Global Valley

1825.06.24 - Elizabeth Huntington to John Huntington, Jun. 24th, 1825

Dublin Core

Title

1825.06.24 - Elizabeth Huntington to John Huntington, Jun. 24th, 1825

Description

In this letter from Elizabeth Huntington to John Huntington on the 24th of July, 1825, Elizabeth writes about a recent trip she and other unnamed family members (presumably including husband Dan Huntington) recently arrived home from. She first writes about her trip to several towns on the journey to visit daughter Elizabeth who had recently given birth to a daughter, named after Elizabeth Huntington. In Little Falls the family horse, named Backland, fractured his shoulder and was unable to travel. As a result, he had to be exchanged for another horse, and in her letter Elizabeth expresses her grief in the loss of such a faithful and long-serving companion of the family. Afterwards, Elizabeth traveled with the new horse and crossed into a county on Mohawk lands, which she describes as being a magnificent town full of faith and where she ran into friends from Litchfield. After being delayed by the weather, they still managed to arrive at Elizabeth’s home early enough to surprise her and spent the week before returning home. In the second paragraph Elizabeth writes hastily because Dan Huntington wants to bring the letter to the post office and Elizabeth talks about missing both John and William and assumes that the two of them talk about the letters they receive from her. After talking about an Eben, Elizabeth asks John to write her back and go to visit his sister Elizabeth and offers to send him a coat. She concludes by urging John to maintain a close relationship with God and alerts him that she aims to do the same.

Creator

Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington

Source

Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 11)
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Date

1825-06-24

Rights

Courtesy of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation
For permissions contact Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Type

Correspondence

Scripto

Transcription

My dear John,
You see by the date of this that we are back from the event- we left home as we intended, ^ [Theophilies with us] the Monday after we left you and learned our way tho’ Williams town, still water- Saratoga, Johns town, Little Falls- here, by the way, we stayed Thursday night- and were obliged very reluctantly to leave Backland- who the day before fractured his shoulder, and was so lame as to be utterly unable to travel- your Pa exchanged him for another horse smaller- but very smart- a little [Leave-y?] – but he formed the journey very well-. I could not help shedding a tear at [darking] with Backland, w[missing] has so long been a faithful servant to us-. That day we went thro’ [crossed out], a delightful county on the lands of the Mohawk, [verited Atica?] when we found more Lichfield friends- this is a place of so much belief, and so handsomely built that in saying this one of this much you would think yourself in the middle of Borlem- we went that might as far as Rome- the next day we should have reached Oswego, but the road in the afternoon was so extremely bad- that we were obliged to [?] fifteen miles the ride- at Mexico—the next morning we reached there a little after eight- found them all well- Elizabeth was almost overcome with joy and new -[?]- as she did not expect us till Wednesday. Her babe is healthy, little, fair, sweet. – the [child joined?] with the church, and had her child baptized the Sabbath before we got there- the name is Elizabeth Phelps- after your mother --- --- ---. We spent a week there, very agreeably, and set off on Monday morning with the addition of the two Elizabeth’s to our party.
2 o’clock in the afternoon- Your Pa is in great haste to take this to the post office- so I will merely say we arrived at home last Sabbath morning about eleven o’clock- having been detained the day before at – [Litchfield (crossed out)] [parce moral the house?] by the rain-. By Francis, who came home last Monday in the storm, and will stay till after the celebration of independence- I shall endeavor to [crossed out] give you the [condension?] of the highly entertaining account- I reason you will show William this- and probably he will show you the letters he received from us—Eben is very well and very happy, accepting when he has a [?] to harm- this is twice a day, and [?] his harm an hour and more each time- I wish very much to hear from you- with every [?] Elizabeth sends a great deal of love to you both- as we all do- and requests very earnestly that you would North come and see her. – If Mr. Fidas comes after her [?] with to her about the middle of [?] and carry them on to Franklin to see his friends- and probably to Bedford to see you- if not he will have this before the middle of {missing] august if you want either a coat or a [missing] your [mart processing them then?] – Be careful in every thing to seek the [affirmation?] pf your maker- maintain a daily intercourse with him that he may be always with you for time and eternity, as is your affectionate mother Elizabeth.