Letter 21 Mary Louise (Jones) Page to Martha William Wright Moody

Date: 21 Nov 1836 [unknown]
Location: Petersburg, Virginia
Surnames/tags: Moody Mason Wright Petersburg November 21

Dear Cousin

It is now 9 oclock at night & I am alone as Mr Page has gone to the Theatre, to see the celibrated Cooper & his daughter they are here for a few days, I have not been to see them as I am so fond of that amusement the more I go, the oftener I have the inclination, little Charles is fast asleep in the crib & I think the most interesting thing in the world, he talks Dutch to every one but myself I understand every word, he has had the swest face you ever saw, but I think it much better; how do Cousin Jack & Tim come on, I need not say I would like to come to see you as your good man does not believe us, but I feel assured that we would enjoy ourselves much-- Now Dear Cousin [damaged] about you things, the cloak is made in the most fashionable style it is very warm, I hope you will like it the colour is altogether worn by genteel people, you must examine it to learn the geography of it, I don’t much think you can manage the belt until after Christmas, be sure & put your arm's through the places in the cape as that is the way they are worn, the belt is put on under the cape so as to confine the cloak. The silk I got for the dress is very much admired, the mantaumaker has made it with a point in the belt--I did not think to caution her about it but it will not matter if you don't care to have the other belt put on in like manner she will alter it when you come if you choose, I got a cape to the dress as silk capes & small collars are worn they have some very handsome as the store[?] Cousin Jack told me you had taken up you winter quarters you country people fare so much better than we who live in town good comfortable fires & nothing to pay for every thing is very high every body in the way of trade have struck for higher wages, our town is alive this week as the Superior Court is setting and that awful case of Miss Mills & Mrs Mason about the babe that was left at Mrs Mason's door came on last Thursday it will take a week longer to decide I do not like to say which side is thought most favourable of as only the evidences on Miss Mills' side have been given it is a most scandalious business all the ladies are summon to Court that ever saw her none of our family happen to be in the scrape it is now ten I will stop for the night.

I have just got up from a hearty breakfast & I feel as if I could do a hard day's work I wish I had one of you seamstress to help me as I am always pressed for time--but married Ladies generally have something to do, Ann was at Mrs Patterson's on Saturday they were well I would have sent the things by Mr Charlton but they were not packed up, old Aunt Fanny sends her love to you she is quite smart she lives in a room with another woman they pay 1.50 a month you know she must nessarily must have to struggle very much to find herself in wood & something to eat at the high price of everything so my Dear Cousin I think you might send her a little present. dont think she has got me to write this for in good truth I never saw any one more contented but I have written this knowing you like to hear from her she still had the rheumatism in her knees she is a great Christian I firmly believe she takes the rounds once a week in spending the day with Aunt Elliott Nash & here, they are all well at my two aunts, but Aunt Elliot's family never were known to be so sickly as they were this Summer. Sister Eliza is alone as Mr. Pannill left for the west a fortnight ago. I don’t know what has got in the men for leaving their wives certainly there cannot be as much love as in former times, Mr. Page has some idea of going I cannot say when as he has not determined what time he shall leave Cousin Martha if you make souce this winter if you can send some this way I should be much oblige as I am very fond of it either press'ed of just the feet. I hope you will be pleased with your things it will always give me pleasure to attend to any command of yourself & Mother give my love to her & your husband no more Norbore sends his love

Your affectionate Cousin

M. L. Page

Addressed to: Mrs Martha Moody

Care of Mr John Moody Northampton

NoC

VLR (Virginia Leigh Refo)

A letter from Mary Louise (Jones) Page, wife or Norborne Page, who with her husband ran a shop in Petersburg where the Wrights and Moodys shopped. Mrs. Page was a relative of Martha William (Wright) Moody to whom the letter is written. Mrs. Page is the daughter of Eliza (Wright) Jones and George H. Jones. Mrs. Jones was the daughter of Martha's father's (William Wright) brother (John Wright). This makes Mrs. Page and Mrs. Moody second cousins. Charles is Mrs. Page's oldest child, born 1834. Cousin Jack is Martha's husband, John Mason Moody. Miss Mills and Mrs. Mason mean nothing to me and must have been one of the news stories in Petersburg.

Ann is the author's sister, Ann Rosina Jones. Mrs. Patterson is Martha's aunt, Alice Wren (Crump) Patterson, first wife of John Hamilton Patterson. Mr. Charlton is Rev. George Charlton, husband of Martha Robinson (Crump) Wright Charlton, Martha Moody's mother. Aunt Fanny is unknown to me, and I believe her to be a freed slave. There is another reference to her in Alice Patterson's letter (# 25) to Martha. Aunt Elliot is the author's aunt, Ann (Wright) Elliott (1784 - 1866). I believe Mrs. Page means Aunt Elliot, Aunt Nash, and Aunt Nash refers to Sarah (Wright) Nash. Both are aunts to Mrs. Page being sisters of her mother, and descending from John Wright. Sister Eliza is another of the author's sisters, Eliza Binns Jones (1804 - 1848) who married William Pannill (see letter #16). Apparently they did not settle in the West as both are buried in Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg.

Tim is a nickname for William Scott Moody, the oldest child of Martha William Moody and her husband, John Mason Moody, referred to as "Cousin Jack"

Mary Louise Page is also the author of letter # 27.

Date: Nov. 1836 I believe from the comments about the belt Martha is expecting her second child, Mary Elizabeth Moody, born Nov. 21, 1836, the day this letter was written.

Acknowledgement

• Many thanks to cousin Virginia Leigh Refo whose research and transcriptions added to this profile. The originals were donated to the Library of Virginia in 2004 by Liz Edens Vermillion with the help of Virginia Refo Moody Family Papers, 1750-1881. Accession 40535, Personal Papers Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.