Schlesinger Library

shawl sewing current pie, cherry X X pocket X

New Rochelle. 6 mo.25.1839. Third day morning. 7 o'clock.

Dear Parents,

Much rather would I call at Gentry Falls House, and say what I have to communicate, than to impart my feelings in this format X. Just after the setting of the bright orb of day, is my favorite hour, for mentally wandering home, and spiritually communing with my dearest earthly friends. It is at this hour, my brow is sudden X with the thought that we all may never meet again while on earth and if this shall be our position, may we be prepared to meet in those X of heavenly bliss, where happiness dwells, without alloy. I have thought much, of late, that death would again, enter our ranks and snatch one of the precious members to the chamber of his dark abode because of our unfaithfulness and nonobservance of the chastisement of the mighty arms of God.

X that we may all be more obedient to his voice, then will the remainder of our days be X in unspeakable love, and harmony, then shall we follow the blessed example of our dear departed mother and grandmother. I often call to mind the hour of parting, then will the tears gush forth anew; notwithstanding this, I cannot call myself homesick, for reason tells me "it is good for thee to be separated from friends, that thou may learn to prize their worth."

Third day evening. Two day scholars applied for admission this morning. Since school I have had the unspeakable satisfaction of visiting with four colored people, and drinking tea with them. You have probably heard of Theodore Wright of New York, he is their step father. Their names are X.

Yes, I think I can say with truth the visit has been pleasant, for to show this kind of people respect, I think in this heathen land, (for such I esteem it) affords me a double portion of happiness. The oldest of the three, for one was their grandmother, is perfectly agreeable in her manner. I conversed with her much about the school, found her a sensible girl, she spoke of the prejudice around here, said she is anxious to return to Clinton in Oneida Cty where they have been attending school. She said they eat[,] walked and associated with the whites as freely as the whites do among themselves. Here they are looked upon as being level with the brute, there as equals. She said she hoped the minds of the people might be freed from this darkness. X for a happier state of things.

Fourth day morning. 5 oclock. Caroline Barker from Troy, arrived here last night, the one X and myself saw at Barkers, last summer. But one letter yet from home; have felt quite anxious to receive another. If you cannot get time [to] write please send papers. I have not yet subscribed for one.

S.B.A.

New Rochelle 6 mo 29. 1839.

7 day morning 5 oclock

Esteemed Friend:

Your letter mailed 25, I re ceived on the 28 as a welcome messenge. [8/?] I now [?] endeavour write a few lines in answer to it.

I sympathize with you, for your [hurt] heart [edness], as much as you regret the tender state of my feelings.

I will company with Eunice & Caroline Barker a girl from Troy, visited at S. titus, where they remained all night, so I have had the pleasure of presiding as mistress. Eunice thinks of starting for home next 3rd day, when I shall again be left for a longer time, as head of the family. What thinks you of my drinking tea (or water) with these niggers as you are pleased to call them. I have this week too. I am pleased to hear that H is teaching school but oh, she is where she can [got?] home frequently, while I must spend, two holidays in every week without visiting you. I have partially unproved my 7 days by atten ding to algebra, in which I have proceeded nearly through simple equations. expect I shall ere long send you some problems to perform for me. I feel a little curiosity to hear the result of M. Wilsons party if my Wing is only there it will answer just as wll as if I were there after Breakfast have just presided at table poured the Coffe did not suffer myself to partake which required a great deal of Self Denial, for notwithstanding it is now 4 weeks since I left it

Tell M. Wilson send me some of her cakes and [sirvet?] meals so that I may know how she treated her company. I suppose GP has all her [verce?] things from [?] by this time Please tell her to send me the piece of her dress.

the last time, my appetite for it, remains as good as ever I do not suffer myself to taste of tea nor coffee

I believe I must excuse my writing on papers a little. I did not know that Father was no longer Postmaster, therefore wrote on them to serve the troulle of writing a letter. Im rejoiced to hear that the sawmill is in operation hope soon to hear that the gristmill is, also. I expect I shall hardly know the place when I return which will probably be in 10 months next. When your letter arrived I had really despaired of hearring from you, it's having heen one day more than two weeks since the reception of the last.

I suppose G.P. feels quite happy getting the dinners and [hseakfusto?] for the Gentlemen & receiving all from [Rufas?] Job and amongst them. More responsibility than I anticipated, rests upon my shoulders. This is horrid writing [hart da?] excuse as I have had to write very fast on account of the maids leaving at 7.

My love to our folks & yourself a [Share?]

Your Friend

S. B. Anthony

P. S. Please tell G. P. I wish that [mull?] for a dress sent & if they have any dark calico they may send me a dress if they can spare it, if not I can get along without it

Excuse this wretched [?] All the goodys you can muster amongst your will be [moll?] acceptadly received, as for instance a half a raisins or so I have been very economical since I left home having bought but two lemons too gratify the taste saving this money.

I have been almost homesick the last because you did write therefore I hope you will save me these feelings by writing often, even, though there be no news do write often I do not care how it is sheller.

NEW-ROCHELLE JUN 29 N-Y 1839 FREE Aaron M. Mc Loeauf P. m. Batterville Wash. C ^[b?]y N.Y.

Reed July 20 [?]

Read July 2

Batten bille July 6th 1839

Dr. [Susant?]

I expected that yourfolks would have written in answer to two Letters [?] on Tuesday the 2d last. But as I have not heard from them I will endeaver to write a line just to last you until you recieve a more acceptable one. I shall not argue this "Black question" with you any more tho I must be permitted to say that I should think you would make rather a dignified appearance sipping tea & holding a tete a tete. seated between two [Bouncing?] sat, benches. I should think the scent would not seem much like roses.. There was quite an array came off at Center Falls House on the Evening of the 3d I met Theodo having been at Union Village and taken quite too freely of the [Critter?], returned to the Falls about 11 oclock in the evening and after [cutting?] as drive other [?] drove up to your house your father was sitting on the stoop and Theodore commenced a dispute and threatened to flog him. After some talk Theo got out of the masson and [snitched?] on your father and commenced a most furious scratching & stricking ye. Your father did not suspect such an attack and was quite unprepared so that Theodore made out to scratch his face a little yc yc but did him no serious injury. Your father entered a complaint at the police and Theodore was arrested on a peace warranty and yesterday the trial commenced and adjourned until to day at 9 oclock. The inhabitants unanimously are very decidedly opposed to Theodore and the only expressions of opinion I have heard in that he ought to be sincerely punished Even the old judge & Ira are of the same opinion You will doubtley hear the particulars from home

It is nearly time for the mail to arrive & I dont know how much more I shall be able to wait I hope it will arrive very soon 'Cause' my ideas are nearly exhausted I did not rise till 6 oclock this morning. In relation to the 4th of Indepdendence, I can only say what I have heard. I celebrated the day at Batten ville we had prime 'doms' Clark Startutt. Elijah Wyatt. Sam Lewis. David Stewart. Charly Boudicl. Dock Colling Will Shiv. Alen Churck. Myself &c &c fired Red crackle all day long. Only in the PM I called at the Center Falls House &c &c. Every Body almost went to 'Celebration' There was a regular celebration at Salem & a ladies fair. A cele bration at Schuylerville, Saratoga things &c &c &c At all of which places there were great gatherings of loafing and things. And much more rum drank than done any good It is now 11 oclock and it has just commenced raining a thinder shower. On Saturday last the 29th [felt?] we had a the most serene Hail Storm ever experienced in this Country. It commenced about 2 oclock PM and lasted about an hour accompanied by very heavy thunder & rain. It intirely destroyed the corn plantation on [sinnal?] farms & very much injured all crops. Grass gardens & the Hail stones were very large some measured 5 inches round them. After the storm was as there might have been Masson loads of Ice gatherd up, and Sunday all day there were to be seen Large Banks of solid ice when the water had washed the Hail into heaps. In this place there was about 1000 lights of glass broken. It extended but a little ways however. It did not reach the Falls at all nor but a short distance afar Syman Monday

About the only farms injured were Paul [?] Failans Curtis Coles I. R will A.N. McLean. L Woodard Esp McLean. [Jeffth & Cottreds?]

Hannah spect the 4th at home I saw her and think she has grown very much since has been "mistress" she has about 15 scholars and likes her situation very well.

I have now written every little thing I can think of and I believe all the news worth writing. It thunders very heavy and the weather is quite cold.

I am very sorry to see from your letters that you appear to be homesick. I should suppose that any body from this miserable stormy Country located in so pleasant a place as if suppose New Rochelle to be would be [?] by [Continted?] Happy. If I was there I know I [would?] not want to ever return. You must write often [?] once a week whether you receive anews or not. I will seem some like talking with your own folks for you to write to them and I know from experience that it is quite a relief to homesick folks to have friends to write they can write often. And I also know that it was no relief to me when I was homesick to receive letters from home. It only increased my malady. I have written this is a great hurry and have been constantly interrupted by conversation in the shop & stopping to do business therefore you must overlook errors &c.. If your folks should send a letter to go in the mail to day I shall not send this if not I shall. Be sure and write often and not stand for any ceremony or formalities

Thine Truly

A. M. McLean

New Rochelle, June 7, 1839. First day afternoon.

Esteemed A.

I will write a few words to inform you that the way seems open for Eunice to leave New Rochelle day after tomorrow or third day to visit Schaghticoke. She will probably remain at home until next first day. I hope it will be convenient for our people to send those little items which I have named before. FIve weeks to day I was at Rose Street meeting in New York and heard the loudest sermon on the Vices of the City, that has been preached in that house very lately from Rachel Barker of Athens. I guess if you could hear her preach once, you would (after it) believe in womens preaching. What an absurd notion, that women have not intellectual & moral faculties suficient, for any thing but domestic concerns.

Received, (with respects) a Rural Repository, last fourth day which was the third of the month, with the most pleasure imaginable, every word in it was lovely, particularly the piece that was marked. I should like very much to hear about all the parties on fourths July [?] hope you will give a particular detail of them in your next. I should like to step in and see how they look at Centre house falls, writing on travelers & gentry. I can tell you what it is. I feel really lately I have written two letters before this several to day, I was requested in the last letter to mention all the enormous mistakes in spelling, butt to tell the truth I am so glad to get the letters, I do not look at the spellling or writing.

E. will remain at home until second day so that if mother wishes to go down to Schaghitcoke she can go First day. I so hope I may get a large quantity of letters from you. Battenville Centre [?] folks. S.B.A.

Aurora M. McLean. P.M. Battenville. Wash, Co. N.Y.

New Rochelle 7 mo. 7. 1839.

Admit to Aunt Mary

Dear Sister M.

I dreamed of you last night, what think you, was it a good dream or a bad one. I am sorry to say it was a bad one. I imagined myself at home, & some one asked a favor of you, and you in a sulky manner, argued the right of the request & seemed to think it some one elses [liusings?]. Do not this dream too frequently verified in your daily conduct towards those who ask favors of you. Consider well dear sister, & if it ever has been the [?]. Write to discontinue it for the future, Think whether it makes you any happier or whether those around you are ren dered more comfortably and if your answer to these enquiries is yes; then by all means adhere to the practice, if, no; nev er allow yourself to indulge in it again, for every time you do, it only weakens you, and increases that unhappy feeling, that you are not treated as well as the rest. Rest assured Dear Sister that we all regard you equally with the rest, but that particular trait in you charac ter, we do dislike, I sincerely hope you may be enabled to command strength to overpower it, so thus secure your own happiness as well as that of those around you. Do not indulge anger towards any one, for that will also make you unhappy. Suffer yourself to think much about serious things and Deaths, for that will strengthen you in doing well. Read the Bible and other good books & spend your [bisine?] moments in commiting some good piece as chapter to [memory?]. I learned two chapters in the last weeks one was the 42 [Blane?]. Do you ever

Those cherry stones in the paper are out of a large sweet cherry nearly as large as a plum. Please plant their and take good care of them and and merritt you may have the breed if they should live. they are the best I ever ate.

I am thy affectionate sister

S.B.A.