Passionate Abolitionist and
Witness to the American Civil War
Passionate Abolitionist and
Witness to the American Civil War
The author of this letter seems very close to William Slater presumably but not certainly from the time he visited Thomas Jackson and his relatives in 1857-1859 Also it may be that the author was a Jackson who had recently arrived from “home” in England.
Perth Amboy,
Dear Cousin Will,
I received your very wellcome (sic) letter and thank you for the kindly attending to all my little commissions. I’m very glad you and the Dr are alive but sorry to hear you are kicking useless it is at your propensity to the evil weed Tobacco.
My dear, or rather our dear old Aunt and Family are well. Sarah, Williams’s daughter, was baptized yesterday Sunday in the bay. Amos and his wife and John and my
p. 2
were all down to see the ceremony. Next Thursday the new church at Metuchen is to be opened. Cousin Willm is going to take us over there and then on to Piscataway.
Please tell or rather ask Mr. Peace to request Mr. Quimby if he removes to the city to get his coal from brother Edward as Edward will take the pay in trade.
I wish you would write me by return of post and direct to Metuchen. I feel very anxious to hear from home. Direct to the care of John Watson
p. 3.
The last powders received after you left quite cured my aunt of the cough and sore throat. I have been visiting as visiting so much from place to place I have scarcely had time to write but will reply to your sisters letter the first opportunity.
Caleb Peace promised to write to me but I suppose has forgotten where to direct to me
All our friends unite with in kind love to all relations.
p. 4
Kind regards to all enquiring friends. I shall be at home on that Thursday or Friday evening previous to the 15th.
Write as soon as you can. Remember my aunt reads your letters
Remember me to Dr. and Mrs Hullinger and family
Yours affectionate cousin
Mr. R Jackson
To Mr. Wm. Slater.
Ambassadors' Notes are commentaries added by the original founders of the Thomas Jackson letters and are intended to add context to the transcription that proceeds them. Other comments by visitors may have been offered in Recent Research and Commentaries in the seventh panel of the homepage.
This letter is full of confusions and uncertainties starting from the fact that there is no indication of a date and that the Perth Amboy address is normally associated with the home of William Watson.
However the text of the letter makes clear that the letter was not written by William or Amos Watson or their father John Slater.
Also the author has a brother Edward who is in the coal business back in England or in America.
At the time of writing, the author appears to be living with or close to John Watson. “Write me direct to the care of John Watson”. but clearly is moving around a good deal and may well have been another Britisher visiting family members in Pennsylvania.
The style and content reveals a familiarity with William Slater (eg reference to “our dear old aunt . . .” and close knowledge of William Jackson’s daughter. Sarah) However the style of the sign off is more distant than for any of the other authors in this collection. “ Your affectionate cousin Mr R Jackson” and “To Mr William Slater.”
For many months we though the initial letter of the signee was a C.
However, the Ambassadors think it far more likely that it is an R based upon a very similar capital letter from 3 lines above it. The R in “Remember me” has all the details to match the initial of the signature.