[Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to her husband, Littleton Dennis Teackle, May 17, 1813]

Mentioned in this letter

Business, Economy, and Travel: Finances - Debt; Hotels - Indian Queen Inn
Education, Religion, Literacy, and Culture: Education; Schools
Government, Law, and Military: Wars - War of 1812 - 1812-1815
Historic Homes and Places: Teackle Mansion
Home, Health, and Social Life: Health; Health - Mental Health; Home economy; Home expenses
People: Bancker, Sarah Upshur Teackle, 1783-1843; Eyre, John, 1768-1855; Jackson, George Wilson, 1780-1823; Polk, William Wesley, 1752-1812; Quinby, Elizabeth Ann Upshur Teackle, 1801-1875; Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur, 1783-1836; Teackle, Littleton Dennis, 1777-1848; Wilson, George
Places: United States - Maryland - Baltimore City; United States - Maryland - Somerset County - Princess Anne; United States - Virginia - Northampton County

About this letter

Description: Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to her husband, Littleton D. Teackle, discussing the sale of their property and their finances. William Polk has the title to their property and is looking to sell it for $3000. John Eyre has offered to buy it for them. Elizabeth asks Littleton accept the offer from Eyre so that their daughter, Elizabeth Ann Upshur Teackle, will benefit from the property in the future. She also mentions that she does not want to move to Baltimore, as Littleton has suggested before.
Creator: Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur
Creation Date: May 17, 1813
Subjects: Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur, 1783-1837; Teackle, Littleton Dennis, 1777-1848; Polk, William
Item Type: letter
Identifier: MSS 2338, 2338-a, 2338-b Box 1
Publication Information: Papers of the Quinby, Teackle, and Upshur families, 1759-1968, Accession #2338, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.
Institution: ASSSC
Collection: VOESH
Place Names: United States - Maryland - Somerset County - Princess Anne; United States - Maryland - Baltimore County - Baltimore

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I wrote you in answer to your’s from Balt. but the letter owing to some circumstance did not go at that time—I felt truly thankful that you receiv’d no personal injury from the dreadful scene you were in part an actor in.

A subject that lies extremely at my heart I must address you on, in a short conversation I mentioned it to you when you were last at home, but did not wish to trouble you further as I observed you were averse at that time to dwelling on it. Indeed, at all times, I shou’d feel pain in trying you on any subject, but I hope you will excuse me now, as my happiness is really concern’d. It appears that Polk is anxious to sell this property and has offer’d it for 3000$ which is more than I understood he asked of you, perhaps you might, if you apply in time, make a more advantageous bargain with Mr. Nicolls. If you buy it, Polk is willing to take other lots and lands of your’s in part payment, he is on a bargain with

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George Wilson for his farm over against us, and I think if you come to a decision soon he will make the terms reasonable to you for the purchase of your house, but if you delay it he will sell out his right to someone else. If you cannot make the necessary payments so as to purchase the property, Mr. Eyre has in the handsomest and most disinterested manner offered me to buy it for me for no consideration or if you will part with your lots and about town he will advance the balance, he has authorized me to say so. This was his offer, and he has even urged me to it. Be assured I am not anxious to lay myself under obligations to any one except my husband who has always been prompt to his kindness to me—but I feel the necessity for my child’s sake, to secure something for her advantage, whilst circumstances will permit, and I beg of you my dear husband to come to a decision and inform me of it by the next mail. As to my wishes concerning the securing this property for my use, you know them, nor can I conceive how it can

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legally be done without conveying it to some friend for that purpose. I have always understood that no woman can hold property in her own right if she is married, without such a proceeding and Mr. Eyre is the friend I wish to employ in this business. The estate in Upshur’s Neck¹, if it is recovered I wish to be secured to me in the same way. This my dear Mr. Teackle you promised me to do long since, and I do not think you will think the request either unjust or indelicate. As to your proposal of removing your family to Baltimore, I cannot think of it with pleasure, some years ago such a plan wou’d have met my approbation, but the time is now gone by. My health and spirits are pretty nearly exhausted and I look only to the pleasures proceeding from rational and active employment in the place where I now am. Here I have pursuits which amaze my mind without fatiguing it and which at the same time promote my health, and render me useful. God knows what I shou’d do in Town, condemned to an insipid and fatiguing crowd of uninteresting acquaintance, which those who go into company must encounter, or other wise, must [live]