Transcription
CATALOG NUMBER S 1038
OBJECT NAME Letter
DATE September 16, 1832
AUTHOR Mary Anna Sawyer Schuyler (mother)
RECIPIENT George Lee Schuyler (son)
MEDIUM Paper, ink
PEOPLE Mary Anna Sawyer Schuyler, Mrs [Curtis], “the Father” [Philip
Jeremiah Schuyler], Elizabeth Churchwood? (“Betsy”), Mr [Samuel] Jones, “his lady”, Mrs [Sturgis?], Mrs. Pierce, Mrs Lee, [Catharine Schuyler Jones OR Catharine Cornelia Jones?] (“Caty”), Robert Schuyler, Schriver, his family, Brighton, [Georganna Gardner Lee (“Georgina”?)], Mr Pike, “the Major & his Lady”, Penny ??, Mary Ann Schuyler Jones
PLACES West Point, Ballston, Hingham, Newburyport, Salem, Schuyler
Hall, Still water NY
KEYWORDS mothering, Mary Anna Sawyer is in Boston taking care of Jones
step-grandchildren, Cotillions, her health improved, she
“use[s] a great deal of exercise”, “Betsy’s zeal”, “the honours of
fish, flesh, soups & clams”, parents are living separately (Mother
in Boston with son William, father in Still Water with son George),
“children have got to town”, housekeeping, servants, household
help, “Caty has the intermittent” (fever), “nurses wages”, desire for “Yankee” [household help?], horseback riding with the children,
[LATER - blue ink]
Taking riding lessons at 46 years
[ORIGINAL]
Boston Sep.16th 1832 .
My dear George
I received your letter last evening / I am glad to get a glimpse of you . I was in / hopes you would have dropped me a line from / West Point , but as you do not know, nor ever / can know, the yearnings of a Mothers heart / I must excuse you . . I rejoice to hear the / Father is better, persuade him to be prudent, + / not risk an iota of the stocks of health that / he has laid up at Ballston this Summer. How / this place +c. must have changed in its aspect since / the very spirited Cotillions that were got up with / so much effect last Summer month _ _ I am / now very well, feeling very differently from the / first week of my arrival here. I use a great / deal of exercise & intend to continue it_ Mary / Ann has gone to Hingham to pass some time . I dont / know how long . The rest of us pass this evening / with Mrs [Curtis] . To morrow I go to Newbury port . / I pray write me often . I shall here wait for / orders from head quarter .Whenever the Father / feels inclined to join me, I shall be very assiduous / to do the honours of fish, flesh, soups & clams, to / his taste; & Betsy's zeal will be overflowing
[END OF PAGE 1]
I had a long letter from Mr Jones last evening. he / writes with his usual good sense . Mrs [Sturgis?] de- / -cides to leave him . & he is solicitous to obtain / Mrs. Pierce from mine & Mrs Lee's recommendations. / I shall see his Lady at Salem to morrow & I hope secure her. but of this there is some / uncertainty _ The children have got to town & / Little dear Caty has the intermittent . the / others are well - You must all of you [devise] / a plan of taking Schuyler Hall . recollecting / that I am wishing to spend a few Summers / there (say five years) with the children . provided / the Father is so inclined . & you all think it / best to take The place to save it from wreck. / My idea is to take the place farm & all / from Mr Jones, without rent . let the place / support & repair itself with such aid as we / deem fair & right & we to take the children / free of expense to Mr Jones. he paying the / nurses wages the same as if she was in town. / Is this a good plan . Robert said if we did / any thing of the kind it must be done this / autumn_ I should not want Schriver or his family but all new. & if possible Yankee _ /This [if were?] as a Summer arrangement subject to modifications.
[END OF PAGE 2]
And now dear George I have got something to tell you that will surprize[sic] you . Yesterday I went out & drank tea at Brighton, this is / not very astonishing _ but when I tell you I / went on horse back & had a delightful ride / with Georgina & Mr Pike I think it well. / I commenced riding at the school, a week / ago last Thursday . & like all the children / am bewitched about it . I am not a very / fearless rider I can assure you / but every day improve, & gain / courage. they say I sit my horse well & do / not look as though I ought to carry the horse, / instead of his doing me that favour__
I can hardly tell you how much I miss you / & Robert. I am too dependent upon you for / me to be very glad when you are absent . / but still I am contented, & wish you both to / consult your best interests about coming to / me. I shall write to Robert after my / arrival at Newbury Port . give my best / love to him & the Father . regards to the Major / & his Lady. Penny is a perfect Cannibal to attack / the fathers nice little feet_ adieu yours ever /
MAS
[END OF PAGE 3]
[ADDRESS]
George L Schuyler Esq’r
Still water NY _
[POSTMARK - red ink, circle]
BOSTON
SEP
16
MS
[POSTAL NOTATION]
[? B]
[LABEL]
3/ Septr 16 _ 1832
From Boston _Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
