James Gould to George William Abbot, 26 May 1848

[From James Gould and his wife Eliza (Leach) in Baltimore, Maryland, to George William Abbot in Beverly, Massachusetts. They acknowledge the receipt of $50, their share of the rent from the Leech House in Beverly, and express their sympathy in the Abbot family's recent losses.

Addressed to "Capt. George Wm Abbot, Beverly, Massachusetts," and postmarked "Baltimore, MD, May 27."]

Baltimore 26 May 1848

Capt. Geo Wm Abbot

Dear Sir,

We received your letter containing the remmittance of fifty dollars in due course of mail, being in full for our part of the income of the Leech House for 1847, and for which please accept our thanks. We fear that in future, it will be troublesome for you, or your Mother1 in your absence, to attend to collecting and remitting our interest in the property. If it is, don't hesitate to say so, and we will relieve you at once. We felt satisfied that your Father2 much prefferred attending to it, but he was always there, and it served to amuse him. We should be sorry to incommode you at all in the matter.

We were much pleased to hear from you, and your Mother. We received a letter from Elizabeth3 a few days after I last wrote to you, and I wrote immediately in reply. No doubt but you also have letters from her ere this. We all feel the deepest sympathy in our common loss, and tho' most severe to your immediate Family, it effects a large circle of Friends.4 Remember us in kind regards to all with you, and let us hear from you occasionally.

Please tell Aunt Mackay5 that we received her letter also, and am much obliged to her, as we know that she writes but seldom, and we prize it the more. Give our love to her also.

Sister Catherine6 unites with us in love to all.

Yours very truly,

Jas. & Eliza Gould

  1. Nancy Stickney (1796-1851)
  2. George Abbot (1791-1848)
  3. Elizabeth Blanchard Abbot (1821-1902), George's sister
  4. He's referring to the deaths within the past five months of George's father George Abbot, sister Georgiana (Abbot) Lamson, and house servant Cora.
  5. Elizabeth Smith (1768-1849), aunt of James's wife Elizabeth
  6. Catherine Gould (-1869), James's sister