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 George Jayne to his sister Charlotte.

Fergusonville Jan 4th 1859

Dear Charlotte

I received two letters from you to-night one post-marked December thirty first and the other Jan. 3d.

I have been writing a letter to mother and now it is between ten and eleven o’clock at night so that I will not have much time to write now but I will make up for it in the morning.

Emily made me a present on New Years of a nice lamp mat like one of those on the piano at home and an orange while on Christmas she gave me a large plate full of nuts, raisins and other goodies.

Good bye for to-night.

Wednesday.

This morning one of the chimneys caught fire and burnt about one or two minutes and then went out.

From your account Frank had a hard time writing to Em though it was two sheets written full and crossed.

I intend to go on White’s hill this afternoon. I like my presents very much you must thank Frank for it (Louis School days) in my name
I was sliding downhill nearly all day Christmas and New Years.

We had turkey, apples, cakes, pie, coffee etc, for dinner on New Years. The bell is now ringing for me to go in school so I close with much love to yourself and all.

From your aff brother
George.

 

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.