Name/Title
Wm. Harvey, (Richland Town, Greene County, Penna) to Maria Harvey, care of the Rev. Robert Icrest (057 Broadway, New York), letter, 15 November 1807Entry/Object ID
2019.4.26Scope and Content
Wm. Harvey, (Richland Town, Greene County, Penna) to Maria Harvey, care of the Rev. Robert Icrest (057 Broadway, New York), letter, 15 November 1807, (postmarked 24 November 1807 Waynesburg, Pennsylvania). Transcription only. The whereabouts of the original are not known, but it is likely that aged condition caused it to be discarded and replaced by this transcription for preservation.
This letter was written by William Saunders Harvey about the death of his father Samuel Harvey.
The Samuel H. Harvey Collection photographs and documents were passed from Samuel Harvey [1820-1908] and his wife, Sarah Inghram Throckmorton [1829-1902], to their son Charles Tilton Harvey [1859-1926] and his wife, Deressa Hawkins [1860-1938], to their son Samuel Hawkins Harvey [1884-1931] and his wife, Irene Dunn Carter [1885-1987], to their son, Samuel H. Harvey, who owned and shared the photographs with the Greene Connections: Greene County, Pennsylvania Archives Project in 2003. Each generation added to the collection with photographs from their own family and in-laws.
TRANSCRIPTION:
"Maria Harvey to the care of the Rev. Robert Icrest at 057 Broadway, New York
Waynesburgh, Pa., 24th Nov.
Richland Town, Greene County, Penna.
Nov. 15th 1807
Dear Mother & Sisters,
I sit down this evening to inform you of the strife and condition of this remaining part of our family, seeing that our days are few and evil our life is as fun and grief and joy, sorrow and gladness comes revolving as the sun does round the globe and God having decreed all things from the beginning knowing therefore that our contentment or discontent cannot alter it, it coming from Him [space left here in transcript] for either shadow of turning. Let us not fret or regret at the fullness of His will and pleasure knowing that all that He doth is in the end for [space left here in transcript] good, though at the very time that He is working His providence there may appear but little [space left here in transcript], but I will not tire your patience with those things while you are waiting for the sequel of my letter. My Father & Brother arrived here in the month of Feb. I quit my school and prepared for to make sugar and did make about one hundred weight, from that we went to clearing land for to raise corn. Me and my Brother had to go a great distance for provisions it being a scarce year just in this neighborhood. We proceeded on with our work until we got sufficient clearing, we then planted our corn, after that was planted, we fenced in forty acres of land, it being within the enclosure we had our crop and then cleared some ground for buckwheat and sowed that, we then began to clear for wheat and rye, the whole land cleared above 20 acres, also to take care of our corn which was come to ripen, which is near two hundred bushels, my Father about this time fell sick with the influenzy, a sickness which no doubt you have experienced but how but he got over that and just as he recovered and got in a lively state of health, he took a violent pain in his stomach which was on the 2nd day of Nov., all remedys were applied, but none gave any relief, he sometimes until the 4th day until the most violent pain that could be imagined on which day about 12 o'clock, he expired, leaving us to the mercy of God, who has been kind to us always. My Father being in such pain from the first he could not speak but a word or two until his breath failed him being in the condition he could not direct us, rather advise us in any matters so the care of all lies on me until you come to assist, we live all together on the place and are our own cooks til some of you come. If it may be in your power to come to us, I pray you send me word for I want to see you, we are all in good health at present and 1 hope this will find you the same. We have our house built, but we are not living in it yet. I believe a [space left here in transcript] will be necessary in order to take care of the estate and keep us together if we do this you must come up but not til Spring. Now concerning affairs at Philad. My Uncle can inform you as I can not. I shall conclude with mine and my Brother's best. Love and respects to you all. Fairwell.
I am your
dutiful son
Wm. Harvey
P. S. If it is within the company of my power to leave the boys and come to you, I will between this and March next. My Grandmother must be very frail, yet with the help of God, I trust to see her and all of you."Collection
Samuel Harvey CollectionLexicon
Search Terms
Death records, Harvey family, Letters (Correspondence)Archive Details
Date(s) of Creation
Nov 15, 1807Other Names and Numbers
Other Number
HARV-DOCU-0001Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Harvey, Maria A. [1792-1884]Person or Organization
Harvey, Samuel [1751c -1807]Person or Organization
Harvey, William Saunders [1775c-1849]Provenance
Provenance Detail
Harvey Series - Samuel Harvey CollectionAcquisition Method
DigitalNotes
Source Citation: Wm. Harvey, (Richland Town, Greene County, Penna) to Maria Harvey, care of the Rev. Robert Icrest (057 Broadway, New York), letter, 15 November 1807, item no. HARV-DOCU-0001, Samuel Harvey Collection, shared by Samuel H. Harvey, Greene Connections Archives Project (www.GreeneConnections.com).