Background: George Jayne was a student at Fergusonville Academy in Fergusonville, NY.  Many of the students at the academy came from the New York City area.  It was thought that the isolation of Fergusonville would protect the children from corrupting influences such as drinking and gambling. George Jayne's family lived in Orange, NJ.  This letter is to his sister.

Fergusonville Fri. May 13^th 1858

 Dear Charlotte

            I received your letter yesterday morning at chapel I was very glad to hear from you.

            The violets you sent me were very nice I send you some by this letter. I found them in the meadow between the back of the academy and the creek you will find some yellow bells in this letter with the violets, also a white flower something like spring beauties and a strawberry blossom which was found on the hill across the road from the academy.

            As to the palisades I don’t know for certain whether they are the rocks I referred to in my last the true Palisades or not you might ask Emily about it.

            It was not on purpose that I neglected to give you my opinion of Emma’s letter or rather note. but it was from forgetfulness I think it was very good and would like to hear from her again and as to the blots “accidents will happen at the best of times”

            Charlotte you must be too hard on poor “Miss Bacote”. I don’t think that you write in hieroglyphics at all.

            My room-mate is Joseph Wood one of the boys that stayed up in vacation or in schoolboys phrase a “vacation duck.”

            Mr Oliver told me a day or two ago that Emily and Eva has gone to Philadelphia and had returned or were expected to be home in a day or two.

            I have fine times playing ball but as the one o’clock bell is ringing I must tell you to Give all the family and the Ennis the love of Your aff. brother George.

PS Please excuse the writing for this paper has no lines and I has to use a sheet of bluepaper.

Courtesy of the Davenport Historical Association, Davenport, NY, 13750. Over 500 letters from the Ferguson and Jayne families, most dating from the mid-nineteenth century, are available from the Davenport Historical Association in The Ferguson-Jayne Papers, 1826 - 1938, edited by Mary S. Briggs. Transcribed for this web site by Margaret Monaco. All misspellings have been carefully preserved.