Ann Edmundson´s Letter

This is a letter written by Ann Edmundson in March or April of 1840, and is reproduced in the book The Family of Thomas and Elizabeth Morsell Edmundson by William Edmundson. It is presented here with his kind permission. Ann was born to Thomas and Elizabeth in Frederick County, Maryland on 28-Oct-1818, and married William Griffith Hopkins in Jay County, Indiana on 29-Dec-1842 as his second wife. They had three children: Thomas, Morris, and Mary. She died in Jay County on 28-Jan-1860.

Letters or words that are unclear are indicated by question marks.

Ann's letter

Dear Sister,

We received a letter from Polly and Hannah Griest dated 10th mo 11th which stated that their children had had the hooping cough and had got pretty well over it only when they caught cold and that Abner Plummer says he think that A Johns and M P will be married before the year is out Polly wrote word that cousin Thomas M Plummer lived in Baltimore Will near Bladensburg and Jess at his fathers also that Jacob Scott Patsy and Rebecca were there at quarterly meeting they informed that Betsy Steer formerly Pancoast was dead she died in the second month P says she would have written to thee long ago if she had known where to direct a letter to I have had the chills and fever this fall I had it the most of the time for nearly two months I have not been cofined to the bed much of the time Maria Wm Thos are gone to S Grissells E Lupton and Grissells young folks have been to see us lately there is talk of Amos Grisselle and E Lupton getting married ??

I might write more but have not time I did not know of the chance to send a letter till since father came home from meeting we expect to send it by Stephen Hesse he expect to go through your neighborhood write by the bearer I conclude with love to you all with which mother unites please to excuse me for I have written in a hurry

Ann Edmundson

Note: This letter is typical of the writing style of that period. Punctuation, capitalization, and spelling were far from standardized. The fact that she could read and write, and that she had a good vocabulary, indicate that she was an educated woman.

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This file was last updated on 7/14/2004.