Nell, William Cooper. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Nell, William Cooper. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Nell, William Cooper

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1860-07-08

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about recent events in the anti-slavery and woman's rights community. He also mentions spending time with John Brown Jr.

Subject

Post, Amy Kirby, b. 1802

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

1325

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

Sunday Night          }   all alone in my BacheLor Sanctum
           10 .O. ClocK                       No 20 Grove St
                                       Boston July 8^th 1860
Dear Friend
                         Amy Post
                                              I was delighted on
recieving [sic] Your Kind favor of June 23^D and
would have been exceedingly happy if I
Could have Visited Rochester from Geneva
Last May.   . for I want a Long talK
with You on matters and things
Old and New.              I had an impression
by the way that Several boarders now
domicilled [sic] at 36 Sophia Street . but Your
   letter intimates that the Household is
    now more than ordinarily Small.
              So “our Mary Ann = returned
    quite soon home   to her          Post.
    I was anticipating the pleasure of
    Showing her the     Lions in Boston
    when       the   Sequel of Your letter
    announced.        Presto   Change.
    the Wanderer had returned her
    ^her steps^ to pour forth her musical notes
   to an audience of Amy .
       Isaac Post and. Co -
                 To day [sic] Emerson held forth at
Music Hall. next Sunday Geo Wm Curtis

(Page 2)

discourses = = and then the Hall will be
Closed for six weeKs probably.
                   How I do wish You could
see our new antislavery [sic] office - = nearly twice
as large as the old one and every way a
handsome        apartment = please Call in
You and           Isaac as You pass this way
      Be sure and not pass on the other side
When You do come to Boston We Shall see
to it. That no mistaKes or shortcomings of
hospitality shall attend Your path.
             I am Sorry that Rochester Free
meetings are discontinued = but thier [sic] influence
lives and is active -.          the seed planted
by faithful hands     has germinated and
the fruit will Yet be so abundant as to
Call down blessings on those who
^sustained them^ So long through good and evil report
                                      Mr Garrison has deferred his
Visit to England =                    his health seems renewed
Mr May who intended to accompany him is
in rather a feeble State of health Just now.
                  Mrs Phillips as Mr Phillips says
is very poorly. and is now at Billerica for
the Summer.     =
                                 I was present at the
Womans Rights Convention and indeed
      there as at Boston was one of the Ticket agents

(Page 3)

   I appreciate Your Views in regard
   to the platform and hope for the
“restoration to freedom of speech predicted
by You.
              Wm Wells Brown is quite pleasantly
situated in a nice little Cottage . beside
[his?] Father in Law = = Mrs Brown is a nice
little wife . I have Known her from
early Childhood = = they live in
Cambridgeport Just out of Boston.
                             You _ask about my intended
I cannot answer definitely   .
       I have Just recieved [sic] a letter from
Caroline Remond Putnam dated London
June 20^th intimating quite Soon the return
Home of herself and Mrs Sarah L= Smith .
                 More anon.

[Two lines of text aligned vertically along left margin of Page 3]

Louise Jacobs always reciprocate [sic]
Your Kind expressions.

You asK If I often see Louise M. Jacobs
   I do.    . She is well and doing well
as ClerK in a Large Indian Botanical
Drug establishment = She is Justly
esteemed very highly =     I have not
written to        her Mother for a long
while .        but Keep promising myself
to do so .          I hear that her Son
   Joseph is quite sicK in Australia.

(Page 4)

I really hope nothing will prevent
my Visit to Rochester as anticipated
       my impression now is that it
will      be in September . but I
am not sure = as it depends
Somewhat upon my arrangement
for meetings Vc        but You shall
   hear from me -
                      Dr Trimblety = has recently
left Boston . - he remained here
about eight months = and created
quite a sensation with his Hounds
His Indian Signs Vc
                              Monday Eve
at anti Slavery [sic] office .
We have to day [sic] been honored with
the Company of John Brown Jr.
Barclay CoppocK . and Thaddeus
Hyatt ==
                  Please distribute my
Kind regards among the entire
Rochester Circle = My Sister Louisa
Sends greeting =       Her Son Ira
progresses finely in learning his trade
as Card Engraver    and is quite aspiring
Much more to say. but will reserve it for next time
                               remaining Fraternally Yours
                                                             William C. Nell

Annotations

William Cooper Nell, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Boston to fellow activist, Amy Post. Nell refers to the Post family home at 36 Sophia Street in Rochester. Mary Ann could refer to Mary Ann Pitkin, who lived with the Post family and took care of their youngest son, Willie, or Mary Ann Johnson who was employed by the Post family. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a writer, Transcendentalist and an abolitionist. George William Curtis was a Transcendentalist and a political leader of the Republican Party. The Rochester Free meetings could refer to an abolitionist group. William Lloyd Garrison was a radical abolitionist and the editor of the newspaper, the Liberator. Samuel J. May was a radical reformer, who advocated for women's rights, access to education and the abolition of slavery. Wendell Phillips was an abolitionist, Native American advocate and lawyer. His wife, Anne Terry, was a member of the Boston Anti-Slavery Society. Nell refers to the Tenth National Woman's Rights Convention, held on May 11, 1860. William Wells Brown was an African American abolitionist, lecturer, novelist, playwright and historian. He was born a slave, and escaped to the North in 1834, where he wrote the first novel by an African American titled- Clotel. Caroline Remond Putnam was married to Joseph Putnam and was the sister of abolitionist, Charles Lenox Remond. Louisa Jacobs was abolitionist and former slave, Harriet Jacobs's daughter. John Brown Jr. was the son of the late John Brown, who led the raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. Barclay Coppock participated in the raid. Thaddeus Hyatt helped to support the Brown family after John Brown was executed.

Tags

Abolitionism; Family; Women's Rights

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Nell, William Cooper, “Nell, William Cooper. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 24, 2024, https://rclomeka2.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3613.

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