Letter to Diana Maury (Minor)

Scope and content:

Written from Fredericksburg, Virginia. Letter regards family news and the presidential election.

Language:

English .

Other descriptive data:

Fredericksburg Va
10 Nov 1840

My dear Mother,
I shall devote my spare time this morning to you. I got up earlier than usual for the purpose of showing the cook how to manage the stove. The parlor stove I wrote you about is a great improvement upon the old plan. It sits in the dining room, & with less coal for the day than it used to take for our fire in the grate, keeps both dining room & parlor warm. The door between them is thrown open, & we sit in the parlor. The parlor fireplace is on the summer arrangement, fire screen, etc. up so that you see besides the economy of the fixture, we have gained in personal comfort to ourselves, & in the saving of labor & trouble to the servants neither do we have any dust to contend with. The cooking stove has not had its trial yet; but I have no doubt that we shall gain as much by that as with the other.

'The boy' comes bravely on; Nannie, tho' not sick, is feeble. `The boy' is to be called Richard L. He is a fine looking fellow; & is decidedly the pet with his two aunts. I think Kate too is allowing him to divide the place in her affections, where little Annie, your little namesake, reigned supreme before. Since Nannie's illness I have taken to teaching Betty. She begins to read, & is very fond of entertaining us, by reading aloud at night her little stories for our amusement. She is docile, though one has to be firm with her and she soon finds out the length she may go with each one. They are both very affectionate children, though unlike in their disposition---I hear Annie's merry little voice saying "Beakfak is weady, beakfak is weady".-----Betty is devotedly fond of flowers; Annie cares very little about them--she takes more delight in associating with dogs & cats than in arranging plants & flowers. They both often talk about their grandma, & grandpa. Annie is sitting in my lap she says I must tell you to send her some toy things. Cousin Ann wrote that they must say what she shall bring them from England. Betty said "tell her she must bring her whatever she thinks proper. Annie said "tell her to bring me some candy, & some sponge cake."

Aunt Gatewood did not make a visit to Louisa, as she intended. After she went from here to visit her daughter near Spotsylvania Court House she was taken sick; she had a severe attack there of chills & fevers, & after her recovery, she returned home. Uncle Minor writes in good spirits; the same may be said of Aunt Goodwin. Old Mrs. Crutchfield is in town on a visit to her daughter who married a son of Mr. Young who used 2 to keep a tavern here. She always inquires kindly after you. She is a nice old lady. it seems as though I am not to find an opportunity for sending Pa the clothes that cousin Ann left here for him. It is a very nice suit of black & besides tending to make him comfortable, I think he would be pleased with them. I do not perceive any improvement in the leg. If Nannie & I be well enough in the spring, I should like to make you a visit. Ask Betsy if she could make room for us & `the boy.'

The political excitement which has been great with regard to the presidential election has subsided in a great measure. Pennsylvania & New York have both cast their votes for General Harrison---of course he then is elected already. I received a letter last night from Washington & from a Locofoco---he said it was given up there & that Mr. Van Buren acknowledged his defeat. For [Kemp's] gratification I will not close this letter till I go down town to hear the latest returns from Virginia & elsewhere. Well, I have returned---Maine, New York, & Pennsylvania have all gone for General Harrison. Virginia---"Ephraim is joined to his idols, let him alone"---returns are in from all but eight counties, which last spring gave a Locofoco majority of 45---The Van Buren ticket is 900 ahead.

Nannie, the children & all hands, send love to both of you, & to all the kith & kin.
Your affectionate son,
M. F. Maury

Subjects:

Correspondence

Access and use