Transcription
CATALOG NUMBER VC 1184
OBJECT NAME Letter
DATE August 25, 1842
AUTHOR Rev. Stephen Henry Battin (son-in-law)
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L7NW-NCS
https://scalar.usc.edu/works/trinity-history/rev-stephen-henry-battin-fifth-rector-of-trinity-1858-1863 (check all biographical details)
RECIPIENT Phillip G[ilbert]. Van Wyck
MEDIUM Paper, ink
PEOPLE a sweet lady, a young married couple, Catherine, Hathaway and
wife, “Kate” (same as Catharine?), Mary Smith Gardiner VW
(“mother Van Wyck”),
PLACES “Rome” (N.Y.), “West”, Grove Hill, Ossining (“Sing Sing”),
KEYWORDS newlyweds, process of setting up residence in “Rome”, “Kate’s
little fortune”, “what success with your Carpet Bag”, illness of Mary
Gardiner VW, memory of recent wedding, “tears and shaking
hands”,
Rome. Aug 25th 1842
My dear Sir,
We have been long enough in / this pleasant little Town, to find out that though we / board with one of the pleasantest families and cer- / tainly a very sweet Lady, it will be far more agree / able to us, as soon as possible to provide our own / furniture and bring the table [more], though not / entirely under our control, our proposed to a / Young married couple is this (whose Judgement in / furnishing provision I experienced in July, being / compelled to change my residence when I returned / with a wife) that we should rent a house, together / and Catherine and I furnish our own Bed room, at / once. And after six months say next Spring when / I shall be better able, also our own parlor. We / have made some arrangements to this end, and / our friend Hathaway + wife will assume all the / care and trouble of the marketing. He is a pretty / generous fellow, well brought up and understands this / part well ==
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To settle ourselves comfortable, and make “both ends / meet.” We propose soliciting your aid in sending / on to us about the five of December next both / principal and interest above one thousand dollars / of Kate’s little fortune, which will be about the / sum of $2,20,00 – This, with the sum remaining / of my Salary after our board is paid. We think / will go far enough for the present in providing / sheeting _ furniture +C. Any advice on the subject / you may deem expedient, be kind enough to forward / most happy shall we be to hear from you, fre - / quently and still more happy if you can make / it convenient to visit the West this fall, /
What success with your Carpet Bag. I hope good, / but doubt if it is. With regard to Mother Van Wyck’s / health I have entertained the strongest hopes from the / beginning. Do give her every encouragement it is one / of [^ the] best antidotes in sickness. We are well pleased / and contented and in good spirits, with our present / Lot. “Our wife” has behaved herself nobly through / the whole of this deeply interesting and in many respects / trying ceremony. I trust that the blessings of Heaven / will rest upon us both, and that we may be made /
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humble instruments of good to our fellow men in / administering consolation, and kindness to the sick in / body and mind. We have fully recovered from our fatigue / and Catherines tooth acne is almost gone, The parisho - / ners have nearly all called upon her, now it is / our turn to call upon them. You Dr Sir cannot / soon forget the scene in the church on the day of our / wedding, the many tears, and shaking of hands, / are pretty sure indications of the love and respect she / will attract to herself and where, May we both / be an honor and ornament to your family.
Most affectionately and sincerely
Your son in Law
Stephen H. Batt-[page torn]
[HAND OF Philip G Van Wyck?]
Ans’d 30th Aug’t 1842
The I would try to send him the money at / the time mentioned in the letter [+c]–
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[POSTMARK - blue ink]
18 [3?]
[POSTAGE STAMP - red ink, faded]
[illegible]
[ADDRESS]
Phillip G. Van Wyck Esq.
Grove hill
Sing Sing
N.Y.
[RED WAX SEAL]Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
