Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to Sarah Hopper Palmer and Jonathan Palmer

[underlined text is indicated with the [u] tag throughout]

My dear brother J and sister Sally New York 9 mo 2nd 1830
I concluded to commence my sheet and “trust to [u] chance [/u]”
for a conveyance - the other day father took Isaac to the store to spend
the morning - he went in to pay their neighbour Jemmy Kitcham a visit
“[u] who was shewing him the way to London [/u]” poor Ike in the rising up
can [get?] the man by the [struck through: hair] wig - which came off - leaving him
with a bald head - the poor child not knowing about [u] wigs [/u] - was
frightened almost to death with the idea of having pulled [u] every hair [/u] and
of Jemmy’s head - that nothing I suppose would induce him to show
his face in that neighbourhood again - we have tried [u] in vain [/u] to get him to
the store - whenever it is mentioned he blushes and hangs his head half
ready to cry - [u] Jake Matice [/u] - I quite [u] forgot [/u] or it should have
been my first subject - [Piles Flasier Coggeshore Esq?] - of the city of New York
hath taken unto himself a [u] Wife [/u] - of the fair daughters of Nantucket -
his excellency took his flight whilst I was in [Philadelphia] and was yesterday
expected [u] hereaway [/u] - I shall take an early opportunity to present my
congratulations - as [u] no [/u] circumstance could give me [u] greater joy - provided [/u]
it is a suitable connexion - the particulars I have not yet
learned - only that she is an orphan - by the name of Mitchell - it is
I believe a very sudden thing - and not previously known to the family
married out of meeting - the day after I came home - George came
[u] to the morning [/u] to one of the inhabitants of that desolate isle - wasn’t
it queer - George declared it was not the fact and laughed at the [u] idea [/u]
but verily it is [u] “even so” [/u] Mother says I may tell Sarah I have it like
a [u] heroine [/u] - she has been telling me of thy predictions last winter -
dont think thee had “clear vision” on the subject - an end to [u] that [/u] chapter -
We have experienced the inconvenience of an empty cistern - the last three weeks
have not had a drop of rain water - So made as little washing as possible
answer - as thee knows it is next to impossible to get clothes clean with
pump water - we took the opportunity to have the cistern well cleaned - and
last weeks rain furnished us with a fresh supply - on 2nd day we had
a [u] prodigious [/u] - did finish ironing untill last evening - about
8 oclock, after which had supper - the gentlemen did not make their

[left margin]
Two weeks have passed since my return - and a few pencilled lines are all I have received - am
indebted to Jonathan for [u] them [/u] - was it not for the kindness of my brothers [Jim and Dice?] - should
[?] and poorly

[top margin, upside down]
Jonathan [Jim?] in sympathy with the [u] friends [/u] mentioned in thy note -

until 9 oclock - having given the children their suppers early and sent
them to bed - [u] we [/u] concluded to wait (I mean mother and myself)
untill father and the boys arrived - for thee knows every thing
has a [u] peculiar [/u] relish when [u] father [/u] is a partaker - we had [u] clams [/u]
of which we are exceedingly fond - and peaches and milk - we
all enjoyed the report - during which father related the more than
[u] thrice told tale [/u] of his early courtship - of the first letter he wrote to
mother - when he was so [u] untutored in the act [/u] - that he put his
own name [u] outside [/u] [struck through: the letters] - and mothers [u] in [/u] - Rachel is still
at Jericho how long she will remain is uncertain - father will go [u] up, [/u] on 7th
day for the purpose of looking over Elias’s papers - they will ere long be [u] published [/u]
will return 2nd day - dear me I opened school this morning - find it quite
agreeable - though I dreaded it unusually - Amos Willets sends his daughter
a very nice little girl - it is [u] her [/u] mother I admire - and of whom thee has heard
me speak - Caroline Willets - Yesterday was our Monthly Meeting
[Dicky Plasin?] preached - one of my committee - the [?] of his song
was “to bring up a child in the way he should go - and when he is old
&c - thinks I my good friend - if thee’ll labour in thy own vineyard
it will be a great relief to [u] me [/u] - his little [u] [anointed?] [/u] is a [u] scholar [/u] of
mine - 6th day Yesterday when I returned from school found Mary Goldsmith
Isaac Proctor’s eldest daughter who is a widow with three children, called
to see us - had left an invitation for me to spend the evening with her at
Anne Lefferts - I accordingly went, and found that 9 years - and the
many changes she has experienced - had wrought but little change in
her appearance - is not as [u] animated [/u] as formerly - but in other respects
the [u] same girl [/u] - she will be in [Philadelphia] next week - and intends calling
to see thee - her [u] last [/u] visit was when [u] thee [/u] wasa Sarah Hopper Jr - as
soon as I entered [friend] Lefferts parlour - was attacked about Giles -
Mother’s impressions having been somewhat similar to thine - the
circumstance has caused a great consummation in our “[u] filthy Metropoles [/u] “
I learn she is (or rather her friends) on the Orthodox side of
the question - it is said Giles will not be disowned - as there was no other
way to proceed - Mother and myself will spend this evening
at Richard Field’s by special invitation - to have our profiles cut
thee knows Richard has a machine - is very anxious to have

[left margin]
why dont Kate write - think she might - how comes on Sarah J - remember [u] I [/u] am her
Godmother - does she improve in appearance

[upside down long top]
Mother too - she went to Meeting last first day -

fathers before he goes - is going to cut one for [u] me [/u] - so if I think
it better than the one I left with [u] thee [/u] - will bequeath that [u] unto [/u]
thee - [u] aint I generous will [/u] have the best myself - I intend having
it framed, and will look at it the first thing when I get up - and
the last when I go to bed - during his absence - the time is approaching
when he will leave us - we shall miss him - and none more than myself
but I do desire [u] thee [/u] to behave thyself - and pray do not send any
letters by way of condolence - or express even a [u] regret [/u] untill he
[u] is gone [/u] at [u] any rate [/u] - it will make [u] him [/u] feel badly - and I [u] know [/u]
if he leaves with gloomy feeling - they will attend him on the way,
and know what may overtake me - but I am resolved [u] now [/u]
to laugh till he goes - and then I expect [u] to take a day for it [/u] -
I do want him to go off cheerfully - and if you write - at it be [u] very [/u]
encouragingly - we are getting along prosperously at home - and
I hope the sun may continue to shine till he is once [more]
with us - Josiah has so far recovered from his chills [torn and illegible]
as to be able to go to the store - when you write mention Ed Townsend’s
Prospects about visiting us - how did you succeed
with the watermelon - my mouth is all in order - to make [u] your [/u]
mouths water - will just say our grapes are ripe - and we have
“[u] considerable many [/u]” as the New Yorkers say - had I any
conveyance would send you some - they are very [u] good [/u] -
opportunities are not so abundant as in the warmer months -
that [u] we [/u] - rather [u] I [/u] shall soon begin to feel the dreaminess of
winter - dreary because we cannot so frequently hear from
you - and [u] very [/u] desolate because of our dear father’s
absence - the evenings are lengthening and we are collecting
in the back portion - Some reading other’s writing - myself from
necessity - compelled to [u] sew [/u] - mother in the chamber with
the [u] baby - generally [/u] - when do [u] you [/u] sit nowadays - Tell me
all - that I may make you an imaginary visit occasionally -
received a long letter from brother Dill on 4th day it shall be
answered tell him - and this “[u] right early [/u]” - my remembrance
to [u] all [/u] my brothers - not forgetting Jim who is doubtless one of
you Sometimes of an evening - love to [William] & Deborah - to whom

[left margin]
Jack a great deal to Harry about me - dont want [u] Sue [/u] or her brothers to forget me -
kiss them all - want the little Wharton’s to remember me too - I love them all - has
Henry come home - it is high time - must now say Farewell your affectionate sister Abby

[upside down along top]
Father intends writing in a day or two - he sends love

I shall send a letter very soon - my time is perpetually
occupied just now - which must serve as an apology to
my correspondents - in two or three weeks I shall be more of
leisure - my love to all my young friends - tell Elizabeth
Mrs [Bartine?] dreamed the other night she had come home - Tom
talks about her sometimes - he and Isaac sleep in the little bed
in the dark room - Mary with Sue - and Rachel and myself
in the little front Chamber

[bottom]
Father goes to Jericho tomorrow - will return on 2nd day I think
I shall send this by post - as there is no one in prospect to be the
bearer - Whitehead Flicks of the [u] brute creation [/u] - named Nathan Cornstock
in [Morning Meeting] - in his son’s case - wasn’t he a feeling man - it is said
he has [u] not [/u] gone away so much in debt as was at first represented -
Nathan appears to feel much on the occasion - I must tell thee about
Jenny Hallack. he waited on me from [friend] Lefferts last [evening] on the way he
asked if I saw the [u] eclipse [/u] - told him no - I had forgotten to look - he said an
eclipse came over his mind in the afternoon - I enquire what was the matter

[address in middle]
Jonathan Palmer [?]
No 55 Pine st
Philadelphia

[sideways in middle]
said he had received in the morning on account
of his mother’s death - she had been long sick - and he
had often thought he shouldn’t mind hearing of her
death - well he must confess it was a little unpleasant
it did not appear to move him in the least - had passed
the [evening] at Sonny Lefferts - in his usual mood - he advised
Mother and myself not to “[u] fall in love [/u]” - said he had long
since discovered the inconvenience of “letting out [u] his [/u] affections”
he came to our house the other eve to make a visit - and
John concluding I didn’t want to see him - told him I
had gone to bed - [some?] I [u] pity [/u] him for all -
Im looking daily [?]’s letter

[upside down in top margin]
Rachel Pearson is still living - and suffering much - is it not
wonderful - her daughter Mary is almost worn out with constant watching