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Letters to Georgiana Bowditch

Georgiana Abbot Bowditch, daughter of Joseph Henry Bowditch and Elizabeth Blanchard Abbot, was born 21 May 1848 in Tarboro, North Carolina. She never married, and died 15 April 1927 in Morganton, North Carolina.

Georgiana was very interested in the genealogy of her parents' families, and collected and saved many items, including the family letters and deeds handed down in the "old trunk" referred to by Frederick Tryon Bowditch in his family genealogy distributed in 1964.

The following letters were written to Georgiana by a variety of people, including Richard Dana Morse, Mary Norton (Wilmarth) Wing, Katherine Norris, Sarah Rhea (Higginson) Bowditch, Ernest W. Bowditch, and Maud (Kilbourn) Thorndike.

These letters are generally in very good condition, and fairly easy to read.

  • 8 October 1888. From Patrick Livingston Murphy, Superintendant of the Western North Carolina Insane Asylum. He says Georgiana's mother is well enough to be discharged, and he trusts she won't need asylum treatment in the future. [Transcription]
  • 1896. From Georgiana's 1st cousin once removed Mary Elizabeth Dana (Morse) Hutchins. She mentions a picture Georgiana sent her of her "Aunt Bowditch"; talks about her nephew Richard D. Morse Jr., his law career, and his interest in the family genealogy; talks about her brother Richard's war service; and mentions various other family members. [Transcription]
  • January 1907. From Georgiana's 2nd cousin Richard Dana Morse. He thanks her for her note and card; describes his Christmas; talks about various relatives; and includes a picture of him on his horse. [Transcription]
  • 31 December 1912. From Georgiana's 2nd cousin Richard Dana Morse. He thanks Georgiana for the Christmas gift; talks about the new house he bought in Florham Park, and a horse he bought; and mentions various friends and relatives. [Transcription]
  • 4 January 1920. From Georgiana's 2nd cousin Richard Dana Morse. He thanks her for the Christmas letter and gift; apologizes for not renewing the Sunday Tribune subscription for her more promptly; says he waited until January to close his Florham house for the winter, and cold weather resulted in frozen water pipes; and mentions various relatives. [Transcription]
  • 2 January 1921. From Georgiana's 2nd cousin Richard Dana Morse. He thanks her for the Christmas gift; says he closed his Florham Park house yesterday for the winter, and had no problems with frozen water pipes; and comments about and approves the election of Harding as President. [Transcription]
  • 15 January 1922. From Georgiana's 2nd cousin Richard Dana Morse. He thanks her for the letter and Christmas wishes; says he closed his Florham house for the winter six weeks ago; says his horse has developed some lameness; talks about his farm, noting that potatoes did not do well the past year, and he plans to grow just hay and outs nest year; mentions some relatives; and notes that he renewed Georgiana's Sunday Tribune subscription. [Transcription]
  • Undated. From Mary Norton (Wilmarth) Wing. She says she's not been very well, and her husband is getting over his "Gripp"; says her housekeeper leaves when her work is done because of a sick grandson, and she has to answer the doorbell, resulting in little rest; and notes she got a letter from Laura Irby. [Transcription]
  • 3 July 1912. From Mary Norton (Wilmarth) Wing. She says she's heard little from Ledger (North Carolina), and dreams of going back, but can't because of her husband's health, and says they did go to Columbus, Ohio, to visit her nephew. [Transcription]
  • 20 October 1913. From Mary Norton (Wilmarth) Wing. She says they're doing well, although her husband isn't very strong yet, and asks if she's heard from Laura Irby. [Transcription]
  • 27 August 1913. From Katherine Norris. She describes a visit to Boston, and seeing relatives, and talks about various relatives who have recently visited her. [Transcription]
  • Undated. From Katherine Norris. She mentions that Mary is back at home after being away for five weeks, and gives an address in Florence, Italy (for Abbot McClure). [Transcription]
  • 22 September 1904. Probably from Ellen (Gilman) Porter. The writer describes a European trip in Switzerland, France, and England, with emphasis on antiquities at the British Museum, and services at St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. [Transcription]
  • 23 October 1913. From Ralph Robinson, an attorney. He tells Georgiana she was left various items in the will of Ellen G. Porter, and asks where to send them. [Transcription]
  • 31 December 1912. From Sarah Rhea (Higginson) Bowditch. She thanks Georgiana for the note and Christmas card, and a center piece. [Transcription]
  • 15 September 1900. From Ernest William Bowditch. He says he saw a note about the death of Joseph H. Bowditch, and asks for information on the family, and whether or not they have any items handed down in the family. [Transcription]
  • 30 December 1912. From Ernest William Bowditch. He says he and his daughter plan to arrive in Morganton on 27 January, and says their only interest is seeing her, and any family pictures she might have, and have no interest in sightseeing. [Transcription]
  • 11 January 1913. From Ernest William Bowditch. He says they now plan to arrive in Morganton on 24 January, and would like to have breakfast with her. [Transcription]
  • 25 January 1913. From Elizabeth Swann Bowditch. She says she and her father enjoyed having breakfast with her, and describes the trip from Morganton to Asheville. [Transcription]
  • 5 December 1911. From Maud (Kilbourn) Thorndike, wife of Georgiana's cousin Abbot Thorndike. She describes Sioux City and the area, and their house, and says the climate is better than they expected, and that they're playing golf every Saturday and Sunday. [Transcription]
  • 19 March 1912. From Maud (Kilbourn) Thorndike, wife of Georgiana's cousin Abbot Thorndike. She teases Georgiana about not writing more often, and hopes she isn't ill, and says the weather is still "heavenly," and that they are playing lots of golf. [Transcription]