A Letter Written to Lovina Fay Emerson Regarding Her Friend's Death
- Boston, MA , 1856
Boston, MA, 1856. General wear.. This letter was written by a C. A. George, of Boston, MA, to her friend, Lovina Fay Emerson on May 11, 1856. The letter starts off with a humorous anecdote regarding Lovina's worry over George after she had not replied to her earlier letter in a timely fashion. It then continues on to describe the recent events, focusing on the tragic death of an unnamed mutual friend of theirs. The woman had been in the hospital in Boston for a long time, and appeared to be on the mend before she suddenly passed away. George describes the funeral and the grief of the deceased's family. She moves on from this distressing news to discuss an upcoming fair and possible visit from Lovina. George ends the letter by updating Lovina on her family and providing her address. Based on the street name George lived in the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. Folded, stampless post. Measures 10" x 7 3/4" (folded), 15 1/2" x 10" (unfolded).
Below is an excerpt from the letter:
“It is not strange you think I that I did not receive your letter of March 19 or that you had ceased to hold ‘a place in my memory’, that I had run off or something worse, for my negligence in not answering... God in his Providence has laid his hand heavily upon us, in the removal of one whom we loved & who we expected would soon have been restored in health & mind unto us, in a sudden unexpected & dreadful manner, on the morning of April 20, news came to us of that death of his wife, she had been in the hospital nearly six months she was much better, in a few days was to have seen her husband, was as well as usual through the day, was found dead in the morning, dark & mysterious are the ways of God. Her remains were conveyed to her parents in the country, at which place we attended the funeral, it was very distressing to witness the grief of her parents & sister, she is out of health, almost if not quite insane. Brother was unusually sustained, and he said it was ‘all right’, he did not wish one circumstance different, felt even to rejoice that he was thus afflicted. The children did not seem to realize the loss they had to sustained, they were left to comfort the family a fortnight... I have one steady border, a young fellow that works in the store, and brothers William and Lowell when they are in the city. Sister Emily & little boy have been with me for the last three weeks...”. Lovina H. Fay was born on June 7, 1822 to Edmund Fay (1778-1827) and Anna Angier ((1787-1861) in Southborough, MA. She was an only child. She married William G. Emerson (1806-1887) on August 8, 1847 and had four children: William Francis Emerson (1849-1930), Annie Elizabeth Emerson (1859-1941), Mary G. Emerson (1861-1863), and Henry Howard Emerson (1865-1943). She died on December 19, 1897, in Longmeadow, MA, most likely of heart disease.
Below is an excerpt from the letter:
“It is not strange you think I that I did not receive your letter of March 19 or that you had ceased to hold ‘a place in my memory’, that I had run off or something worse, for my negligence in not answering... God in his Providence has laid his hand heavily upon us, in the removal of one whom we loved & who we expected would soon have been restored in health & mind unto us, in a sudden unexpected & dreadful manner, on the morning of April 20, news came to us of that death of his wife, she had been in the hospital nearly six months she was much better, in a few days was to have seen her husband, was as well as usual through the day, was found dead in the morning, dark & mysterious are the ways of God. Her remains were conveyed to her parents in the country, at which place we attended the funeral, it was very distressing to witness the grief of her parents & sister, she is out of health, almost if not quite insane. Brother was unusually sustained, and he said it was ‘all right’, he did not wish one circumstance different, felt even to rejoice that he was thus afflicted. The children did not seem to realize the loss they had to sustained, they were left to comfort the family a fortnight... I have one steady border, a young fellow that works in the store, and brothers William and Lowell when they are in the city. Sister Emily & little boy have been with me for the last three weeks...”. Lovina H. Fay was born on June 7, 1822 to Edmund Fay (1778-1827) and Anna Angier ((1787-1861) in Southborough, MA. She was an only child. She married William G. Emerson (1806-1887) on August 8, 1847 and had four children: William Francis Emerson (1849-1930), Annie Elizabeth Emerson (1859-1941), Mary G. Emerson (1861-1863), and Henry Howard Emerson (1865-1943). She died on December 19, 1897, in Longmeadow, MA, most likely of heart disease.