Willis, Phebe P. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Willis, Phebe P. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Willis, Phebe P

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1845-03-07

Description

Handwritten letter from Phebe P. Willis to Amy Kirby Post, March 7, 1845.

Is Part Of

Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Rights

The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Identifier

628

Location

Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Transcription

[Top half of letter, by Joseph Post, transcribed as Letter 627]

(Page 1)

[Text sideways, top margin]

Brother

John has

just been

here saying

Mary F is

quite or very

poorly with

rheumatism

so that her

mother is

gone

there to

stay

a few

days

what

am un-

speakable

pity

that W

L Garrison

and NP

Rodgers

have falen [sic]

out by the

way I have

read on that

subject with

deep regret

and

sym-

pathy

for Garrison

how many

many [proofs?] we

have had of the

faling [sic] of

warm friendship

but let us not

conclude there

is no such thing

as true friendship

for even that

which fails

through human frailty I must believe has been real but how painful must be the thought that a friendship which has given so much

[Text sideways, right margin]

heart felt solace is at an end and instead of congenial hearts flowing in

unison from which so much pleasure has been derived unkind feelings

cherished but I cannot think Garrison does harbour any unkind

feelings towards Rodders [sic]

[Text normal, center of page]

read this last. when Joseph left his paper I expected

to get him to write more but the paper

is filed [sic] to [sic] full for him but

he wants me to say grandmother Willis sends her

love to all

[Evening?] Joseph has written the above lines and seems to

think it all he has to say he wrote it first on his Slate at

school and brought it home and copied it on paper I

had intended after the reception of my dear brother’s

letter to write very soon but so many things have

occupied my time and attention that I have thus post

poned until the present time and now it is quite late in

the evening we have had Cousin Thomas Willis with his grand

daughters Deborah and Rachel ^to tea with us this afternoon^ cousin T has a pretty bad

looking lump on his face a kind of projection [which]

which he thinks has progress’d to [sic] rapidly to be a cancer

it is about the size of a cherry Samuel Smith’s family

are shortly to move up there cousin T. has been to see Anne

and informed her of the death of her mother which ^she^ could

not seem to realize, Stephen and Matilda were here the

other day and informed us that Mary Ann Johnson and

Mary Underwood were on a visit at Uncle Joseph’s and

we have been expecting them here today together with –

Hulda and Mary Hoag why they have not come I do not ^know^

(Page 2)

as I am surrounded by such a talkative company and I can

commune with [with] absent friends so much better alone

I will adjourn for the present and try to commence under more

favourable circumstances, – – ^2^nd day afternoon^ Oh dear dear dear all this time [has layn]

has my paper laid waiting for a more convenient season, what

with having company visiting and domestick [sic] engagements I have

not until now found any time to to [sic] devote to pen and paper

brother Joseph Sister Mary ^their daughter^ Hulda and Mary Hoag with Mary Under-

Wood ^came^ the three latter [illegible] tarried with us two days and two nights

when Catharine Isaac and myself took them to Westbury in

time for their school on 2 day morning, that is Hulda and

her sister, Mary Underwood went with us as far as Silas Carle’s, and

we landed at I Rushmores found all as well as usual but the

void made by the removal of that dear fond and affectionate Sister

of ours I still feel can never be fill’d, there is such a continual

recuring [sic] to her while so many tender recollection crowd upon

the memory, but I often think her place is as nearly fill’d

as it could be by another yes I have sometimes wondered how

Matilda could take so much interest in and make herself

so agreeable to me and us while she has sister of her own

to mingle with, in short she is a lovely woman to whome [sic] I

feel much attached, we had not been there long before brother Jos^h

and sister Mary came, and before dinner a message was sent

from Silas Carles inviting us all there to tea, but J and M

declined going Silas came over after dinner with a repeated in

vitation and urged their going but they thought best to go home

Stephen, Matilda Edmund, Catharine, Isaac, and I went and were

entertained in real City stile [sic] that is every thing seemed so

^suberbly [sic]^ nice but their reception and treatment to us was none other

than a kind country welcome, the committe [sic] are soliciting

Mary Underwood to take the Westbury school and she has had a

letter from her mother saying Mary Lipeneot wants her to

occupy a place in her school as teacher she seems to be hes-

-itating not having made up her mind, her mother leaves her

at [biverty?] to deside [sic] accorting [sic] to her own judgement. Mary Ann

Johnson has returned to her residence at the State Prison without

letting us see her which I quite regreted [sic], have you heard that Sidney

Gay is to be married to Elizabeth Neal. I omited [sic] to say above tha [sic]

when we rose from the tea table at Silas Carle’s it was so dark

and stormey [sic] that it was considered too [dark and stormey [sic]] ^unsuitable^

for Isaac and self to come home. Catharine was expecting to

stay but she had struck a violant [sic] tooth ache that ^night^ it proved best

that we did, so extreme was the pain that she felt as if she could

not wait till [sic] morning to have it extracted but a little before

it was time to get up she got a sleep and slept a short nap, as

it was snowing pretty fast we thought best to make the best of out

way home with our wheel’s leaving them to take charge of Catharine we had

(Page 3)

not been home long ^we stayed till [sic] after brakefast [sic] some time and it snowed very fast all the ^way^^ before the sun broke out with brightness and

this afternoon the weather looks fine but wintery and different from

the last few weeks when it has appeared like Spring indeed the ground

settled and the traveling good, Dost thou my dear brother say I can

realize your feelings in the loss of your precious little darling, true I think I

can and have entered into feeling with you on the trying occation [sic] and

it is a painful reflection to me that I shall see the lovely ^pretty^ little

creture [sic] no/more. [your] seeing her suffer so much I suppose prepared

you in some degree to give her up, Oh it seems almost as if I had

been with you watching her imploring looks for relief under

suffering so painful to behold and felt the inability the utter im

possibility of having or possesing [sic] any power to relieve or stay the prog

ress of the desease [sic] which terminated her precious life, the kindness of

your neighbous [sic] at such a time must have been very grateful, particularly as

sister Amy was not well.

The situation of things that are trans-

-piring with you [t]relating to society affairs must be exceeding-

ly trying according to thy account but I have faith to hope [there]

and to believe there will be a reaction that deliverance will [be]

come but I know it required great patience and forbearance

and endurence [sic], I want thee my dear brother to live down

that spirit of opposition and party feeling by thy straight

forward steady even deportment which I have no doubt some

of thy opposers [sic] have ofttimes envied thee, do not I prey [sic] thee gratify

them so much as to think of resigning thy right of member-

ship pleas [sic] remember that by withdrawing from those with

whome [sic] thou canst not unite thou woulds [sic] also by the rules

of the society be disconnected from those with whome [sic] thou

thou canst take sweet council and with whome [sic] it is delightful

to mingle in [sweet] fellowship, to think of one member of so-

ciety wishing another member to withdraw that has an

equal [righ [sic]?] with himself how preposterous. Charles Marriet

laboured with Rouland Thoberson on the subject of his thinking

of withdrawing and seemed very desirous that whatever trials

friends might meet with they should hold on and by no

means gratify their opposers [sic] so much as to withdraw, I the

languag [sic] of my heart has often been suffer it to be so now; do come

to Jericho and Join our little meeting things seem very quiet here

but I suppose brother Joseph would say ^it was^ because there was nothing

to fan the flame but it does not seeme [sic] to me as if the spirit of per-

section was here, and how wonderful that it should find a place in

any reflecting mind when we consider the uncertainty and short-

ness of life it seems as if there was no time for other than love &

good will one towards another, I do not know how sister Amy feels

about this matter but tell her as Stephen Treadwell [illegible] “to stick

to the ^old^ ship” and hope for better days and if the worst must come

[sideways in right margin] have no [illegible] in it

(Page 4)

Joseph has just gone to school and Henry Samuel and Isaac are

dispersed leaving me alone O how I do miss mother for when she was

not here it was so easy and desirable to [to] go often to see her

and tho [sic] we ought to be thankful ^that^ she was spared so long to us as she

had got to be an old woman she was so much company and her

faculties almost unimpared [sic] and memmory [sic] so good it was hard to

part with her, there is ofttimes a kind of sad solemnity brought over

my feelings when I reflect that not one of those who formed our fam-

ily circle in my early days are now living for well do I remember when

Father Mother Lydia my self Edmund and our colored girl Ella

composed the family and when I look back to those days it seems

as if in the removal of my brother and sister a prop had been taken

from each side of me, and well do I remember also how dear ^to me^ was my

little brother Isaac when he was added to our family circle and how was he

grew up he was twined in affection round my heart as was brother Joseph in

after years, altho [sic] Joseph has enquired since he has been here which was oldest

Uncle Joseph or me and which I asked him to guess he said Uncle Joseph

perhaps he judged by Uncle Joseph’s size for I dont know how other

he should make such a mistake, Mother Willis came home with brother

^John^ and sister Mary from Flushing leaving Aunt Esther improving in

health and strength but her cough continues, I suppose there is no

doubt but William Post and Esther Lawrenc are engaged to be

married and that before long I expect, William and Edward are

[are] making an addition to their house which I believe they are hastning [sic]

to get done first, William Thurston has had two attacks of paralysis

at New York after he had the first attack before he got quite well enough

to get home he was ceized [sic] with another so that Abigail and Joseph

had to stay with him as I understand both attacks were light and we

hear they have got him up to Flushing or rather Beyside [sic]. Cousin

Samuel Willets and his son Jacob staied [sic] here last seventh day

night the former said they had had John Jackson at Rose St M.g

the first day before and that he preached an excellent cermon [sic]

which was said to be so clear and easy to be understood that

there could be no misunderstanding something of a treat for them

[sideways in right margin] I expect that is for all to under stand alike

[Text sideways in left margin]

Sarah Weeks is in a great deal of trouble not know

ing where to go you have likely heard James Haviland has

told her she canot [sic] stay she feels hurt that she did not

know it sooner it was so very unexpected especialy [sic]

as he solicited there [sic] coming when she never had thought

of the thing but he no doubt is saisfied [sic] in his own

mind that it is best for them to leave and it is thought

Jericho is not a good place for her sons

I conclude in much love to you all as if

named your affection Sister Phebe P Willis

3^rd mo 13^th beautiful bright morning & snow most [g] gone

Joseph and I talk of stoping [sic] at grandfather Kirbys after meeting

[Text sideways center of page]

Jericho NY 18 ¾

March 14

Isaac Post

Rochester

Monroe Co

New York

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Willis, Phebe P, “Willis, Phebe P. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 25, 2024, https://rclomeka2.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2920.

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