William Audley Couper papers

the large majority of Democrats there would seem no chance of Fathers election, yet their quarrels & the friendship of many for F. may result in his election.

Georgia wrote me yesterday from Philad & says that they have had the influenza but are now well. Mall & I are in our usual excelent health. There is to be a good concert tonight but I doubt if I go. On Monday night my [gap] Lillie Devereux gives the last revolver before Lent in the shape of a large party which is expected to be fine - the one last Monday was very pleasant - time passes pleasantly & profitably to me now. John King paid me a short visit yesterday afternoon, on his way to New York. I like him very much - I will now stop, hoping soon to get your letter Give much love & many Kisses to Dearest Mother & also to your dear children & F. & C.

San Francisco Cal: May 15th 1852

My own dearest Sister

Your last affectionate letter under the date of "April 5" came to hand by the last Steamer. — and as you know very well how glad I was to receive it. I will just go on with this to be hurried letter.

You must indeed have been alarmed when Willie swallowed that marble [gap] generations of our family to be so greedy that they will swallow every thing that they put into their mouths. You remember the twelve & a half bit that Lord took the liberty of sending into his stomach one fine Summers evening. [gap] sucking of marbles. Tell Mr. Wm. Couper that I am "man of the world" enough to wish to the Lord I was back at home "plunking at the middle man from [??]" in a small game of marbles" - with him this minute. - seeing him & Dunham puffing away & swaring they have not to a closen the top button of their pants

because they have grown fatter - But because the d -d britches always too small for any man. I can see Dunham straighten up and sware it was the way he was standing. Oh for those happy days once more. I am more distressed than I can express at what you tell me of low spirits of our beloved Mother. - the worst of it is I can't do any thing. Please bug her for my sake not is do so. Oh! I don't know what to do. -

I told Mother that Mr. Bouke wrote to me of the death of M[gap] Hull. she seems to be unfortunate from the very day of her marriage she was the best of that family. —

Tell your Venerable Husband that he can't laugh any more at the idea of my owing him a letter. [gap] I wrote to him some three months ago and I expect a personal & long reply. Of course he will write one of the Regatta

I found a [Jr??] church man this morning who for the curiosity of the thing (and to make money) has stamped some .50 cent bits of gold. he sels them at a dollar

San Francisco Cal. May 3rd 1852

My own dearest Sister

Your letter of six pages dated "March 15th" came to hand by the last steamer. oh how much I thank you for it. I only wish I had time to write you such a letter - for then I would know I was giving you a pleasure which you could experience over & over again by [??reperusing] it. —

I can't help thinking about your having a child over a year [old] that I never have seen — and thats not all if I stay out here till next Jan: as I now think I shall - their may be another for me to see. Well "increase & multiply - I hear Mrs. Sinclare Wiggins ("My Love" that was) has had bad taste enough to have a baby. I wonder if Rosa wont get married before long. Well let them all go on. I have become callous.

I am surprised that the owners of the Magnolia are so careless as to what becomes of her, tis their own loss though.

San Francisco Cal April 17th 1852

My own dearest Sister First let me thank you for the daguerreotypes of yourself and dear little Anna that I received by the last steamer and then for your long kind letter in which by the way you say the daquerreotype are presents from Mr Couper. oh! how I wish he had sent me his also. Why is it? I wonder that no one of you - can have such flattered likenesses - of yourselves taken as I can - Now nearly every likeness I have ever had taken of myself is twice as good looking as I am. where as yours though I have not one word to say against it does not do you justice. I am truly glad to hear you enjoyed yourself so much in Savannah. now if I only could have been with you. But I am afraid you would have been for passing me off as your elder brother. and then Anna would have had to call you "[Gootin??] Sister" (not Ma) you [old??] people try to cut a swell sometimes -

my being left alone — I insist that he shall go - And dear Father you may be sure that he will take all care of her - Pray dear Father with Mother approving of this move for she has taken it into her nervous head that you Father dear may not like it — I know my Father that if your voice could be heard from that far off land it would be loud in your wish for her to go — as indeed I and Dr C — & all of us think that if she remains here there is no telling how long we may have her with us — It will benefit her so much — It is a sad tryal [sic] to me but I never think of that and shall do all I can to look after and arrange her house till [sic] she comes home — & shall write her often — She will be so happy to rejoin her three girls and who so fit a protector for them as our beloved Mother - Floyd & Tip too will be much improved by a quarters [sic] schooling — Then Dear Lord & Mal will soon be able to go and remain with her so she will have 7 of her children to comfort her in this new place and your long absence — Oh how delightful to me when they come

home in October - and then when you my beloved Father and dear Butler come next oh that will be such perfect happiness -

Mr J.H.C. had left for Philadelphia ere your letter to William came - he has sent it on to his brother and written him on the subject --- I must now say good by [sic] my dearest Father --- I only wrote to tell you that William would go with my precious Mother - We are are all pretty well - And all pour in warmest love to you and dear Butler tell him I will write him by the next mail - Pray excuse all blunders for I write in great haste and confusion

God bless you my beloved Father and grant you may return safe and well to us. You own truly affectionate Daughter Hannah Page C -

Hon. Thos Butler King San Francisco

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the pleasure of meeting Mrs Charles Grant – she was in one of her nervous excited humors - saying what an attack of nervous -ness she had had the last few days – D^r Sulivan [sic] in attendance &c this evening she sent to ask me to go to church with her after tea but I was too tired - for after Church Amanda M^rW. the boys & myself had been overhauling the new part of the City. Everybody must have known that we were country folks. The City is really rapidly building up. If I could sell my lands on the Island & purchase a house here, the hire of the negros [sic] would maintain us beautifully. William should come too - he would soon find something to do. Is it not a delightful plan Let us think of it! - I feel such a kind of horror of St. Simon's. When we got back I found dear William & John Cunningham here, the former regretted very much he had not gone to walk with us - I felt even more sorry I think than he was, & had I thought of the walk before leaving for Church I would have sent Middleton for him. M^r C. says his wife is not so well today -- will you believe it that woman has had the conscience to miscarry. The Doctors say if she does again she will die right away, & if she could have kept it she would have recovered, this is what Sarah told me this evening. This was the reason she was so ill some time ago. Dear Sarah Bourke is just as kind to me as tho' she was my own child, so gentle - so thoughtful, poor child she has much to worry her at this time & yet any one to see her would not suspect anything. Poor B. has been in a frolic & will carry it on. I have not set eyes on him since I came, he stays out all day, at night he staggers home & is assisted up to his room. he is off again as soon as he gets up in the morning -- I am grieved for Sarah I would leave the house & go either to the Cunninghams / who have press'd me to divide my time with them - or to stay at the house Aman-da stops at - but I fear it will not only be talked of - but that

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I was awoke this morning by a cry of "fire," you may depend on it I was up & awoke the boys quick enough - Rhina soon came up & said "it was close by." The poor boys were hurrying on their own clothes & urging me to do the same. Soon after M^r Woolley came & begged me not to be alarmed as there was no danger to us - The fire is still burning - it commenced in a carpen-ters shop & communicated to a large brick building belonging to a M^r Cohen which is yet burning & even now there is another fire down at Yamacraw It is very fortunate that these did not occur in the night - or even yesterday when the wind was high. This is a lovely morning, calm bright & beautiful God! grant it has dawned on all I hold dear in as good bodily health as it does on your little brothers & myself. The boys tell me Amanda was at the fire & that 2 brick houses & the carpenters [sic] shop are consumed. This must have been designedly done. The basket in which the bread goes belongs to Sarah do take care of it & restore it safe to Sarah. Rhina seems better - I hope all may be for the best that I take her with me. The expense is the least consideration with me. You must tell my good Pussy that I think constantly of her. Should anything befall her, I would indeed meet with a serious loss. I pray God! no more will be taken from me yet a while. I saw 4 funeral processions yesterday - 3 white & 1 negro, there may have been others - but there are a great many people in this place. Tell Lady to be pure & try & raise & keep the poultry well. And Maria must be careful of my birds I know you will take an interest in all that concerns my interest I only hope you will first be careful of your own dear self & those sweet children. Clementine I trust will keep well - then I know she will relieve you in the sewing line. As soon as Jane can be spared from nursing she & Ellen / before the latter is able to cook / ought to make for those who have large families or cannot sew. But I left all to yours & Williams [sic] care & management. Do not neglect to see to those window shades & return them if they do not answer. I send the Potash for soft soap. I neglected to ask M^r Dunham to give Lady or old Jane 25 tbs of tallow from the barn - pray do so

[top right] 15^th June 1852 Savannah

My dearly beloved Tootee

It does seem so strange all the events which are crowding on me. Who would have supposed one month ago that I would be in Savannah on my way North or more or as much wonderful is the intelligence contained in the enclosed letters. May all be ordered for our good. If I am permitted to meet your beloved Father - it will will [sic] of itself reward me for what I have suffered in leaving home. How merciful to me my hearing that the loved children were well, on the 9^th & 11^th. What is to be the end of all these unexpected events God! alone knows. I look forward with hope but with a trembling heart ---

I wrote you a long letter by Middleton - I hope all things went safe. The Oznaburgs will go in the next trip of the Planter - let Lady have 15 or 20 yds. --- I do not think more can be spared - Tell the negros [sic] if I live to see their Master I hope your letters will enable me to give a favorable report not only of their health but of their conduct - It grieves me that dear Butler is left alone in that Country. - May God! protect him I will suffer more when your Father is obliged to return to California - Oh! the misery this anxiety costs me. My beloved child I hardly think your blessed Father will be able to visit you. I can only hope this visit of his may not portend coming misfortune. I have had no letter from him or Butler. Possibly these letters will be received by you. Of course you will open them & read all they may have communicated.

William is a devoted son to me. I cannot but regret the lonely state such devotion subjects you to. But for my coward heart