Transcription
CATALOG NUMBER VC 1748 H
OBJECT NAME letter
DATE November 19, 1817
AUTHOR [Ann] “Nancy” [Jay?]
RECIPIENT Anne Stevenson [later Van Cortlandt]
MEDIUM Paper, ink
PEOPLE Margaret [Walsh], William Jay (“father”), Maria Jay (sister),
William Jay (brother), [Sarah] “Sally” Jay, Mrs Van Rensselaer, the
“General” Pierre Van Cortlandt, the child Pierre Van Cortlandt,
Jay Family: https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/L7J8-KXY
PLACES Bedford, Peekskill,
KEYWORDS death of Margaret [Walsh?], reconnecting with an old friend,
condolences on this death and all the hardships, desire to see,
apologies for failing to visit, love to family,
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/77976749/person/372118748370/facts?_phsrc=fZD92&_phstart=successSource
Note series of Walsh/Stevenson deaths
Bedford 19th of Nov 1817
However appearances have been against / me + may lead to a supposition that I had forgotten an early / friendship, be afsured dear Ann, I have never heard with / indifference of any circumstance or event which would / prompt your happinefs or of the many + various afflictions / with which you have been visited, without participating / in your feelings. The weaknefs of my eyes has sever- / al times prevented my writing, when otherwise it would / have been a pleasure. Now they are better + in the hopes / that you may derive satisfaction from considering yourself re - / membered + loved by an old friends, sharing in your feelings + / wishing to contribute to your consolation, willingly renew / our long neglected intercourse. + rejoice that the same / comforts which have supported me in trouble, have long / been yours _ At the same never-failing source, we have / both sought, + found our chief happinefs - Amidst your / bereavements, may you be duly sensible of your blefsings / among them, how great is that of knowing that those of your / family from whom death has separated you for the present / had each chosen the paths of virtue + piety + however pain - / ful to be parted for this life, you have a well grounded hope to
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Meet again in that which is to come, where change + sorrow can / never enter _ Poor Margaret’s death was no lefs regretted than / unexpected. A mysterious Providence certainly wise but beyond / our comprehension _ To her might applied those beautiful / lines of young.
“Early, bright, transient, chaste as morning dew,
She sparkled, was exhal’d _ went to heav’n”-
It is the afsurance that she is there, + that it was the well of her / Heavenly Father to call her hence, that can alone reconcile you / to her departure _ your lofs is her certain gain. To be also ready / will be our wisdom _ To her death at any time had lost his / sting _ how dreadful to many to be summoned so suddenly _
Much care may devolve upon you, + I am anxious / to know if you will not find it necessary to reside with your / sisters family. You must now look back with peculiar / satisfaction to the devoted attention to them which could not / fail to excite in them a filial affection for you _ we sympathize / with your excellent mother in her old age troubles have mul- / tiplied But it is a confort + encouragement to see how those / who trust in God are supported through all _ are enabled to / say “Thy will is done” - [It?] rest remains for his people + / many + precious are the promises they live on by the way - /
Please to remember me very affec’ly to her -
26th I was interrupted by the arrival of an old friend of papa’s / + being prevented before the post went, from making an apology / which I deemed necessary, for not visiting you last summer / postponed sending my letter. Be afsured my dear Ann it / was my sincere wish, papa fully approved of my going, +
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+ Wm + sister Maria were desirous to accompany me. But / either the lamenefs of our carriage horses, [some] absences from / home, or the necefsity of his attending to business at home, or / some other substantial objection continually prevented my / having that pleasure so much did I desire to see you that / I proposed going with sister in the Gig but papa could not / be persuaded to let us drive so far _ I will hope we may / meet next summer both at Peekskill + at Bedford. / My best respects to Mrs Van Renfselaer + to the General / Kifs your little darling for me + accept for yourself + yours /
The best wishes of my dear Ann
Your affec’t friend
[a-??-page torn]
Mrs Van Cortlandt
Sister Sally desires to be kindly remembered
[END OF PAGE 3]
Bedford [new?] 27
[POSTAGE MARK]
12 [½?]
[ADDRESS]
Mrs Van Cortlandt
To the care of James Stevenson Esq’r
Albany
[LABEL]
Miss Nancy Jay
To A.V.C.
keepTranscriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
