[Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to her sister, Ann Upshur Eyre, April 19, 1814]

Mentioned in this letter

Business, Economy, and Travel: Clerks; Travel
Government, Law, and Military: Courts and Judicial Systems
Home, Health, and Social Life: Fashion - Bonnets and Hats; Fashion - Dresses; Health - Mental Health; Weddings
People: Eyre, Ann Matilda Upshur, 1780-1829; Handy, Col. Samuel, 1742-1828; Handy, Mary Gore, 1751-1827; Long, Henry King, 1788-1867; Long, Susan Hannah Curtis, 1786-1863; Long, Zadoc, 1756-1838; Steele, Mary Nevett, 1769-1836; Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur, 1783-1836; Upshur, Anne Billings Steele, 1791-1835; Wickes, William, 1789-1862
Places: United States - Maryland - Somerset County; United States - Maryland - Somerset County - Princess Anne; United States - Maryland - Worcester County - Snow Hill; United States - Virginia

About this letter

Description: Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to her sister, Ann Upshur Eyre, detailing her recent travels visiting friends and family. She writes extensively about the marriage between Mrs. Curtis and Mr. Long. She also visited her aunt Mary Gore Handy and uncle Samuel Handy in Snow Hill. She also writes about seeing Virginia friends. The last page(s) of the letter are missing.
Creator: Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur
Creation Date: April 19, 1814
Subjects: Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur, 1783-1837; Eyre, Ann Upshur, 1780-1829
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 - Virginia - Northampton County

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Princess Anne. Ap. 19^th 14

My dear sister

When I wrote last to you, I promised to write soon again, giving you an historical sketch of my life since I saw you: but where to begin: “dat his de kestion!¹” “fedder tis bater to bear de sting, and harrows of outrageous”¹ memory, or in utter oblivion to bury all the pains that my poor brain, will, otherwise endure, in collecting, and arranging incidents, which however recent in their occurrence, are nevertheless fleeing from my remembrance fast, and in infinite confusion. I believe I must content my self (and I hope you will likewise be contented) with giving you a faint outline of the picture; for I despair of ever being able to fill it up with all those shades and nice touches which

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were wont to embellish my former delineations when fancy was young and blooming, and before the shadows of Blue Devils,² and hideous housewifely cares, had caused her glowing colour to fade, and dead end the bright glance of her eye." Oh! The days are gone when I cou’d dwell, for whole pages, on the single character of the "clerk of Somerset county court;” when I cou’d follow his graceful form through the images of “Morrow’s Monday” and give a new view of him at every turning! Yes!

“The days are gone when “fancy” bright
“My” thoughts “chain wove!”
“When my dream of life from Morn to night
“Was” laugh “still” laugh.
“New hopes have bloom’d and days have come
“of milder calmer beam.³

Pray My lady Teackle what are you driving at? “Why, upon my word, mam, I can’t, precisely,

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say. All that I can say is that I am Nick Bottom⁴ the weaver, and that this paper is my paper, this pen is my pen, and this history is my history, and that I am the woman to figure in the history. If I ever get to the threshold of it. And here I am soon enough! The first thing I did when parted from you, my beloved sister, was to set down and cry a spell. From this pleasing occupation I turned my thoughts to ransacking my drawers in search of old blue satin gowns and hats, and soon found myself in the full tide of successful experiment, in making my beautiful figure fit to be seen at the nuptials of Mrs. Curtis and Mr. Long. Having changed my mind to the blue, I caused to be created a famous white satin gown, and turban with four plumes, which said plumes, or feathers, were thought, by