Name/Title
Letter - Lucy Audubon to Grandchildren, 7 October 1869Entry/Object ID
JJA.1938.395Description
This is a handwritten letter from Lucy Audubon to her grandchildren speaking of her situation living at her brother's home in Kentucky. The letter was mailed from Louisville as it has a stamp and postmark. Transcription is as follows:
"Louisville Oct. 7, 1869
My Dear Grand Children,
You must excuse me replying to you both on one sheet as my sight is so imperfect, and include Lucy in my thanks & reply. If I had known exactly what this place was I should have done very differently in several respects. As it s I have a most affectionate Brother & Sister attending to me & a fine large room opening on one side to a gallery and the yard, the Kitchen, Laundry, etc. all of brick have rooms over them the whole space of the lot almost, so that there is much room. The weather has been beautiful all but one day since we came & that day we had promised all to dine in the Country & our clergymen have called upon me offering me news. The Churches are very comfortable and light. A few evenings ago three or four Ladies came in draped in handsome silks and satin & jewelry the Ladies are I think prone to much dress. At half past nine I was called in with the guests to supper, which consisted of most excellent stewed oysters cake hot rolls sandwiches roasted potatoes, tea coffee & stewed peaches all produced without Maria having any concern _________ but ordering afterwards ice cream as we had had the usual supper at 9 o'clock none of the boarders were there but Mr. Will Dillingham, Miss Ann Matthews, Lucy Bakewell & ourselves. Indeed Brother seems to be filled with poor relations & he is too generous to all around him. We had a delightful ride yesterday. Maria seems all spirits and pleasure long may it be so. I want some of you to go to Mrs. Holman and say please take care of my piece of whalebone that Wm. remembers putting behind the door in the passage when we were leaving. There are ten boarders besides ourselves. My Brother Tom from Pittsburg is expected here tomorrow and he & Elizabeth are coming to spend the month of January. I shall be some time before I feel at home not with standing all the Kindness shown me & I often look back upon old friends and associations but how vain to do so reflecting upon how soon I shall be called away from all. Lousiville occupies about 10 miles square I am told nearly all the business (parks?)are crowded the large space of table land laid out at right angles with wide streets planted with beautiful trees on each side and well lighted the houses are many of them beautiful spacious abodes. With our joint love to all of you and hopes that we meet again, believe me your sincere friend and Grand Mother, L. Audubon"Collection
L. S. Tyler CollectionMade/Created
Manufacturer
Audubon, Lucy BakewellDate made
1869 - 1869Notes
Date: October 7, 1869Lexicon
Search Terms
* Communication Artifacts, Correspondence, Letters, Louisville (Ky.), Jefferson County (Ky.), Kentucky