), James's sister
  6. Elizabeth Leach (1797-1859), James's wife
  7. Robert Rantoul (1778-1858)