Difference between revisions of ".MTIzNQ.MjE3OA"

From Georgian Papers Programme Transcription Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(Created page with "Letter from Selina Powell ("Kenmuir") to Nina Powell (Prince Edward Co., Va)<br /><p>3 January 1863</p><br /><p>Powell Papers – 65 P875 Box III, Folder 4</p><br /><p>- - - -...")
 
(No difference)

Latest revision as of 13:55, 28 July 2017

Letter from Selina Powell ("Kenmuir") to Nina Powell (Prince Edward Co., Va)

3 January 1863


Powell Papers – 65 P875 Box III, Folder 4


- - - - -


Kenmuir Jan 2nd 1863


My darling daughter,


                                    By the time this reaches Pr Edd you


will both have returned from Charlotte & will begin to


want to hear from us again.  You must tell me all


about your visit which I hope has been a very pleasant


one, for you have had fine weather nearly all the


time.  I dont know whether you expected to return the


day before the New Year or to remain till Saturday.


I wish dear Hattie could have been with you – I rec'd one


letter from her on Xmas day written in bad spirits & I have


had one since written more cheerfully.  Our Xmas passed


very quietly and we all felt sad, but after breakfast


your Father came in from a short walk & said "I have


not given you your Xmas gift – I smiled & held out my


hand & he put into it your letter which was a very


pleasant surprise – It had been taken out by Mr ______


the day before & not sent on till the morning.  It quite


[2]


cheered me up darling – When the mail came in that day


we had walked out to meet the boy and I got one also from


Hattie so as I had had one from Rebecca only a few days


before I heard from all my children & felt thankful that


they were so thoughtful of us.  How did your Christmas pass –


Did you see John Talb (?) again?  I am glad you had the


opportunity of seeing him – Did you see any of the Seldons?


Did you get your silk dress made & how does it look? &


did you take any cold during your visit?  Did Sister


enjoy the visit & how is she?  You will find a letter


from Kate when you get home – She wrote before Christmas


but you must have gone to Charlotte before it got to you.


Kate is very industrious now – She gets up before sunrise


in the morning & she reads & studies regularly after break


fast.  She is reading McRaine's Indices of Christianity


& then she gets a geography lesson, then reads a mythol


ogy & afterwards reads the Illiad which she has nearly


finished – walks an hour – practices an hour - & rides


or drives her Mother in the Buggy in the evening –


so you see she fills up her time very industriously –


Between times she takes of a meal – and at night she


knits, or sews on a silk quilt which Fanny had begun


a long time ago.  I am glad you had something nice to give


Lu for a Xmas gift – How do you wear your hair now?


Have you cut it again in front or is it long enough to


go behind your ears - & how do you succeed in curling


it?  Mr Gordon bought Fanny a dress & Kate a crape


veil from R - & they cost 125 dollars!  The dress is


a heavy material, double width & not as nice


as a bombazine.  Kate sent a dress to be dyed


& Mrs Nelson said they would charge 12 dollars for


doing it.  yours cost 4 – So you see how very high every thing is.


Fannie's dress is too heavy to wear in the summer.


It will only do for a winter dress.  It will not do


for people to wear out their clothes – will it?  Mrs Nelson's


bombazine dress cost 125 dollars.  I rec'd a letter from your


Aunt Anne yesterday – She writes more cheerfully than your


Uncle William did & says they are all very comfortable


that they can get plenty of groceries & necessary clothing


[3]


reasonable terms and that they are all well.  Mr Grey


was to start the first mild weather in Jan to bring Arthur


here & Margaret & Ellen were getting ready to come with


him.  If the weather is good we shall be looking for


them the last of next week.  Fannie will try to prevail


on Ellen to stay here with Kate until the Spring but


your Aunt Ann says they are anxious to get situated


as teachers as soon as possible & that Kate & Nannie


talk of the time when they are to seek their fortunes


in the same way.  I would send you the letter but that


is the most of it & I must keep it for your Father to see. 


He went to Richmond yesterday to see what prospect


there was of his being able to get such employment


as he would be willing to take.  If he does not succeed,


he may perhaps take a situation as teacher in Mr


James Haskins' family in Brunswick.  Hattie writes to know


whether he wd be willing to come & at what salary he


would teach – Mr H says he wd take your father &


 my self & not charge any board.  He has 4 boys, the eldest


[4]


17 but not very far advanced and one or two girls.  Mary


Castleman says they have a large comfortable house &


are kind pleasant people who have plenty of property


but not much ready money.  It is 14 miles from Hatty &


4 from Mr Castleman's church. They are Episcopalians.


Mr Castleman wd not prevail on him to name what sal


ary he would give.  Your Father said if he concluded to


accept, that he should offer his services at $40 a month


& tell Mr Haskins if he thought that too much, to day how


much he could afford to give.  Your Father thinks he


would prefer such a situation to going back into the De


partment as he was before – but he thought he would


rather go to Richmond & see & then write from there.


I dont expect him back till Monday.  What do you


& Bec think of it?  You need not say any thing about it


till he determines.  You can send my letter to Rebecca


if you have an opportunity, as I don't think I shall


write to her till your Father returns.  Give a great deal


of love to Mr & Mrs Redd & Mrs Watkins & Patty Emma & Sally


[5]


and the boys & wish them all a happy New Year for me. 


Kiss the little baby for me.  Will you find it easy to go


back to your work again after your visit?  Much love to Mrs


E & Lu.  I am very much afraid Mr Barton has lost a


nother son & I suppose it must be Daniel.  Mr Gordon


heard so in Richmond & Sister Ann says she "sees Daniel


Boston has lost another son" – We saw the name of Lieut


Boston of the Rockbridge Artillery I think – mentioned, but your Father thought it was probably one of the Fredericksburg Barton's. I hope it may not be


so but I am very much afraid it is true –


Well darling I must bid you goodnight – for I am getting


sleepy & it is right late.  I have just finished  my 15th


pair of socks, beside two pair of stockings for myself &


ten pairs of gloves (for Kate & Pernell) – 11 pair of the socks


were for the soldiers – I sent 5 pair yesterday, by your


Father, to the young men's Christian Ass. for them –


God bless you my darling children – Your devoted


                                    ly attached mother      S. Powell