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
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
1843.09.13 - Elizabeth Huntington to Frederic Dan Huntington, September 13th, 1843
Elizabeth is updating her son Frederic on the occurrences in the valley. She tells him, first, of his siblings who are at home and of his siblings who are in other places. She then tells him of the visitors that they have. While noting the shifts to Unitarianism, Elizabeth still gives her son good luck and encourages him on his travels using scriptures and encouragements in Protestantism.
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 9)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
1843-09-13
Courtesy of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation
For permissions contact Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
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
1829.04.21 - Elizabeth Huntington to John Huntington, Apr. 21st, 1829
This letter is made up of two parts: one written by John Huntington’s sister Catherine, the other written by his mother Elizabeth. Both parts are general updates about life at home. They write a lot about their family members (like Pa, Theophilus, Bethia) as well as about neighbors and townspeople. Elizabeth updates John about the spread and effect of disease and death in town, which may have been interesting to him because he probably knew the people she wrote about. The most intriguing part about this letter was Elizabeth’s cryptic mention of the “expected object”; she goes on to talk about the status of the help at home. Catherine does not mention religion at all, but her mother brings it up twice, as what seems like a way to remind John to thank God for his health and situation currently and in the future.
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 11)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
1829-04-21
Courtesy of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation
For permissions contact Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Correspondence
1845.05.20 - Elizabeth Huntington to Frederic Dan Huntington, May 20th, 1845
This is a letter to Frederic written by his mother. The letter is mostly just checking in with her son to see how he is doing, but there are some instances of substance. In the beginning of the letter, his mom talks about how she is glad that they have been writing so much, and that she thinks there is a funny coincidence that they generally write at the same time. She goes on to mention how some members of her family have been sick, and that she knows of a treatment that could be beneficial to his health. She continues by talking about how some of her family and friends are doing. Towards the end of the letter, she talks about God and how Frederic should keep being spiritual and allowing God in his life.
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 10)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
1845-05-20
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