Name/Title
Letter from Ebenezer Irving to Katrina IrvingEntry/Object ID
HHV 003.581Description
Letter from Ebenezer Irving to Katrina IrvingSubject
Washie’s prospects in western lumber failed, joined the Navy, has a place with Captain Kennedy on the sloop of War Jamestown, the sloop might go to Nicaragua, might to Venezuela, Katirna at convent? (note use of: “sister” who rings bell so that she must end writing)Subject Person/Organization
Ebenezer Irving (1776-1868), Katrina Van Tassel Irving Williams (1845-1915), Edgar Irving (1808-1873), Washington Irving (1835-1910), Hiram PauldingSubject Place
* Untyped Subject Place
Sunnyside, North Carolina, Washington, DC, Mediterranean, Philadelphia, PA, NicaraguaCollection
Irving Manuscript CollectionTranscription
Transcription
Sunny Side, Sunday evening, Dec. 20. 1857 .
My dear Kate
I duly received your last of 7th Instant and / the two previous letters which you seem to think had failed / to reach me came to hand in the regular course of the / mail. I must confess that I felt somewhat disappointed / on reading your last to find no mention of your cousins / the Dodges, who I told you were about to return to their home / on the banks of the [??] in North Carolina, and who / proposed stopping for a day or so on their way in Washington / City. so your letter is entirely silent respecting them they may / not have had time to call at 28 4 ½ Street which I should / much regret. the Grinnell's other Summer / neighbours have returned to their winter quarters, and those / who are permanently located here have made their winter / arrangements.
I may have mentioned in a former / letter that your Uncle Edgar’s son Washie had engaged in / some Western lumber speculations with handsome prospects. / but the times have changed those expectations, and he has / withdrawn from that business: being thus thrown upon his / own resources and nothing offering to occupy his time, he / turned his attention to the Navy and sought a situation /
[END OF PAGE 1]
As Captain’s clerk. Your Uncle Edgar you may be / aware was for several years in his young days a mid= / =shipman in the Navy and made many friends among / the officers _ Your Uncle succeeded in getting him a / place with Captain Kennedy commanding the Sloop of / war “Jamestown”. Captain K is an old friend of Edgar’s; they / were messmates on a long cruise in the Mediterranean _ / The Captain is said to be a gentlemanly and very worthy / fellow, and Washie promises himself a pleasant [tenure?] _ the / ship has just been fitted for sea and will probably sail / from Phil’a in a very few days _ the Ship is attached to the / Hame squadron under Commander Hiram Paulding an old / friend of the family __ Washie may chance to see some / service. For there is a report that the “Jamestown” is ordered / to Nicaragua to look after the great “Fillabuster” Walker / and his gang _ another report is that she will be sent to Venezuela to back a [demand] our government has made on / that, for redress of certain wrongs suffered by some of our citizens / and which that government have endeavored to evade by / [shuffling] and [preverication?].
I perceive that you have not attended to the / suggestion in my last that you should correct your mode /
[END OF PAGE 2]
Of addressing your letters to me: the last two or three / are directed to Ebenezar Irving. I said that the letter a is / not in my name _ it should be e. Ebenezer _ it is as well / to drop the long name and addresse me, as many of the relatives / and friends do as Eb. Irving
But it is getting late and [page cut away] bed, and I will / conclude my letter in your style [page cut away] that “the bell rings” / pray get the sister to stop that bell, for it rings in / every letter, and no doubt cuts off such very pleasant m-[page torn?] / that you would communicate were it not for its clapper.
thine dear Kate
affectionately
Eben’r Irving
Miss Katrina Irving
Care of Mrs Wm. Irving
No 28 yes - 4 ½ Street
Washington
DCTranscriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
EnglishOther Names and Numbers
Other Numbers
Number Type
Former NumberOther Number
W 3240Condition
Notes
Remarks: Large chip on center left side of address page from removal of seal; large hole in square shape near upper center left of address page; staining.Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Katrina Van Tassel Irving Williams (1845-1915)Notes
RecipientGeneral Notes
Note Type
StorageNoteNote
Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Union Church, Storage, Shelf 31CNote Type
DepartmentNote
Library
