[Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to Esther Maria Fisher Teackle, April 5, 1813]
Mentioned in this letter
- Business, Economy, and Travel
- Hotels - Washington Inn
- People
- Bancker, Sarah Upshur Teackle, 1783-1843
- Chauncey, Elihu, 1775-1847
- Eyre, Ann Upshur, 1780-1829
- Eyre, John, 1768-1855
- King, Robert S., 1778-
- Long, Tubman W., 1784-1836
- Long, Zadoc, 1756-1838
- Lyon, Sarah Eyre, 1770-1813
- Quinby, Elizabeth Ann Upshur Teackle, 1801-1875
- Seargeant, John, 1779-1852
- Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur, 1783-1837
- Teackle, Esther “Hetty” Maria Fisher, 1795-1840
- Weem, Wilhelmina, 1784-1835
About this letter
- Description
- Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to her sister-in-law, Esther "Hetty" Maria Fisher Teackle. She writes about trying to get John Seargeant to marry her daughter, Elizabeth Ann Upshur Teackle and hopes that Hetty will be married soon as well. She also talks about going to the Washington Hotel in Princess Anne, which is run by Zadoc Long's family. She also asks Hetty how her sister Ann Upshur Eyre is doing in Philadelphia.
- Creator
- Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur
- Creation Date
- April 5, 1813
- Subjects
- Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur, 1783-1837
- Teackle, Esther Maria Fisher (Hetty)
- 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
- Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
- Collection
- Voices of the Eastern Shore
- Place Names
- United States - Maryland - Somerset County - Princess Anne
- United States - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia County - Philadelphia
5th April 1813 Princess Anne
My dear Hetty
As you are amongst the most attentive of my correspondents, I think it but right to treat you as you deserve answer by answering all your letters promptly. No doubt you will probably appreciate this attention of mine, and use me accordingly. Not but at this particular time, I must say, I am not in much of a writing mood. However, this is of no great consequence, as fancy has very little to say to me at any time, and I can write you a dull epistle as well, and as good of it's kind when I am out of the humour, as when otherwise: and moreover as I have gotten my name up in your opinion, I need not mind the matter at all.
And you have really commenc’d your operations on Mr Seargeant! Well, to do you justice (and justice among rogues is a proverb,) you are a most notable girl, and very considerate withal, and I do not doubt of seeing you married one of these odd-come-shortlys; which, as you say, will be a great relief to your friends. I never as I live, had much notion to an old mind’s vestal dignity for myself, nor do I wish to have the supreme honour of seeing myself allied to any of the venerable fraternity. In this opinion I have ever been consistent and unchanged. But what do you say to my having actually applied
to the gentleman in question, through Mrs Eyre, for Elizabeth? Every one for himself, you know, as much as I have your interest at heart. Yes. I have bonafide written to my sister, on this strength of your inviting description of his wealth, style &c., to beg him to wait a little while for my daughter. And let me tell you she is not to be grinned at, for doctor King who is an oracle, has declared his belief that she is pretty, and I think so too, Lassy. And a wit I am resolved she shall be. So you old aunties may look sharp or little niece will cut you out. What will you do? Child, I advise you to turn your thoughts on doctor Haynie again, and commission me to intercede for you, perhaps he may be led to have you at last. Who knows! As to Eliza—there is Willy Nilly ready for her, and will be willing, if she behaves herself.
Where do you think we are all to dine tomorrow? Why at the Washington Hotel! Old Zadoc it seems, on the return of his reform’d prodigal son Tubby with a rich wife of fortune, has deem’d it expedient to give us all as much as we can eat. All the genttel people in the county are invited, and all are going, so they say. They say Tub’s wife is of a really genteel family from the western shore, and a woman of education!!
If you knew as much about this lad as I had heard, you wou’d be as much “stonish” as “Missus Troup” was when John Brown went to “[spar] Miest-Poke.” I hope you remember that good story of mine. Poor John is here now on a visit to his children, and I never saw any creature more delighted than he was to see us all.
What are you doing with my s[ister A.] Eyre? What is she about? Don’t let [her] stay too long in P. for I am crack’d to see [how] she expresses great satisfaction at your treatment of her, all of you. Mentions Mr. E. Chauncey with acknowledgements, and I thank him too for his friendly attentions to my darling sister. She is, she informs me, to stay with Sarah during Mr E’s visit to his sister. In fact, she declares that her most sanguine hopes are exceeded in the attentions she has met with, and I am bold to say she deserves them all, to every iota. Huzza! There is nothing like speaking up for one’s friends. Take the hint my dear, and speak a good word for me.
I have become an amazing gardner this year and have a most promising prospect. Don’t you want to see my hyacinths? I assure you all shall be in appropri[ate] order when you come, which to be sure will be soon. It’s time now I think if you mean to make a spring campaign against the doctor, in which I wish
you all possible success.
Elizabeth’s love, and mine to all enquiring friends.
Your affecte sister
Miss Hetty Maria Fisher Teackle
to the care of
Elihu Chauncy Esq.
Philadelphia
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