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The Philander Chase letters were written in the 18th and 19th century and therefore may contain language that we understand today as harmful or offensive. You may encounter paternalist descriptions of Native Americans, racial slurs, or sexism. For more information, see our policy page.
Description
Telling Philander Jr. of the death of his mother. His little sister is also not doing well, and she has been baptized. Preparations for Philander Jr.'s visit to Worthington.
Date
5-8-1818
Keywords
Mary Chase (dead); Almira; Mrs. Evans; Jonathan Munro; Mr. Lloyd; Hartford, CT; Mr. Brinley; Dudley Chase; John Matthews; Colonel Putnam
Recommended Citation
Chase, Philander, "Letter to Philander Chase, Jr." (1818). Philander Chase Letters. 63.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/63
Rights Statement
Transcript
May 8th 1818 Worthington
My dear, dear, Son Philander,
You are a sincere Believer in The Christian Religion, and one day, I hope, will be a faithful Minister of Him, who died to subdue Death and went from him, as David did from his type, his deadly spear.
I make this beginning to my letter that you recollect your character and call to your aid your best principles while I tell you of things, which to [unassisted] nature, might be insupportable; Heavy tidings, coming as they do in quick succession to the last I wrote you filled with the most pleasing intelligence. - Are you, then prepared? Have you devoutly supplicated the gracious assistance of the most High while you read what follows - O my Son you had a mother - she is now in Paradise - to nature how painful the tidings! To faith how consoling that she was a Christian - is now a Saint!
I think the last letter I wrote you was dated on Saturday, a day of joy and gladness to me: Then it was that I poured forth to you why whole heart - in love to you and my dear family and gratitude to Heaven…for your mother was, after the alarming scenes immediately succeeding particularly then a comfortable rational and hopeful state sleeping sweetly with her lovely daughter.
An appointment had been made and advertised in the public prints that I should preach in Columbus on Sunday following the day I mention. Your Mother during the night having experienced comfortable repose I felt it my duty to go as had been arranged. Therefore leaving her in the care of her physician her two Sisters Mrs. Evans and Almira and a nurse I mounted my horse with as light and grateful heart as I ever had experienced I returned in the evening and found her delirious - The puerperal fever attended with an alarming dropsical swelling in the head hands and feet had set in and baffled all remedies. A [?] of physicians was assembled and all measures taken that were within the circle of human wisdom but all in vain. She expired on the morning of the 5th instant at half past 2 o’clock leaving me without a wife friend and [?] and you and brother and little sister without the Best of Mothers. O Gracious Saviour and compassionate protector of afflicted man! Look on us in mercy; make us [?] to thy will guide us by thy wisdom secure us by thy power and save us by thy grace! We thank thee for all the alleviating in [instances] attending this afflictive event. We thank thee for the good example left behind by her whom Thou hast now called to Thyself. We thank thee for all her wise counsels and that she lived and died in the faith not for her own sake only but for ours, who still are in this tabernacle of clay. O make us profit by the treasure she has left us! So that when we go the way of all the earth we may go where we believe she has gone to be when Thou art beholding thy glory and [?] enjoying thy smiles.
My dear philander how I want to see you! May the Lord save protect and keep you, further you on your journey, and bring you safe to the arms of your afflicted Father.
The circumstances of your Mother’s death I will rehearse to you personally as I have just now done on paper to your dear Brother George.
I am tired and worn down with care and grief.
May 10th
The post not going out with letters for the Eastward until some 3 or 4 days I left my letter to attend to more pressing cares - Your dear little Sister now calls forth all my fondest anxieties - Poor little Motherless Lamb! I could find no nurse to come into my house therefore was obliged to please her with a Woman about ¼ mile from us and have Almira attend and help take care of her, as the woman has a child of her own. For a day or two thing went unwell and the Child though extremely feeble, seemed to gain. I visited her several times in the day and procured all the comforts which would be thought of. Yesterday afternoon I was sent for and found her sick and the symptoms of her illness approximating to convulsions. The physician was called in and an additional careful Nurse (an excellent Old Lady in the neighborhood persuaded to watch over her all last night. I was with them and we [?] much distress which we could not relieve. What more painful to my feeling! During one of her sickest turns I felt it my duty to administer the Sacraments of Holy Baptism in the private form. If she dies this will be consoling to me to you and all: if she lives you must be her Sponsor and take the [?] obligation to see that she be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord on yourself in publick.
Evening of the 10th [Whitsunday]
I have attended to my sacred duties of administering the Holy Communion this day to my beloved people. Your Mother was absent from my mind hardly a moment. When kneeling at the Altar it seemed she was permitted to hover round my spirit prompt my devotions and smile on the work of faith.
Your Little Sister is some better. I called as I came from Church and spent an hour or two with her. She sleeps but too sound but we hope for the best.
As I am approaching the end of two sheets I must say a few words about your coming hither and the means of [?] your expenses as well as paying your demands in [?]. Whatever your bills exceed what I’ve left Mr. Brinley in Middle Town Bank you [with]draw for, on Prime Ward and Sands Broker, New York, whom I shall enable and instruct to answer your demands.
I think you had better give up your project of coming in a wagon and take saddle. Before you’ve gotten halfway you’ll wish your wheels in the moon. Put all your goods up in Boston and send them to Philadelphia or Baltimore by water to the care of Jonathan Munro Market Street, Baltimore will receive and forward your effect to this place. Take the stage go to Uncle Dudley, see your horse only and set your fare to the south coming by the way of Hartford NY Phila and Baltimore. I will send my next to the car of Prime Ward and Sands Broker New York on whom you’ll for cash. I shall advise them to pay you all they have and all, all, all, all in the Bank. These same Gentlemen are my agents authorized by power of attorney duly executed to collect sell and so forth all my property - I regret I have had no advice from them of late. Tomorrow I send 300 Dollars to them for you only accident should have intervened to prevent the collections of my Rent Roll in Poughkeepsie or the acc’ts of Mrs. Clark and welman. As a last resort I had advised them to sell the Poughkeepsie Mortgage 1300 Dollars if no better at a small sacrifice. I should be glad to do it at any rate for the fare of it.
You’ll talk my affairs “all over” with Mr. Lloyd in Hartford. He’ll give you a letter of introduction to Prime Ward and Sands.
Your Route from Baltimore hither will be to Fredericktown Maryland there Harper’s Ferry Charlestown Mills’s Gap Vira - Oldtown Cumberland Maryld - Uniontown, Brownsville and Washington Penna - thence to Wheeling Vira thence Zanesville and Worthington Ohio - Get letters of introduction to Bp. W. and other clergy in Phila. Call on the Rev. Sam. Jarvis N.Y. Get letters to Bp. R. in Baltimore - When you shall have come so far as Zanesville you’ll be in one of my parishes as it were - call on Dr. Reed formerly of G[?] and when there insist on his introducing you to Mr. J. Matthews a man whom I love and who loves me if possible as well as Col. Putnam.
Now think I to myself - What if you’ve made your arrangements to go by the way of Buffalo? Why in that case and you can’t recede you must trust your Wagon and aspects in the care of Sill Thompson and Co. Black [?] near Buff. with orders to forward by water to “M[?] Jennings Darling and Co. Sandusky City” (mind the precise words of this direction.) Then mount your house and come to Cleveland Wooster Frederick Berkshire and Worthington.
Tell Intrepid he must come to me whether with you or alone.
P. Chase