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Big Flatt
Chemung Co NY
November 2, 1847
Dear friend,
I now take my pen in hand to inform you that we are all well and hope to find
you enjoying the same since I came from your house. I never was so sick of home
in my life. I wish I could come out there and stay long enough to go on the
island once more with you and Susan. I have not been anywhere since I came from
your house. Sally Jane (?) was up here yesterday. She said she had the toothache
all the week. Jerusha Barnes is again to Horice Stuards (?) to keep house for
them while they are gone to the west. I think that I shall go to Mr. Ford
tomorrow afternoon. I wish you was here to go with me. Mother has gone to Mr.
Hines and I have been alone all day. Hannah said she thought that if she should
happen to go by your house she would call and see you. I must tell you about
Mical Cavanaugh and Harrison Collins. John McDuffy went to see Sarah Easterline
and she gave him the mitten and when he was goin home Mical and Harrison thought
they would have a little fun so they hid themselves in the woods by Mr. Jackson
sawmill. When he got there they catch him and Harrison held him and Mical whiped
him. About long enough they wanted him to run and he would not do it so he sat
down in the middle of the road and then they whiped him as long as they was a
might to. He took them up and it cost them 16 dollars apiece. Good enough for
them. I think it was bad enough for him to get the mitten without the whipping.
You must not give your beau the mitten for fear he will get a whipping. Tell
your mother that I should like to see her very much and I should like to see
Susan and you. George Henry says he is a coming out to your house in about three
weeks. You must all come as soon as you can. I don’t know as I ever shall come
again. I have not time to write any more. I have got to go to getting supper.
Excuse all bad spelling and writing. Good bye.
Maria B. Parsons
Submitters notes:
(1) I have the original hand-written letter which I bought on ebay sometime ago. Most spelling and grammar is as it was written. After some brief 1850 census research, it appears that (1) Maria B. Parsons is the daughter of Jared and Polly Parsons, and that George Henry is Maria’s brother (2) Harrison Collins is the son of John and Hannah Collins, and that Mical Cavanuagh lives in the Collins household, (3) Phoebe A. Ford, and her sister, Susan, are the daughters of Oliver and Mary Ford. Lastly, “getting the mitten” in those days meant being rejected by a sweetheart or having your marriage proposal turned down.
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