Letter to Miss Julia A. Joy, Care of C. C. Grugan, No. 140 Chesnut Str., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from her cousin, Mary P. Parsons, Goshen, Massachusetts, November 20, 1843
Amos Stone was married last Thursday to Martha Dyer…Mary P. Parsons, Goshen, Massachusetts, November 20, 1843
Goshen.
Monday eve Nov. 20th /43
My Dear Cousin Julia
I suppose you think it is time to receive an answer to your letter Wal – I think so too and therefore I will try to answer it I will tell you why I have not written before and then you will please excuse me When I received your letter I thought of the many times you enquired for letters while here and I supposed it would be the same there and I would write immediately but Levi said he was going to write and I had better wait awhile and save on postage and thus I did the 28th of August Sophia wished to come home on a visit and wished me to take her place for one week which I did and when she came back Mr. Hayden wanted me to stay two or three weeks longer and I thought I would put off writing untill I got home for I had scarcely any time there but when the two or three weeks was expired I must stay a little longer and it has been a little longer untill last Thursday when I came home and I embrace this first leisure hour in writing to my dear cousin Julia. Will my excuse satisfy you I am sure it is long enough if that is all that is wanting
— Now to proceed to business Franklin says I must write for myself and him too, and as he is the oldest I suppose he must be first served he says Give my best love to Julia (I am not jealous caus why I am an exception in all cases) he says tell her I thank her for her letter and tell her when she writes to Frank again to turn the pen “tother” end too for he never learned to read backwards
The Irish was first rate and tell he says that all my plans are frustrated I shall have no house – no wife this fall but disappointment is the lot of mortals and I think I have my share (by the way I guess he here got a little touch of the hypo and not a very little one either) he will tell you the reason why some other time I believe that is all of his part
Oh one thing I forgot (I suppose I must write all he told me) that is he does not entirely despair of calling you Cousin Now for self I am well and doing pretty much after the old fashion here a little and there a little Do you want to here some news – well – Amos Stone was married last Thursday to Martha Dyer we all that is Lucretia Maryann, Lurane, Sophia, Kate, Emily, Augusta, Alvey, me with all of our beaux and ever so many more I cannot tell who fifty in all went to wedding at 6 o’clock in the eve Mr Fred. Belding was Sophias beau and to top off he came here sparking last eve I guess he was sparking for he staid long enough and I should not wonder if they made a go of it but I do not know I will tell you here after
H. Barrus is courting Augusta Stone they stood up with the couple that was married I went to Northampton last week and saw your famous Mr. Hopkins he looked well and hearty and tried hard to sell me a dress but did not succeed I was half a mind to make myself known and see if he would not give me one but there was most to many around Lewis & Harriet have gone to housekeeping in the first house below Mr. Luces
Mrs Dr. W. Shaw has got a son three weeks old Mrs Cushman Dresser has had a daughter and lost it William White is married Fredk Lyman is going to be and a great many more that want to be but I am afraid they wont before Leap Year
Grandmother says put her love in somewhere and I do not know but here is as good place as any where and while I am about it I will put mine in to to you and to Charles & Emily and all of the rest of our friends
I must draw to a close for I am so sleepy I can scarcely see my letters last night was Sunday e[ve?] therefore you can guess why and also the reason of my writing so poorly So good bye from your affectionate Cousin Mary P. Parsons
P. S. Write to me, Direct to Goshen, send me a paper soon, and write Henrys place of residence on it Frank will take all the papers you will send him so he says I expect to send this by Geo. Burgess who is going on to Philadelphia soon, if not this week; he thinks some of stopping in N. Jersey if he does he will put it in the Office there I did not know George was going untill last eve or I would have gone with him and spent the winter but he goes to-morrow and I have not time to fix now M— (written in left margin of third page of letter) Aunt Lucinda is well but I guess she will not be before long by the looks Now do grant me one favor Do not show this hurried scrawl
(written in left margin of first page of letter) John Hamlin is dead (written in corner of address side of letter) I would send you a piece of the wedding cake if I knew George would go directly to Phila –
Notes: Letter to Miss Julia A. Joy, Care of C. C. Grugan, No. 140 Chesnut Str., Philadelphia, [Pennsylvania], from her cousin, Mary P. Parsons, Goshen, [Massachusetts], November 20, 1843; postmarked New York, November 30; from the Phillip F. Schlee Collection.
Amos Hale Stone (b. 1817), son of Luther Stone and Mary Jenkins; on November 16, 1843, in Cunningham, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, married Martha Jenkins Dyer (listed as Sophia M. Stone in 1850 and 1880 federal census records) (b. abt. 1822), daughter of Jacob Dyer and Betsey Jenkins; five children, all born in Goshen, Massachusetts: Martha J. (1844), Edward G. (b. abt. 1849), Frank A. (b. abt. 1853), Julia A. (b. abt. 1856) and Mary S. (b. abt. 1860); resided in Goshen, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, in 1850 and 1880.