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

1865-05-15

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about a recent trip he took in New York State.

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

1497

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

                          Geneva May 15^th
Dear “Friend Amy                1865.

                                      I have been
most provoKingly disappointed
in not being able at this
time to reach Rochester.
   And the next best thing
attainable is to talK with
to You with Pen InK and Paper
but what a poor substitute
for the Viva Voca = and meeting
You and the Rochester Circle
in Propriae Personae-
                         I left New YorK on
Thursday Evening 6. O’ClocK by Erie train
of course I Should have taKen the Central
and I thinK Geo Willetts told me So
    Soon after leaving Jersey City a Violent
Storm overtooK us . The Lightening
Shattered Trees . breaKing Car windows
   and obstructing the tracK by
   which were detained Six hours
and by mistaKe or negligence of the
Conductor was carried to Corning
and had to return to Elmira
remain there till 6¹4 . ther [sic] by Car
to Jefferson = Staying there all night
and leaving in the Steamer in the
morning at 8 : reaching Geneva
at Noon Saturday instead of
        Friday.

(Page 2)

I should have run up to day [sic] and
remained in - Rochester an hour or two
( being engaged to address the
       Ladies Soldiers aid Society )
         but unforeseen matters
              prevented = and I leave
   here tomorrow Morning to be
   at my Post office duties =
        Having but 8 days Vacation.

        I have heard from Louisa
   with grateful Satisfaction the
      Hospitality and Kindness
         She recieved [sic] at 36 Sophia St
      and oh how I do long to
        be there myself –
              How is Mrs Sarah H . Willis
      and Mr Willis     William & Mary
      Hallowell.   Jacob. Joseph
     and ‘Little Willie” but who
     now Judging from his LiKeness
Shown me by          Louisa =Little
        Willie no longer , Yes
Some       longer and thats
                                 Just the long
     and Short of it .

and Mary PitKin I want
  to hear her play and Sing –

I was Sorry to hear of Isaac
Posts indisposition = tell him
I protest against any Such
                          arrangement .

[Text aligned vertically along left margin of Page 2]

Those Flowers of Your arranging –very handsome.

(Page 3)

I go for an amendment
   of his Constitutions

My remembrances to Mary Johnson

I met Mrs Mary Curtis in
    New YorK. and with
Chas Lenox Remond was
carried bacK to Days
Lang Syne in Rochester
                -

    Come to thinK

         I am in an encouraging
State of health and
        am   Yet a Bachelor .
                  -
        I must defer other
        matters = being called to the

                 meeting
                                      Do send me
        a line to Boston.

                  With Love to all

I remain
                      Fraternally Yours

                      William C. Nell.

Annotations

William Cooper Nell, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Boston to fellow activist, Amy Post. The Latin phrase "viva voce" means lively voice. "in Propriae Personae" translates to in person, or personally. Louisa could refer to either one of Nell's sisters or Louisa Jacobs, the daughter of abolitionist and former slave Harriet Jacobs. Nell refers to the Post family home at 36 Sophia Street in Rochester. Sarah Willis was Post's sister, and Edmund P. Willis was Post's brother-in-law. William and Mary Hallowell were Post's son-in-law and step-daughter. Jacob, Joseph and Willie were Post's sons. Mary Pitkin took care of Willie as a young boy. Mary Johnson was an African American woman, who worked for the Post family for a period. Mary Curtis was a woman's rights advocate. Charles Lenox Remond was a lecturer and abolitionist. "Auld Lang Syne" was a Scottish poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song.

Tags

Abolitionism; Family

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/3784.

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