In Their Own Words: Daily Life in Antebellum Rural
New Yorka
Education |
Background: The Sherwood family moved to New York City in 1830; however, they continued to summer in Delhi.
William graduated from a university, probably Yale, in about 1838.
New York, July 30, 1837
Dear Wm-
I am gratified by your punctuality, as well as the manner of your respective
letters, postscripts, etc. Taking the whole together, I give you much credit for
your attention to me.
I am yet without any late news from John, except indirectly from your mother.
The youth is either deeply engaged in studies or something else, or is afflicted
with that worst of disorders-irresolution. I hope he will write me today, as it
is his Epistolary day.
I have had an interview with Mr. Jenks this morning and yielded to our Mother’s
inclination, of appointing him to the station she has desired. He will take his
departure for the fulfillment of his duties, either on Monday or Tuesday coming
and Will arrive in due course. I shall give him a pass, as I did Hugh Reilly.
More to the point, however, I have engaged him to attend as long each morning as
may be deemed useful in teaching Robert, Mary, & others if they wish. I have
explained to him that our family would be so large with those now at Delhi and
others who might be expected, that it would be necessary for him to board in the
Village, but he could dine at our table whenever he chose. The difficulty of
locomotion seemed to be one which perplexed him, referring to the heat of the
walk, and the difficulty of wet weather, none of which making very great
obstacles in my view and inclining to treat them in that way, he seemed to
incline to the same opinion.
By the way of some relief, I mentioned that Robert would be ready to give him a
ride when he deemed it necessary. I told him he could board at Mr. ________ (I
mean
my Tavern House, the Keeper’s name I do not recall) and you best go there and
engage him a good room and board by the week, and I suppose he will charge him
about 3 dols. per week.
Speak of Mr. Jenks in a manner to give him a standing as a scholar and a
Gentleman, for after all he has consented to go rather to oblige your Mother, I
think, & favor Robert, than any mercenary notion; to be sure, I have agreed to
bear all his expenses of every description, and I hope for, at least, so much
benefit to the children.
This will relieve you from the tuition of Robert & Mary but not from the charge
of aiding your Mother in every respect. And it will give you a greater
opportunity to study-improve it. I know the daily temptations to diversion, and
in your case, I can appreciate the difficulties.
But I repeat-let what & who will come, study your accustomed hours. If you must
play – first spend from 4 to 5 hours in study. I however want to empress you
with the necessity of relinquishing your babyhood & being a man. Work for Oakley
for exercise – and study, rather than play. You doubtless want to please me. And
now that I begin to expect something from you, I must not be disappointed.
I have breakfasted, dined, tea-ed solus today, save Abbey.
I partly thought I should go to Mr. Kinneys & neglected to provide any company
for dinner. And I felt no inclination to go out for tea. Saw Mr. S. B.R. at St.
Marks today. He said he had rec’d a letter full of extacies (sic) from Ellen.
Henry goes to the Springs tonight, bearer of a fresh supply of wardrobe.
He called yesterday to ask if I had commands for Woodland House, as he designed
touching there on his return voyage.
I believe Miss M.A.B. accompanied you but whether or not I have never been
assured from her. Should she be an inmate at that dingy, sultry, sandbarren,
tad-pool of a place, vulgarly called Delhi, give her my special regards. There
are numberless other personages there, for whom I feel some little yearning… one
G.O.S. besides some young’uns in whom I take an interest.
Although I have written Miss Mary, she has not designed to send me answer, or
even a kiss as a substitute.
As you will doubtless show this to your mother, unless I have impressed some of
the duties with too heavy a hand, she will consider this in some respects as
designed for common stock, so far as to relieve me from writing again until Mr.
Jenks goes.
Indeed, I do not know but this may be taken by him.
You asked if the colts best be fed oats….I think they had begin with 3 or 4
quarts each per day… so as to keep them in good spirits as well as in good
condition.
Give my love to A.E. & hers-
Your affectionate Father,
S. Sherwood
To: Mr. William B. Sherwood
Delhi, NY
S-.
Transcription courtesy of the Delaware County Historical
Association Archives, 46549 State Hwy 10, Delhi, NY, 13753.
Further information on the Sherwood Family is available in the Letters and Journals of Samuel and Laura Sherwood (1813 - 1823),
edited by John Crocker, Delhi, NY, 1967, available in the Delaware County
Historical Association Archives and Milne Library, State University of New York
College at Oneonta.
All materials on this website are for non-profit, educational use.