1841 QUAKER LETTER - SHOEMAKERSVILLE PA - ELIZ. SHOEMAKER TO BRO JAMES HALLOWELL

Description

Lengthy, 3 pg. letter, approx. 7-3/4" x 9-7/8", dated at
Shoemakersville, Pa., "9th Mo. 22d, 1841"
, (Quaker dating for Sept. 22, 1841) from Elizabeth C. Shoemaker, a
Quaker
, to her half-brother, James S. Hallowell, at Alexandria, D.C.  (now in Va.).
The stampless folded letter was mailed at Philadelphia on Sept. 25th, and has a blue PHILADELPHIA/Pa. cds postmark and manuscript "12-1/2" rate. It is addressed to James S. Hallowell, at the Alexandria Boarding School, D.C.
The writer of this letter,
Elizabeth C. Shoemake
r, (1818-1850), married Atkinson H. Walton in 1845.
She died at age 31
, in 1850, and is buried in Gwynedd Friends Cemetery.
The letter is
to James Shoemaker Hallowell
, (1821-1886), a Quaker and prominent educator. He was born in Philadelphia. Moved to Alexandria in 1840, where he taught at the Alexandria Boarding School, founded by his Uncle, Benjamin Hallowell. From 1842 to 1846, he and his brother, Caleb S. Hallowell, were Principals of the Alexandria Boarding School. James was also the founder of the Alexandria Female Seminary, which operated from 1848 to 1860, and was forced to close because of the Civil War; During the Civil War, James was appointed Clerk in the Post Office Department, and Superintendent of the Post Office Building in Washington D.C.; Moved to Sandy Spring, Md. in 1865 and became principal of the Fulford Female Academy.
Good content, written in the Quaker style, writing of family members, life in Shoemakersville, and more.
Includes:
"Dear Brother,
I thought as I had not written to thee since thee left us, I would try and do so this evening to let thee (and the rest of you know) how we are a coming on. Mother is not very well. She has the Rheumatism or something like it in her arm. It is very painful but I am in hopes it will get better before long. She thinks it is rather better this evening than it was last. The rest of us well as usual.
I had a fine time in Gwynedd and elsewhere. While away, we went a traveling over the large rocks and hills and had a delightful time. I got home last sixth day and on seventh day, Ellis, Mother, Jane Shoemaker and myself went to Jersey and returned on second day. We found Grandmother much better than I expected to find her. She can walk quite smart. She appeared quite lively, though I think she felt bad; her appetite is very poor and she looks very thin. The rest of them were pretty well. Uncle Isaac and Aunt Mary had been a traveling. They were gone ten days.
I saw several folks while in Gwynned, enquired after Brother Caleb and thyself and appeared to regret that you did not get up there. Thomas Foulke was very sorry he did not get to see Caleb. How is Caleb and Anne a coming on. I want to see them very much, and especially little Mary Jane. I expect she will be a great pet. Please give my love to them and tell Anne I would like very much to receive a letter from her. I saw one she wrote to Grandmother the other day. She was very much pleased to receive one from her.
Our little Comly grows finely. He is pretty much of a pet. He begins to talk quite plain. He often talks about Jimmy.
Jimmy made his little wagon he thinks so much of. He knew me when I came home for all I was away so long. Mother asked him who it was when I came in. He said Sissy. He is a dear little boy. I do not know what we would do without him and he is so little trouble, though a little mischievous sometimes. He threw his hat in the hog pen and the hog soon eat it up. He told me as soon as I came home that he had done it and Mother whipped him for doing it. Today he thought he would try his other one, but Charly saw it in time to save it.
They are pretty well at Brother Robert's. They have give out coming to see you this fall I believe. Robert is so hurried in the store that he thinks he can not leave. They think they will come in the Spring if nothing happens to prevent....
Benjamin and Charles goes to School very steady. They learn quite fast, at least Benjamin does. He takes great delight in his book and I think he will make a good scholar. Charles is not so fond of learning as I would like him to be.
I have not been at Aunt Rachel's very lately. They were well when I last heard from them.
Uncle Comly and Aunt Sally were here this afternoon. Aunt Sally is quite smart and very lively. Yesterday they were in Philadelphia. They have got to riding about a great deal for them. They have been over to Uncle Isaac's and to Uncle Ezekiel's...
I forgot to tell thee while speaking of Comly, that he saw the Stage a coming the other day and run in saying, Jimmy coming, Jimmy coming, me see Jimmy's Stage. The little fellow seemed very much disappointed when he found it was not thee. I asked him today where Jimmy was. He said Jimmy gone to Jersey.
I hope thee will excuse this very bad writing, as I have done it in great haste....
It is getting late and I believe I must stop. With a great deal of love to all, I remain thy ever affectionate Sister,
Elizabeth C. Shoemaker"
Light stain at the bottom of the pages, and a couple of small holes at the folds. Fine.
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