Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

Hannah Rantoul to Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, 14 May 1846

[From Hannah Rantoul in Beverly, Massachusetts, to Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch in Tarboro, North Carolina. She talks about Elizabeth's new baby (Nathaniel); tells her news about various family members and friends; and describes a visit she made in Cambridge and Boston. Elizabeth mentions this letter in her letter to Hannah dated 9 June 1846.

Addressed to "Mrs. Joseph H. Bowditch, Tarborough, North Carolina." With the address is the handwritten date "May 14th," and a stamped postmark of "Beverly May 16."]

Beverly, May 14th 1846

My dear sister Lizzie,

Here am I at last, almost sick with a cold, but determined that another day shall not pass without a letter from me to you in the mail. It is a long, long time since I wrote you, three months. You have known I suppose from Ga.¹ that I have been sick.

I went to see your mother² the night she got home and heard all about you and your little darling,³ and promised myself the pleasure of writing you immediately, but I grew sick that night and for more than a month I was unable to write. Since I felt well enough I have been full of company & work. Mary Lyman⁴ has spent a week with me, Mrs. Everett⁵ a day &c. Dress-making, wash woman, and every thing but "pork week" I have had lately to keep my hand & pen strangers, till I have almost forgotten how to use them satisfactorily.

I do so long to see that baby,³ and to see you with him too. I have seen a little soft lock of his hair, and from that and your mother's description (she says he looks just like her babies) I think I know just how he looks. Kiss him as many times as you wish for his Aunt Hannah, and tell him if he will come and see her he may be sure of a hearty welcome from all the family.

I was very glad your mother was with you. I did not give up the idea that she would go when the time drew near, though she thought she could not. She went while I was in Cambridge. It must have been such a comfort to you to have her with you, and she feels better than she ever would till she had seen you in your own house. She knows now just how you are situated.

George⁶ has grown taller and stouter since you saw him, and seems to enjoy being at home again much. I saw Ga.¹ last eve. She said they were all well at home.

E. B. Woodberry⁷ is in town but may go to Danvers again in a few days. Her mother⁸ is obliged to break up house-keeping, for the want of a house, and store her furniture at Mr. Burley's.⁹ E. will make a visit at Ellen Walker's¹⁰ soon. Mr. Walker¹¹ has bought Nancy Wyer's¹² house and moved into it. It will be very pleasant for Ellen.

You ought to spend this summer here dear E. Mary Louisa¹³ has come from Whitehall with her two children, and Ellen¹⁴ from Albany with her one, to spend the summer with their father & mother.¹⁵ I went to see them last week. They are both very thin but bright as need be. Mary Louisa Jr.¹⁶ is a beautiful little girl, Willie was asleep,¹⁷ so I did not see him. But Joseph,¹⁸ who was here then, brought his little Frank¹⁹ down for exhibition. He looks like Sam'l Ingersoll Bridge.²⁰ Joshua²¹ came on to escort Mary Louisa, but has returned. Mary said she wished you could be here with your baby now, in which wish, as you might suppose, I cordially joined. She said she wished I would give you a great deal of love from her, said she had always intended writing to you, but did not know how to direct, was not sure that your husband's name was not Frederick, and had neglected to find out about it.

You know probably that W. M. Whitney²² is married, and have heard of the wedding party, and that they are at housekeeping with Mrs. Ford.²³ I had the headache the day of the party, did not eat anything all day, and was in bed all the afternoon in a state of preparation for the evening. When evening came I dressed and rode down there, stayed about an hour from 8 to 9 and rode home again and went to bed. I thought I would go, and I am glad I did. Georgiana¹ looked sweetly everybody said and I thought.

Edw. Meacom²⁴ got home the night before the wedding. He and Abby²⁵ will be married soon.

Clara Choate²⁶ was to be married last evening. I suppose she was. There were to be about twenty at the wedding. Richard Wilkinson²⁷ & Caroline to officiate as bride's maid & groom's man.

Martha Ann²⁸ is married, was married at Dr. Dewey's house, N. Y., no one but Alpheus Davis²⁹ present. They have been here since and are now in Boston. Pyam³⁰ goes to sea again in a few days. Martha says she has scarcely seen him since she has been married, he has been so busy. I am glad they are married, it has been such a long engagement.

Mr. Flanders³¹ is or will be very soon married. He will board at Mr. Stone's,³² till your Father's³³ house is ready for him.

There is a great time for weddings now, you will think, and indeed it is so. I don't know how lately Ga.¹ has written you and I feel as though I had been telling you a great many things that you already know.

I have one item of news that I think you have not heard, as it is of recent date. Mrs. Giddings³⁴ has a son,³⁵ born yesterday, a beautiful boy of 9 1/4 lbs. The boys are delighted with it. I could not help hoping it would be a daughter as all the others are boys.

Did you get a paper dear E. giving a notice of our faithful old sexton, Mr. Barrett.³⁶ I knew you would feel interested to read it.

I had a very pleasant visit in Cambridge, went Wednesday and came home the next Monday. H. F. Conant³⁷ went with me from Boston and stayed one day and night, and E. Abbot³⁸ from Dorchester was there at the time I was. I spent two evenings and one day in Boston etc. They have books in plenty, a constant supply. Mr. Bowen,³⁹ the Editor of the North American Review, is an old friend of Anne's⁴⁰ and he has all that is new & interesting, and sends them everything they want to read. He is a constant visitor there, runs in any time when he feels like it, without any ceremony. I saw him several times and thought him quite an interesting man. Mrs. E.⁵ says she does not know what they should have done without him while Mr. Munroe⁴¹ was sick. He watched with him himself, and did all that he could do for them.

I have just rec'd a card from "Mr. & Mrs. A. D. Bacon," so Clara²⁶ is married I presume. Have you ever seen Dr. Bacon?⁴² I have not, but hear that he is much older than Clara, over forty.

I must leave you dear sister till after dinner, when I hope to resume.

Afternoon

I am seated again my dear sister to finish my letter. I did not like to write on paper of this size, but I knew I could not fill a large sheet today, so I have made up my mind to this. The next time I write I shall hope to accomplish more in quantity and quality.

Mr. & Mrs. Thayer⁴³ are very much delighted with Nathaniel Thayer's⁴⁴ engagement to Miss Van Rensallaer⁴⁵ of Albany. Miss Van R. has been in Boston and our Mr. & Mrs. T. have been there to see her, and found her everything desirable. She is "the patroon Van Ransalaer's"⁴⁶ daughter. They will be married the first of June.

R. S. Edwards⁴⁷ is here for a month.

Mrs. Howlett⁴⁸ and three children will be here most of the summer.

Mr. & Mrs. James Howe⁴⁹ and their baby⁵⁰ have gone with Henry Howe⁵¹ to Michigan, to live on Lucius'⁵² farm. Their house is sold, and E. Worseley⁵³ boards at Mrs. Gage's.⁵⁴ Mr. & Mrs. Wilson Flagg⁵⁵ also are at Mrs. Gage's.

Mrs. Frink⁵⁶ has been quite sick for some time, and Miss Frink⁵⁷ is sick too. They are both getting better but have not left their room yet.

Since I wrote you last dear E., Andrew P. Peabody⁵⁸ has lost his little boy, "Robt. Rantoul."⁵⁹ He was seventeen months old & their only son. It is a very great loss to them. He died of quinsy, to which their children have all been subject. He was a very interesting child.

Do write me as soon as you feel like writing, dear sister. I shall not expect your letters to be as long or as regular as they have been, now that you have a mother's cares and duties added to those of a housekeeper, but shall hope for one sometimes. I want to hear from yourself all about yourself and household. It seems so long since I had a letter from you that I really long for one, and shall live upon hope till one blesses my sight.

I have been afraid dearest to put on paper one half I wanted to say of the rejoicings at your expedition and success in your undertakings. Helen Davis⁶⁰ was very desirous to hear from you, and as soon as I heard I went in & told her, and she seemed very glad for you, and took comfort for herself from you. I hope to tell you as good news of her as I told her of you when I write again. I feel very much interested for her and I think it is half because she feels so much interest in you.

I must say good bye. I am ever as ever your affectionate sister H.

When you have read this epistle, please put it in the fire. Shake hands with your husband,⁶¹ kiss the baby,³ and imagine at the same time how I should love to kiss you, and think with compassion of me, for I have forgotten how to write a letter, if indeed I ever knew. Poor me! Poor stupid me!

 

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

Page created by John Cardinal's Second Site v8.03.