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 from his mother and sister.

Jan 7th 1858

Dear Georgie

We received your letter yesterday afternoon, with one from Grandfather. Are you pleased with your presents? I will tell what we had. Emily got a beautiful pair of gold sleve-buttons, and Father the same. I got two new dresses, and a pair of woolen armlets, and a memorandum book. Annie got a beautiful child’s History of Rome in two volumes, and a pair of armlets, Eva, armlets, and a Bible like Annie’s, and Miss March a Bible. We spent a very happy New Year. We had about 15 calls; but did not set any table. Were you pleased with the Phrenological lecture? I should think that and the stuffed panther, would just suit you. Is your year for the Youth Cabinet, up with the Jan. number? The Jan. number has come; but the Dec. has not. I am going to ask the postmaster about it.

Aunt Lydia, cousin Abby, and little fordie have been here. They went away yesterday. They have been spending a few weeks in Philadelphia, and stopped at our house on their way home. Lydia Smallwood come to our house every other morning to recit to Emily.

The 12th of Jan. comes on next Tuesday, and I expect to go to New York, and spend a few days with Louisa. I received a letter from her last night. I forgot to tell you that the morning before New Years, the express man brought a package to the door for Emily. It was a splendid copy of Bryant’s Poems, bound in full calf and gold, and full of splendid engraving. She cannot find out who it came from Frank has been buying a great many new books, and among them Ivanhoe, and The Monastery. Ivanhoe is very, very interesting. I have not read the Monastery yet. His bookcase is so full that he has been obliged to put some of his old books in a box, and all his handsomest ones are on the parlor tables. We have not had very much snow yet. There is a little on the ground now. I must stop. Write soon. Much love from

Charlotte.
 

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.