1839.11.05 - Edward Huntington to Elizabeth Huntington, Nov 5, 1839
Edward Huntington wrote this cramped letter to his mother in the midst of his studies
away at college. It opens affectionately, but Edward quickly moves into a discussion of his
friends and his philosophy of life. though much of the letter is indecipherable, due to Edward’s
scrawling script, what is evident is his use of Christ and the bible as an inspiration not only in
how to live life, but how to think about life. The letter is highly philosophical, and includes a
reference to Stocism and to Virgil’s Aeneid. He spends most of the letter reflecting on the nature of friendship in relation to living a good, moral life. He also reflects on the death of his sister Mary a loss that occurred less than a month before the date of this letter.
As the letter goes on, Edward’s handwriting, already difficult to read, becomes impossible to decipher, as he saves space by compressing his writing. The last paragraph is essentially unreadable. However, in the second to last paragraph, some clues point to Edward’s awareness of the outside world; he references New York state (abbreviated NY), and mentions Judge Lyman, a Northampton native. While Edward’s account is fragmented and obviously incomplete, it speaks to the various ways in which he was connected to a wider social, philosophical, and theological world.
Edward Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 19, Folder 15)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Nov 5, 1839
Public Domain
1835.05.09 - Mary Huntington to Elizabeth W. P. Huntington, May 9, 1835
Mary Huntington writes to her mother, Elizabeth W. P. Huntington, about her decision to travel to Albany. She makes this decision after considering other people’s travel plans of and deliberating. She preferred to be accompanied by some of her family members, but had no choice but to travel alone.
Mary Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 20, Folder 13)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
May 9, 1835
Public Domain
1834.12.02 - Mary Huntington to Elizabeth W. P. Huntington, Dec 2, 1834
Mary tells her mother of Mr. Merrick’s sermon upon his arrival to town. He spent more than an hour to indicate the character of God and denies the doctrine of original sin. Mr. Merrick says he is an abolitionist. Mary is pleased with him and thinks Elizabeth and Bethia would be pleased as well. However, she does not agree with all of his teachings. Mary then discusses a party she attended at Mrs. Dennings’ with her sister. She thought it was a strange way to prepare for the Sabbath. She asks about her mother’s Thanksgiving and says Thanksgiving is celebrated more in Massachusetts than in New York. She is glad Caroline decided not to go to the South. She asks for money to buy a bonnet. On Tuesday, Mary writes because Mrs. Fisher did not let her help make applesauce, so she thought writing a letter back was a good use of her time. Mary wishes to have heard Mr. Stearns’ sermon. She thanks her mother for her advice to be undefeated by temptations.
On Thursday, Mary says she had been busy working on making a hood out of silk since the last time she added to the letter. Mr. Fisher left for Utica. She wants Bethia to cut out her leaf impressions for her. She also tells her mother of Theophilus’s interest in Augusta, and she wonders if she is good enough for him. She apologizes for talking so much about Mr. Merrick’s sermons. Mary includes a P.S. to mention she is not prejudiced against those new religious teachings such as those of Mr. Merrick.
Mary Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 20, Folder 13)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Dec 2, 1834
Public Domain
1835.03.31 - Mary Huntington to Elizabeth W. P. Huntington, Mar 31, 1835
In this letter to her mother, Mary is explaining the stressful things in her life. She writes that people do not understand what she is going through, but she also wants to write about the important things that Spring brings. She had been in Oswego for almost 6 months, and she cannot wait to see her mother and sister. Her time there had been so well, that the time and distance between them have not been so bad, making the letter so important to her staying connected. Mary describes the situation of the teaching position that is needed and asked that her mother propose it to a prospective teacher. Even though she misses her mother, Mary still wishes to stay with her sister on the lake until mid-June. She ends the letter pleaded for her mother to write back quickly, implying that it is of great importance to her to stay connected.
Mary Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 20, Folder 13)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Mar 31, 1835
Public Domain
1834.11.01 - Mary Huntington to Elizabeth W. P. Huntington, Nov 1, 1834
Mary is writing a letter to her mother about her arrival at Oswego. The first half of her letter she talks about the journey itself, she discusses how she felt sick at one point but has since gotten over it. She then talks about the friends she made in her short time in Oswego. After that, Mary exclaims how much she misses her family back home, but then quickly transitions into how the weather has been since she has been there. She then quickly closes the first part of the letter because it is growing dark.
After the initial part of her letter, Mary writes a lengthy ps. which mainly details what she has done each day. Mary starts her postscript.s by saying what expenses she has accumulated then goes into her day by day account. The first part of her recounting her days is heavily focused on her religious encounter with the people she has been around. She talks about how she may have to conform to their beliefs while she is there in Oswego. Once she finishes talking about the religious portion of her day by day accounts she goes into the ladies she has interacted with since arriving to Oswego. She says the belles are a pleasure to be around and looks forwards to more interactions with them, and jokes that she hopes she does “not become dissipated.” Before she closes her letter again, she notes that she hasn’t been into the town except for church and anticipates going soon. She closes her letter by stating how she misses her family and sends her love and reminds them that they are all protected by the love of God.
Mary Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 20, Folder 13)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Nov 1, 1834
Public Domain
1832.06.20 Mary Huntington to Elizabeth W. P. Huntington, Jun 20, 1832
In this letter, Mary writes to her parents from school. She is very anxious and hurried in sending the letter. There is no clear danger to Mary’s health, but she is not well. Mary references asking someone to come for her in the previous letter, and she hopes that her parents complete this task without hesitation. At the end of this distressing letter, Mary includes a P.S. telling her parents not to be frightened, as she only wishes to tell them of her true feelings.
Mary Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 20, Folder 13)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Jun 20, 1832
Public Domain
1828[?].10.24 - Catherine Huntington to Mary Huntington, Oct 24 [1828?]
A folded piece of stationary with very formally addressed to Mary from Catherine noting that mother has approved inviting friends over to the house today. The letter seems to be a practice by young sisters at the language of formal invitations. The letter does not appear to have gone through the post office, but is decorated (postage paid?) with pencil rubbings of coins.
Catherine Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 20, Folder 19)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Oct 24
Public Domain
1832.06.28 - Mary D. Huntington to Bethia Huntington, Jun 28, 1832
Mary D. Huntington writes to her sister, Bethia Huntington, thanking her for a letter received from her. She goes on to discuss current events in her life at Miss Emma Willard’s School in Troy, New York. These events include, interactions and conversations had with her teachers Mr.Tucker and Mrs.Willard ranging in topic from religion and her studies to current town gossip concerning the recent death of two black townspeople. In discussing school lessons she mentions both French and learning to play the guitar. She then expresses her feelings concerning her family members, from hope for her sister Elizabeth’s plans to worry about her recent lack of correspondence with brothers Edward and William. She especially wants to hear Edward's advice on flowers. Finally, she concludes with caring sentiments about her parents and Fanny and reminds Bethia to write back soon.
Mary D. Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 20, Folder 7)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
June 28, 1832
Public domain.
1832.06.21 - Mary D. Huntington to Bethia Huntington, June 21, 1832
This is a letter that Mary wrote to her sister Bethia likely while she was at Miss Emma Willard’s School in Troy, New York. She starts by stating that she is up to date with all her communication, except she has not written to William, because she does not feel like writing in French--she seems to be using her letters to him to practice her language skills. It seems she is just killing time and venting to her sister about how she does not feel well. Mary seems to think that she may even have some kind of “disorder” or condition that is making her feel this way. She tells Bethia that she really wants someone to come and visit her. She may be a homesick teenager away at school, but she seems adamant that someone must come see her. Her quote is a reference to the bible: Exodus 2:22. Overall the letter seems to be a sister venting to a sister, and Mary simply wants someone to be there for her while she is feeling ill physically or mentally. Something to note here though, is the fact that Mary died at the age of 24 in 1839, so it is possible that she in fact did have some kind of chronic medical condition.
Mary D. Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 20, Folder 7)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
June 21, 1832
Public domain.
1840.10.25- Elizabeth Huntington to Frederic Dan Huntington, October 25th, 1840
Describes Elizabeth's reading in the journals the Monthly Miscellany and the Western Messenger, including appreciation of an essay on "a sister's influence" written by Frederic and presumably meditating on his sister Mary's recent death. The letter also discusses the receiving and sending of letters and packages within the family, Dan Huntington's health, and in a postscript, Elizabeth's fondness for singing in church.
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 8)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
1840-10-25
Courtesy of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation
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