-----Original Message----- From: Joe Eddleman Jr [mailto:JOEEDDLEMAN@charleston.net] Sent: Saturday, May 01, 1999 4:58 PM To: SEAMAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: {not a subscriber} Seamna letter Some time ago I posted a few Seaman letters in my possession which I thought might be of interest to Seaman researchers. Due to family commitments I was unable to publish many. I will try to continue to post additional letters, time permitting, which might be helpful to members of this forum. By letter dated April 1, 1836 from Jerusalem from Almy J. Seaman (born 3/19/1819 and daughter of Benjamin Seaman and Jane Rhinehart} to her sister Sarah Seaman she writes: You wished me to write particulars of every one and I will now comply with your request. The people are generally well. William Jones is in partnership with Samuel in the store. Samuel is going to build a house and barn this summer. Israel is going to live in part of his father's house and work the farm. Mary Powell has gone to Jerico to teach school she gets thirty dollars a quarter. Sally Garner is very much afflicted. She has a lump in her breast which people think will prove to be the Rose Cancer it is very much swelled and her arm and hand also. The doctor does not say it is cancer but he says it will be something very serious. She is not able to sit up all day.. At times she seems very low spirited. She often says if I am taken away what will become of my poor children? John Birdsall is going to move in the house with her. I suppose you have seen an account of the death of Benjamin Birdsall at Brooklyn in the Star. He had the pleurisy and was sick only a week. He was brough up and buried in the meeting house yard. Hewlett Smith and Nancy Post were married about two months ago. I have been all around the south but I have not time to tell the places. I have not seen Lawyer Jones house yet but I intend to go and see it as soon as the weather gets a little warmer. He and his family are going to board at Thomas Jones's through the summer. Mary Jones has got a new beau his name is Smith. He is a Navy Officer and said to be very rich. People think they will be married soon. Mary Wigam and her two daughters have been at Zebulon's all winter. They are going to New York the first of next month.Elizabeth is very proud. She has not visited any of the neighbors. I think they will all be glad when her Ladyship leaves the place. Our Albums are going around south but they get along slowly. Noah has moved in part of Deborah Seaman's house.He and Mary Jane are going to Mass. the last of May or the first of June and Noah talks of going from there to our house and if he does I think I shall go with him. Mary Jane sends her love to you all. She says she would like to go with Noah out there but thinks she is not able to travel so far with her child. Littgle Edgar grows very much and Mary often inquires about Mary Jane and Martha Ann.Aunt Phebe is now at Noah's. She has been up two weeks but is going down in a few days. Uncle William and Aunt Almy (Amy?) have just started for Samuel Jones's at East-Woods. He is very sick and they do not think he will live long. I shall go to Noah's tomorrow and see what he saids about going to the West. Tell father he must be sure and have a stoop built and you may have the room finished as you are a mind to. April 17th I am now at Noah's. He saids he cannot tell certain whether he will go to the west or not but I think he will. I wish you would write immediately on receiving this and let me know what you all think of my going to Tyringham. The expense will not be a great deal more and I should like it very much to go but if mother thinks I had better not I will try to find out if there is any friends going up to yearly meeting. Aunt Phebe sends her love to you all. She saids she is going to write by the merchants when they come down. I conclude with love to you all. Sarah Seaman New York Tuesday evening April 26, 1836 Dear Sister, suppose you are by this time expecting a letter from us. Should we take example from you? We should not write for a month to come. I am very glad to inform you of our good health. I have not much news to write to you. We are very busy in the store now. I have been expecting to see some of the merchants from that neighborhood, but have seen none yet. I sold a bill of Bonnets the othe day to go to Syracuse. I thought of delaying writing to you until I had made some arrangements with my employers, but as Almy has written I thought I would write now. I suppose she will scold because I have put it off as long as I have. I do not know yet what they will allow me through the the summer. I shall however do the best I can and shall write again before long. The last letter I received from Israel was dated 20th March. His health was then good and had been through the winter. He stated he had received no letter from home since he wrote me before. You wished to know the price of Tuscan Bonnets. The braids are very high. I could not send any kind of a descent Bonnet short of 2.50 or 3.00. I think I had better send some straws such as and Almy's. I suppose I can get them at cost. A new shape has come out this spring called the Grecian Cottage. They are something like the straight cottage except that the fr.... from the crown foll (?) up. I think it is very.... it will be warn a great deal. James family are well. They are very kind to me. The small pox is somewhat prevalent in the city. Isaac Sm... just recovered from it and I heard his brother.... a few days ago. They thought I had better be vaccinated which I accordingly was yesterday morning... know as it was of any use. I wrote you that John... was in the grocery. I do not know what he..... I also wrote you that Samuel Seaman was coming here in the Spring but I believe he has been here for eighteen months past. I heard since Almy wrote that Mary Jones was married. I suppose you thought that from the proceeds of the butter we should have money enough to last us for a great while but I have been very obliged to get so many clothes that is is nearly all gone. And besided I have many other little expenses which it is impossible to avoid. I hope however I have enough to last without spending much more in some time. If you can spare a little before Almy goes home I should be very glad. I do not like to send for money so soon for I fear you will think I have been extravagent. I hope however to be able to repay it at some future day and I shall get along with as little as possible. I suppose you are ploughing by this time as we used to begin about the first of April. The weather here has been rather cold, it has been quite warm today and the streets are getting quite dusty. I am now boarding in Cherry St. No. 43. They have only about 10 or a dozen boarders. I pay 3 dollars per week which is the lowest I could. Yours John F. Seaman Would anyone know whether # 43 Cherry St. is still standing?