Tag Archives: Miss Briggs

This Week in History: September 22–28

Lynch­burg Sept. 26 1840
My ever dear­est Sister:
Your let­ter from Rich­mond finds me at San­dusky near Lynch­burg at Mr. Oteys Moth­ers I had been expect­ing to hear from you in Rich­mond and I won­der if you have gone there with a view of spend­ing the win­ter?  If so, then I shall con­clude you care very lit­tle for me.  I have long been deprived of your com­pa­ny or soci­ety which I have always val­ued so high­ly; and the Hotel, has been the con­stant and cry­ing sin; Now just as that obsta­cle is obvi­at­ed you have gone to anoth­er region; where you may be thrown in the soci­ety of oth­ers; whom you prize more high­ly than mine; I could not read­i­ly con­ceive this would be grat­i­fy­ing to (and a pro­ject­ed plan) or some oth­ers but under­stand me I do not wish you to deprive your­self of any of the enjoy­ments or plea­sures of this life for me.  But I had sup­posed this would be the last win­ter I should spend in Raleigh and how much delight­ed I would be to have you with me when­ev­er I could.  Miss Sarah Cook a niece of Mr. Oteys wil accom­pa­ny me to Raleigh [end of pg. 1]

[Pg. 2] to spend a por­tion of the win­ter, she is very pret­ty a fine fig­ure and a pret­ty face just 16,  I have spent my time very pleas­ant­ly dur­ing my vis­it here, and I am becom­ing so much attached to this beau­ti­ful and fer­tile region. The grandeur of the Moun­tain scenery — the green clear hills turn­ing with their rich flocks — that I can with impar­tial­i­ty say I am reluc­tant to leave such stores of plea­sure and trea­sure behind me.  It is tru­ly a land of mild and hon­ey.  Wish you could mar­ry some clever fel­low and live near me in this fer­tile and salutri­nous clime.  I sup­pose you did not get my last let­ter in R — (It has fall­en into the hands of the Philistines) in which I advise you against mar­ry­ing R. Camp­bell.  I then stat­ed to you what Mr. Fer­gu­son told me.  Mr. McDow­ell says he is not worth any­thing and I you were to mar­ry him it would be for mon­ey alone.  We leave this tomor­row for R. — and will spend a week in Oxford with cousin Robert.  Agree­able to promise Mr. O will go direct­ly and have our house in readiness.

You will not give your­self any [?]_______ (not read­able) about Miss Brig­gs board­ing with me.  I am resolved she shall not.  Indeed there was only a con­di­tion­al under­stand­ing to that effect. — after all was said, and I cold not think of eny­ing myself any priv­i­leges for Au Bg.

I have seen Bish­op Otey and am delight­ed with him, think him one of the best and most agree­able men I ever knew.  His daugh­ter Va is now with him.  She is one of the most accom­plished girls in the state.  Tell cousin George he must come to R. to see Miss Cook.  I think he will be pleased with her as he is in search of beau­ty — She is much pret­ti­er than L. Moore his “old flame” and rich­er too if that be an induce­ment.  I cam glad to hear cousin Ann is [?]________ (not read­able) with the prospect of get­ting such a clever fel­low for a hus­band and wish her much hap­pi­ness.  (I.E.): many squalling urchins if she pleases.

Mr. O says present his regards to Ann; and “say” to her to “remem­ber what he told her “to be sure she gets him who loves her most.  The only guar­an­tee con­nu­bi­ate hap­pi­ness.”  Sis­ter Mr. Otey says he owes you an apol­o­gy for not hav­ing writ­ten to his “best sis­ter except 3” and ten­ders his oblig­a­tions for your polite response to his last com­mu­ni­ca­tion.  He says he does not con­sid­er it any com­pli­ment or praise to be called your best broth­er there is none bet­ter than the best none worse than the worst, “so he is both.”  “you would not say he was your unso­phis­ti­cat­ed broth­er; he says he would like to have your expose of an unso­phis­ti­cat­ed man; “that he is not capa­ble of such refined con­cep­tion him­self, and thinks such a crear­i­on would be as much a curios­i­ty in this age as the “fall­en Polyphamus” he thinks [?]_______ (torn out) applic­a­ble to [End of pg.]

[New pg.] a celes­tial order of [?]_______ (not read­able) only in its [?]______ (torn out) mean­ing [?] — and its appli­ca­tion to man “and to the Deity, with all def­er­ence to your “good sense” not sup­pos­ing you int­ed­ed it as such; — But if you had said he was as of the Bon-Ton (Fan Ton) order or of a [?]_________ of com­i­cal fan­tas­ti­cal­i­ties, he would have become able to com­pre­hend you — The “unso­phis­ti­cat­ed” — “late per­son­i­fied” Mr. George has been play­ing the Cour­tior in Lynch­burg.  I did not see him tho he was at some of our con­nec­tions; a few days ago; please write me so soon as you can as [?]________ (not read­able) if there are any new style — fash­ion­able Bon­nets in Richd and if they are pret­ty — if so I want to get one for win­ter and can I get as hand­some a one in Ricd as in Phil.  Mr. Otey saw Cousin Jer­ry Kyle in Lynch­burg yes­ter­day on his return from north, he said he was at Mr. Win­ston’s and heard moth­er was in Ricd — Why did you not go on to see him?  He heard you were there and thinks strange he did not see you — give my love to cousin Ann and George and all the fam­i­ly — remem­ber me affi­ably to all our con­nec­tions.  Mr. Otey joins me in love to you and Cousin Ann.

Hop­ing to see you soon and hear from you sooner.
I remain affi­ably your ever devot­ed sister
Eleanor
The last not last.  Kiss my dear Grand­Ma­ma and give my best love.
Have you become acquaint­ed with any of the Boshin Fam­i­ly?  They were anx­ious to know when you would be in Va.

[Enve­lope]
Lynch­burg Va. Sep. 28
Miss Vir­ginia J. Kyle
Richmond
Va.
Care of Mrs. Fai Winton [?]