1831.09.07 - Elizabeth Huntington to John Huntington, Sep. 7th, 1831
This letter is your typical letter from your mother updating her child of what is new at home. Here we see Elizabeth Huntington update Whiting about what is happening at home: the store is going through some modifications, Elizabeth and Miss Vanderkemp of Trenton wrote to the family, and Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington is still suffering from her stomach illness. The topic of faith and the practice of faith is also very present in this letter, as seen through Elizabeth’s approval of fasting. It is interesting to see how the talk of God is just as normal as sending Whiting his shirts the next week. Additionally, it is quite clear to see Elizabeth is a mother with how she writes about her children being in school and how Mary was preparing to leave home for school and the use of “Pa and I.” Something else that is interesting to note is the use of quoting in this letter. There are two instances in which a text is referenced: the popular phrase from the book of James in the bible of “do unto others what you want done upon you” and a quote from the poem “Night Thought” by Edward Young.
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 11)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
1831-09-07
Courtesy of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation
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Correspondence
1832.03.21 - Elizabeth Huntington to John Huntington, Mar. 21st, 1832
A short note sent to Whiting when he was a student at Harvard, along with food and a pair of socks. Charles' wife Helen is ill and Elizabeth writes with evident pleasure about taking her baby granddaughter home to Forty Acres, making a little joke about the horse ride.
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 11)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
1832-03-21
Courtesy of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation
For permissions contact Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Correspondence
1832.06.28 Mary Huntington to Father, June 28, 1832
Mary writes to her father, grateful for his letter to her advising that she remain at the school despite a cholera threat. She describes the precautions the city is taking and notes that many other girls have left the school, and suggests plans for her parents to take her home. She describes bible class, the examination schedule, Mrs. Willard's view of the Trinity, and asks her parents to give permission for her to leave school for weekly meetings.
Mary Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 20, Folder 10)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
June 27, 1832
1833.04.23 - Mary Huntington to Elizabeth W. P. Huntington, Apr 23, 1833
Mary explains that she is struggling with her physical and mental health to her Mother. For the first part of her time at Troy, her school, she was struggling to get to her lessons but felt that the only time for her to finish her studies was the present. She has dropped her studies completely, but she is still not much feeling better. She knits to pass the time.
Mary states that she wishes that she was as grateful as her mother, as her letters are filled
with positivity more often than not. She begins to muse about how “we” should look at our
blessings as well as our troubles. Mary believes that when things are bad, it is harder to think of our blessings than when things are good.
She then expresses her gratitude at being granted the ability to return home with Edward but then shows her hesitation towards actually going home. She feels as if the option is too easy, and is leaving the decision for her mother (the reader) and Pa to make. While she is disappointed that she will not be following the path she expected to take, she knows that it is best for her mental health to not continue her schoolings at the present time.
Mary then jumps to questioning what to infer from what Elizabeth wrote. She wonders if Elizabeth has become a believer and if so, she will celebrate that with her. Mary then says that it is important to have “the assurance of faith.”
Although Mary wanted to have written back by that afternoon, she was prevented from doing so by Pauline, a guest. Mary makes sure to mention that Pauline has a plan for when she turns twenty-one that includes living in the country on a farm and doing the
housework herself. Two of Mary’s (teachers?) left the seminary on a journey to Clinton, and she hopes they succeed in what they do. She explains how she feels discouraged about herself and a burden to her friends. She asks her mother to express any cautions she may have, especially since she could do it with kindness.
Mary received Bethia’s letter, and hopes to see her brother in a few days. She ends the
letter by asking her mother to send a prayer for her.
Mary Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 20, Folder 13)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Apr 23, 1833
Public Domain
1835.10.08 - Elizabeth Huntington to Frederic Dan Huntington, Oct. 8th, 1835
In this letter, Elizabeth writes to her son Frederic and updates him on daily happenings in hopes that he does not forget his family while away at school at nearby Amherst College. While the family misses him, they do not mourn, and life goes on. There are efforts to start a singing school in Hadley to be taught by Mr. Kingsley. Fanny, Elizabeth’s granddaughter and Charles’ daughter, appeared to be near death Thursday but is well enough to attend school the following Wednesday. Dan Huntington’s birthday on Sabbath day prompts a brief passage about how death should not be feared but rather considered a gate to endless joy. Several of Elizabeth’s children visit her over the course of the week, and Charles and wife Helen visit Mount Warner with the Clarke family while Harriet, daughter Elizabeth, and Mary visit along with Theodore. Elizabeth laments that she cannot see Halley’s comet very well and that she and Dan have conflicting calls for tea Wednesday. Edward writes that he will be away for several more weeks, and Elizabeth receives a letter from Mrs. Fisher detailing a devastating mill fire.
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 7)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
1835-10-08
Courtesy of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation
For permissions contact Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Correspondence
1837.06.16 - Elizabeth Huntington to Edward Huntington, Jun. 16th, 1837
A very newsy letter full, as Elizabeth writes, of "gadding." She chides Edward for his business worries, reports on a meeting of a religious association at the house, visits to friends in Deerfield, the girls inviting a party to the house, an upcoming wedding, and news of distant siblings (the Fishers in Oswego NY and William in Toledo OH). Elizabeth reports on spontaneously staying out late to attend an anti-slavery lecture by James Birney. She criticizes the political apathy of the community and expresses strong abolitionist sentiments. She shares home news of work building a house for Theophilus and planting mulberry seeds. At the end of the letter she turns from all these worldly concerns to "the heavenly inheritance."
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 4)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
1837-06-16
Courtesy of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation
For permissions contact Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Correspondence
1839.12.07 - Elizabeth Huntington to Edward Huntington, Dec. 07th, 1839
Elizabeth Huntington writes a letter to her son, Edward, discussing Thanksgiving celebrations, various news about family members, the state of certain acquaintances who are ill, and expresses sorrow over the recent death of her daughter Mary who she calls “our kind assistant.” The topic of Mary’s death causes Elizabeth to touch on the subject of religion, God and how she believes death should be approached. She includes a poem. Later, she describes the curious recent actions of her son William Huntington, news restricted to the family, but probably referring to the courtship Lucy Edwards, and connects it to the pattern of young male members of the family moving away. She worries that Edward will do the same.
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 4)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
1839-12-07
Courtesy of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation
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Correspondence
1844.06.02 - Elizabeth Huntington to Frederic Dan Huntington, Jun 2nd, 1844
The letter is from Elizabeth to her son describing her trip to visit his sister and her respective family. The mother begins with her trip and gives some specific details about the visit. She says that the family hopes to move to Oswego while some of the boys stay and finish in school. She then divulges the family life at home with the father working the fields still. She ends in a very maternal way saying that she is constantly thinking of him and Hannah during their excursions. The letter utilizes religious language toward the end. The overall theme emphasizes the family.
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 9)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
1844-06-02
Courtesy of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation
For permissions contact Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Correspondence