LETTER FROM ALICE ANN HOFFMAN TO JUDGE JOSIAH OGDEN HOFFMAN

Letter

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

LETTER FROM ALICE ANN HOFFMAN TO JUDGE JOSIAH OGDEN HOFFMAN

Entry/Object ID

HHV 008.469

Description

Box 27 PEOPLE: Josiah Ogden Hoffman, Uncle Cad, David Colden, Aunt Maria, Aunt Colden, Mr. Burrells, Bunner, Mr. Robertson, Miss Robertson, Gilbert Robertson, Mary P, Murray, Mr. Church, Edward Livingston, Madame Maria Louise, Autome Valentine Davezac Casta Moreau, Matilda Hoffman. PLACE: Coldenham EVENTS: Marriage of Edward Livingston and Louise Davezac Livingston KEY WORDS: Letter, 19th century, boarding school, women's education, female education, family letters, child to parent letters, marriage, chaperone, escort, accompany,

Transcription

CATALOG NUMBER HF 3014 OBJECT NAME Letter DATE 1805 AUTHOR Alice Ann Hoffman RECIPIENT Judge Josiah Ogden Hoffman MEDIUM Paper, ink PEOPLE Josiah Ogden Hoffman, Uncle Cad, David Colden, Aunt Maria, Aunt Colden, Mr. Burrells, Bunner, Mr. Robertson, Miss Robertson, Gilbert Robertson, Mary P, Murray, Mr. Church, Edward Livingston, Madame Maria Louise, Autome Valentine Davezac Casta Moreau, Matilda Hoffman. PLACE Coldenham EVENTS Marriage of Edward Livingston and Louise Davezac Livingston KEY WORDS Letter, 19th century, boarding school, women's education, female education, family letters, child to parent letters, marriage, chaperone, escort, accompany, Coldenham With a very bad pen, but with grateful,/ and affectionate heart, do I set down to write to my beloved/ father- I received both your letters yesterday- I was delighted/ to find that mine were not mis laid, as Mr. Robertson/ wrote to Mary P- that you complained of my not/ writing- and I could not rest in peace till I heard of them/ as I would not have you deem me ungrateful- I/ kissed the letter that assured me of your pardon- And when/ I return I will strive to outdo every body in filial love/ & duty- What parents will give me as an example/ to their children, and say- “this is a daughter!” - Am/ I not too vain, dear father? But, we will see-/ and if my [crossed out] love, duty, and affection, will render/ you happy, you shall be completely so- - -/ I wish very much to get home, Uncle [Cad] will/ leave this shortly, and if Aunt Maria does not go/ with him (which I very much doubt) I shall- if/ she does I must trust to chance for an opportunity/ Mr. Robertson will not be here in less than a fortnight/ and he will stay here a week, which be a long/ time- Murray’s kind offer I am thankful for, but/ I must confess, I should not much like the protec-/ -tion of so young a [unrecovered] Bunners marriage quite astonished me, but/ I am very glad of it, as I believe he is very much/ attached [inserted: to her] and she is a fine, a sensible girl-/ [END OF PAGE 1] I think they served Mr. Church quite right, as his/ only objection was family- Bunner is certainly/ a young of talents, and as much respected/ as any [crossed out] [written above: person] of his age- His character is/ good, and [abundant] of fortune could be no objection/ as ([inserted: if she had married] with her fathers consent) Miss Church would/ have had [crossed out] independent one- I think it will/ be well in him [∧Mr. Church,] to persist in retaining [∧it] [crossed out]-/ [crossed out] -/ I feel quite sorry about Gilbert Robertson- I/ could hardly believe it for some time-/ I see by the papers that Edward Livings-/ -ton is married to Madame Marie Louise Autome/ Valentine Davezac Castra Moreau!! I hope he has/ got names enough!-/ Aunt Maria is better, but by far too ill/ to travel- She wishes it, by I do not believe Un-/ -cle Cad will allow her. -/ I comply with your request in/ writing to Matilda and pleasing one it is to [crossed out]-/ Aunt Colden is quite hurt that your not im-/pressing every [unrecovered] about her indisposition/ she thinks you do not love her as much as ever-/ She has indeed been very ill, and is so changed/ you would hardly know her- I wish my dearest/ father would write her a letter, if it was only/ a short one I am sure your affection for/ her is as fervent as ever- but I know [inserted: by] experience/ that to receive assurance of it, from your pen would/ be pleasing- perhaps, I have said too much, in/ asking you to write but forgive me, if affection/ for my Aunt, made me transgress the bounds/ of duty- - / If Aunt Maria does go with Uncle Cad/ I shall be happy to accept of Murray for a [blessing]/ I will write to you on Wednesday to let you know. I wish my dear father you would deputize/ Murray to go to Mr. Burrells, and ask Mammy/ what she means to do with [unrecovered], if she, and/ you are willing, I will fetch [inserted: take] her home with/ me, and keep her till she can take her,/ as Aunt does admire her staying here-/ She is very fond of me, and is very [unrecovered] [page torn] / “Do write me on the subject”---/ And believe me ever [page torn] / Your sincerely affection[page torn]/ Adelaide Anna Hoffman/ I have lately discovered that Adelaide is/ French for Alice!!!--- [END OF PAGE 2] [Address] Josiah Ogden Hoffman Esq/ William Street/ M[osite] Post Office / New York Alice A. Hoffman [END OF PAGE 4] [END OF LETTER]

Transcriber

Kathryn Alexander

Language

English

Other Names and Numbers

Other Numbers

Number Type

Former Number

Other Number

HF 3014

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Mrs. Wilton S. Burton

Notes

Former owner

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

Booklet style letter, discoloration around the edges. Three horizontal creases, two vertical creases across letter. Ink smudge on first page. Foxing present. Tear at center vertical fold of letter and tear on edges of last page.

Note Type

Department

Note

Library

Note Type

Transcription

Note

*Original spelling retained throughout work; content appears exactly as written. Coldenham With a very bad pen, but with grateful,/ and affectionate heart, do I set down to write to my beloved/ father- I received both your letters yesterday- I was delighted/ to find that mine were not mis laid, as Mr. Robertson/ wrote to Mary P- that you complained of my not/ writing- and I could not rest in peace till I heard of them/ as I would not have you deem me ungrateful- I/ kissed the letter that assured me of your pardon- And when/ I return I will strive to outdo every body in filial love/ & duty- What parents will give me as an example/ to their children, and say- “this is a daughter!” - Am/ I not too vain, dear father? But, we will see-/ and if my [crossed out] love, duty, and affection, will render/ you happy, you shall be completely so- - -/ I wish very much to get home, Uncle [Cad] will/ leave this shortly, and if Aunt Maria does not go/ with him (which I very much doubt) I shall- if/ she does I must trust to chance for an opportunity/ Mr. Robertson will not be here in less than a fortnight/ and he will stay here a week, which be a long/ time- Murray’s kind offer I am thankful for, but/ I must confess, I should not much like the protec-/ -tion of so young a [unrecovered] Bunners marriage quite astonished me, but/ I am very glad of it, as I believe he is very much/ attached [∧to her] and she is fine, a re[unrecovered] girl-/ [END OF PAGE 1] I think they served Mr. Church quite right, as his/ only objection was family- Bunner is certainly/ a young of talents, and as much respected/ as any [crossed out] [written above: person] of his age- His character is/ good, and [abundant] of fortune could be no objection/ as ([∧if she had married] with her fathers consent) Miss Church would/ have had [crossed out] independent one- I think it will/ be well in him [∧Mr. Church,] to persist in retaining [∧it] [crossed out]-/ [crossed out] -/ I feel quite sorry about Gilbert Robertson- I/ could hardly believe it for some time-/ I see by the papers that Edward Livings-/ -ton is married to Madame Marie Louise Autome/ Valentine Davezac Castra Moreau!! I hope he has/ got names enough!-/ Aunt Maria is better, but by far too ill/ to travel- She wishes it, by I do not believe Un-/ -cle Cad will allow her. -/ I comply with your request in/ writing to Matilda and pleasing one it is to [crossed out]-/ Aunt Colden is quite hurt that your not [impressing every unrecovered ] about her indisposition/ she thinks you do not love her as much as ever-/ She has indeed been very ill, and is so changed/ you would hardly know her- I wish my dearest/ father would write her a letter, if it was only/ a short one I am sure your affection for/ her is as fervent as ever- but I know [∧by] experience/ that to receive assurance of it, from your pen would/ be pleasing- perhaps, I have said too much, in/ asking you to write but forgive me, if affection/ for my Aunt, made me transgress the bounds/ of duty- - / If Aunt Maria does go with Uncle Cad/ I shall be happy to accept of Murray for a [blessing]/ I will write to you on Wednesday to let you know. I wish my dear father you would deputize/ Murray to go to Mr. Burrells, and ask Mammy/ what she means to do with [?], if she, and/ you are willing, I will fetch [∧take] her home with/ me, and keep her till she can take her,/ as Aunt does admire her staying here-/ She is very fond of me, and is very [unrecovered] [page torn] / “Do write me on the subject”---/ And believe me ever [page torn] / Your sincerely affection[page torn]/ Adelaide Anna Hoffman/ I have lately discovered that Adelaide is/ French for Alice!!!--- [END OF PAGE 2] [Address; written on letter] Josiah Ogden Hoffman Esq/ William Street/M[osite] Post Office /New York Alice A. Hoffman [END OF PAGE 4] [END OF LETTER]