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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
Mary writes about her hopes to visit Ohio. She also mentions her sympathy for the plight of the Irish, as well as her call to many striking events over the past year, including the death of a close friend.
Date
Fall 9-13-1826
Keywords
Cork Gazette, Irish, mines of Peru, Spaniard, Mr. and Mrs. Chase, General Sir Harry Calvert
Recommended Citation
Ward, Mary, "Letter to Philander Chase" (1826). Philander Chase Letters. 641.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/641
Rights Statement
Transcript
Gt. Horkesley Parsonage
Sep. 13th 1826
Rev. & very dear Sir,
I cannot let the box be packed for Ohio, without some little contribution from my pen as well as a large share of love & good wishes from my heart. Indeed I think it seems that my lot will some day fall amid the Wilds of Ohio, for if what my dear Papa tells me is really true (which I hardly can believe) the cords of interest to that dear country are to be drawn still closer by my becoming mistress of an Estate, as near your own as can be procured. If Papa has really written to you about this, I am a very happy girl, & I think I shall soon find abundant excuse for paying a visit to my tenantry, who will I hope for the most part be Irish emigrants. We are all at this moment, deeply interested in the suffering condition of our sweet sister Isle, whose miseries increase with her population, which is now becoming too numerous for her fertile though [uncultured] provinces to support, & we were reading in a Cork Gazette this morning, a proposal to government for an extensive emigration to the new World, & if this plan is put in execution, I can only say, happy for the poor exile, who finds his country & his home in the wild Woods of Ohio, happier by far for the poor Irish tenant to plant his potatoe crop in the little nook of & which may spread its fruitful bosom by the side of his log [cabin], where his kind [shelah] & [?] little ones, reward him for the colours of a day of honest industry for their support, with the sweet smiles of affection & the cheerful gaity of truth & simplicity, than for the proud Spaniard who spend his days in draining the Mines of Peru, of the golden treasures they afford, but which know not how to bestow such a cheerful meal & peaceful rest, as the humble [Cabin] which is blessed by the faithful Minister of Christ, & surrounded by all such blessings as flow so largely from that fountain of peace & love which God ever opens in the bosom of a truly Christian family. We have read all the last accounts of your success with heartfelt pleasure & delight, & anxiously hope that the plan for supplying missionaries which Papa will no doubt mention to you, may succeed equally, with every other good work for the benefit of your youthful zion. I had the gratification when in Town of seeing Mr & Mrs Wiggin, & all their lovely little ones, your darling little godchild was in bed, but I caught a peep at her smiling little face though she pretended to be be very shy & tryed [sic] to hide it under the bed clothes. All said they remembered Bishop Chase, & each had some anecdote to relate of his unforgotten kindness. We have this year been called upon to witness many striking events, which strongly mark the uncertainty of life & the instability of human affairs.
We have this year been called upon to witness many striking events, which strongly mark the uncertainty of life & the instability of human affairs. We were [within] one twelve month, called upon to attend a Christening a funeral, & a wedding, all in the same family, & on the very day of the wedding, the Aunt of the bridegroom was suddenly called into the presence of her God, & we are since in mourning ourselves, for the sudden death of General Sir Harry Calvert, who was Mamma’s Brother in law. Surely such sudden & awful warnings call upon us all, to watch & pray & to think of death before we are called to die. It is an awefully [sic] solemn subject, for Eternity is its sister thought, C. May God give us all Grace & time to prepare for the one [?] the other. It is sweet to think that those whom you have loved on Earth are waiting to welcome you again in Heaven, & that even now they serve the same God & acknowledge the same Saviour, whom we worship, here below, & that perhaps they love us still, & still take an interest in the welfare of our souls. The dear friend whom we have so lately lost was the mother of the Babe, whom we had so lately seen baptized, & her death was what her life had been a most perfect pattern of the beauty of Christianity & the happiness of the Christian, even in the hour of trial.
Hers is the first death which I remember as so nearly affecting my own feelings, & is it not a peculiar blessing that it should have been one of such remarkable peace & joy & hope, that every recollection only tends to render the thoughts of death less terrible, or rather I should say more pleasing to the mind. May God give us grace to improve all our blessings to his Glory & the Eternal salvation of our own solus, & may the spirit of love toward him, be poured out upon the world at large more & more abundant, till the whole Earth overflows with the feeling of his goodness, & every heart becomes a Heaven upon Earth such is the sincere prayer, Rev. & dear Sir of your ever affectionate & obliged
Mary Caroline Ward
May I beg you to give my love to all your dear little ones, & if I might send it also to their dear Mamma I am sure it would be sincere.