[Letter from Elizabeth Upshur Teackle to her husband, Littleton Dennis Teackle, May 17, 1813]
Mentioned in this letter
- Government, Law, and Military
- Wars - War of 1812 - 1812-1815
- Historic Homes and Places
- Teackle Mansion
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 $3000. John Eyre has offered to buy it for them. Elizabeth asks Littleton accept the offer from Eyre so that their daughter, Elizabeth Ann Upshur Teackle, will benefit from the property in the future. She also mentions that she does not want to move to Baltimore, as Littleton has suggested before.
- Creator
- Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur
- Creation Date
- May 17, 1813
- Subjects
- Teackle, Elizabeth Upshur, 1783-1837
- Teackle, Littleton Dennis, 1777-1848
- Polk, William
- Item Type
- letter
- Identifier
- MSS 2338, 2338-a, 2338-b Box 1
- Publication Information
- Papers of the Quinby, Teackle, and Upshur families, 1759-1968, Accession #2338, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.
- Institution
- Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
- Collection
- Voices of the Eastern Shore
- Place Names
- United States - Maryland - Somerset County - Princess Anne
- United States - Maryland - Baltimore County - Baltimore
My dear husband
I wrote you in answer to your’s from Balt. but the letter owing to some circumstance did not go at that time—I felt truly thankful that you receiv’d no personal injury from the dreadful scene you were in part an actor in.
A subject that lies extremely at my heart I must address you on, in a short conversation I mentioned it to you when you were last at home, but did not wish to trouble you further as I observed you were averse at that time to dwelling on it. Indeed, at all times, I shou’d feel pain in trying you on any subject, but I hope you will excuse me now, as my happiness is really concern’d. It appears that Polk is anxious to sell this property and has offer’d it for 3000$ 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
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
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]
up in the narrow limits of a Town lot immured without sufficient employment to engage my mind. The expenses of living in Town are great, those who have riches can live better I acknowledge than we have here, but those who have no certain way of making an income must be [phrase missing] on the stretch, sometimes with money, often without any. In the meantime nothing can be had without it and if you shou’d happen to want a dollar, you must go without a dinner. The idea of setting up a house in town, with precarious means of supporting a family, subject to the remarks of strangers who judge of your merit by the show you make, is insupportable to me. Here we have friends who from long acquaintance know us and will not judge us by the quantity or quality of our wealth. They feel an interest in us and will rather feel for our misfortunes, than despise and neglect us because we have met with adversity. The only advantage I can see in living in Town is the facility of educating our dear child. The expense of boarding her in a school I know; but the kindness of
your excellent sister Mrs. Bancker has obviated this difficulty, she has offer’d to take her in her family, untill she finishes her education then there will be no expense more than day school bills which we shou’d be obliged to pay if we lived in town.
I am informed by Mr. Eyre who has investigated all the deeds and papers that Polk’s title to that part of this property bought of Mr. Jackson, is indisputable. He was led to examine them by Polk’s offering him the property, so that if this is the case no alternative remains but to purchase it. Mr. E. had been of opinion before this examination that Polk had no title to it. The idea of being turned out of a home where I have spent so much time, and exerted myself so much to render comfortable and to which I have now become attached, is a constant source of anxiety and misery to me, it preys on my spirits and affects my health, and I beg of you my dear husband to come immediately to a conclusion and put an end to this suspense which afflicts me. Do not be angry or hurt, heaven is my witness, I wish not to be unreasonable
nor do I expect impossibilities of you. I pray for your welfare and happiness that God almighty may preserve it to you I still shall pray.
Your dutiful and affete wife
E.U. Teackle
Mr. Eyre remains with me. This day week we both set out for Northampton where you will direct your letter to me.
May 17th ‘13
This page is blank.
P Anne Md
May 18th
Free L.D. Teackle PM
Littleton D. Teackle Esqr.
Gadsby’s Hotel
Baltimore
Mail
17 May 1813
I wrote you 2 mails
ago enclosing a letter
which contain'd
$100 dollars