Judith Sargent Murray: Her letter books and essays

29 May 1790: Judith Sargent Murray to Winthrop Sargent and Judith Saunders Sargent   Letter 747  To my Father and Mother  Brunswick   May 29th  1790  Saturday Evening On Tuesday morning we quitted New Rochelle, coming on through East Chester, crossing Knight Bridge, and passing over Harlem Plains, to New York — The country round New York is mountainous, and the traveller is amused with all the charms of variety [—] a few elegant seats are scattered near the City, and we entered through a fine airy space, known by the name of the Bowery, and bordered by neatly finished, and convenient dwellings — The ground upon which New York is built, was originally very unequal, but, with incesant labour, and industry, the hills have been thrown in to the Vallies, and it is now a fine extensive tract, nearly level — Everything in the City of New York, seems upon a larger scale, than in the Town of Boston — and I am told it covers a full third more ground — The streets ar...

 Judith Sargent Stevens Murray Timeline ca. 1640 — Thomas Saunders of England, Judith’s maternal ancestor, settles at Cape Ann, Gloucester, Massachusetts. 1678 — Earliest record of JSM's paternal ancestor, William Sargent of England, in Gloucester. 1727 — JSM's father, Winthrop Sargent, is born in Gloucester. 1731 — JSM's mother, Judith Saunders, is born in Gloucester. 1750 — JSM's parents marry in Gloucester. 1741 — JSM's first husband, John Stevens Jr., is born in Gloucester. 1741 — JSM's second husband, John Murray, is born in Alton, England. 1751 — May 1: Judith Sargent is born in Gloucester. 1753 — JSM's brother, Winthrop, is born in Gloucester. 1755 — JSM's sister, Esther, is born in Gloucester. 1757–8 — JSM's sister, Catherine, is born and dies in Gloucester. 1758–9 — Another sister named Catherine is born and dies in Gloucester.   1759 — (The Rev. James Relly of Wales publishes Union: or a Treatise on the Consanguinity and Affini...

  2 June 1776 Judith Sargent Stevens to Esther Sargent Ellery   Letter 45   To my Sister   Boston   June 2d 1776 My Dear Sister     Perhaps you never saw a more pleasing situation than the present residence of my Uncle — Although in the midst of the Metropolis it yet in a great degree combines the beauties of the Country — It is in a retired part of the Town — the parade of military arrangements reach us not, and of the progress of hostilities we hear much less than at Gloucester.     This dwelling is entered through a neat gate, shaded, on either hand, by tall trees, cloathed with the most beautiful verdure, which, uniting at top, form over the head a delightful shade — you are first introduced into a long entry, the extremity presents an avenue, leading to a garden, abounding with fruit trees, flowers, and vegetables, at the bottom of the garden you have a handsome summer house, neatly finished, and enchantingly shaded...

  Jan 1776 Judith Sargent Stevens to Judith Saunders Sargent   Letter 28th    To my Mother    Little Village    January — 1776 My Dearest Mother   It was, you will not doubt, a very considerable disappointment to me, to find, upon my arrival here, both yourself, and my sister — absent — I am, however, pleased you could command health sufficient for the little excursion, which I hope will be attended with much pleasure.  My Father advises us, by all means, to take the house belonging to Mr G— — we have been to look at it, and if Mr W— will relinquish a promise, which he hath obtained of one of the apartments, we shall place our furniture there as we are under an absolute necessity of removing it — Mr G— engages to render his house tenantable and we rather conclude to deposit our goods there, indifferent as the place appears, as we indulge a hope that we shall not be under the necessity of yielding our present residence —    An...

17 June 1775 Judith Sargent Stevens to John Murray Letter 18    to Mr Murray    Gloucester    June 17th 1775   You demand an account of our last week's peregrinations, and solicitous to evince my readiness to fulfil the duties of a punctual Correspondent, I hesitate not to meet your wishes — We commenced our little tour on this day, the morning was beautifully serene, and the earth was cloathed in its richest verdure — At a short distance from Gloucester, we were accosted by a person of a decent appearance.  You will conjecture his character, from the ensuing conversation — as our party consisted only of my sister, and myself, I suppose he felt authorized to address us very familiarly    "Ladies your most obedient — You ha[v] it very pleasant" — Rather warm we think Sir — "Pray where are you from Ladies?" — From Gloucester Sir — "Pray are you driven from thence?"  No Sir, we drive — "Ah — Pray are not most of the people driven from...

  11 Nov 1775 Judith Sargent Stevens to Judith Saunders Sargent   Letter 23    To my Mother    Gloucester    November 11 1775   My heart was greatly set upon seeing you this day — but it must not be, the roads are so heavy, the weather so precarious, and my health so indifferent.  My situation is truly unpleasant — in the midst of warlike preparations — Soldiers flocking in from the adjacent Towns — frequent alarms, drums beating, bells ringing, and not a single female associate, to whom I can resort for consolation — To the mind attached to show, military parade may be pleasing, although, even amid its most potent fascination — if the gentler vision pervade the soul — martial appearances in time of war, must be attended with melancholy presagement, and surely, Peace is the kindly soil, from which the social virtues must derive their fairest growth.    In these days of apprehension, I am happy that my Mother and ...