Judith Sargent Murray: Her letter books and essays

 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 ...

  1 Oct 1775 Judith Sargent Stevens to John Murray  Letter 22d.  To the Same   Gloucester.  October 1st 1775   Take now, my dear Sir, an account which will, I have no doubt, interest your humanity.  My Mother being in want of a domestic, conceived that it would be beneficial to the Community, were she to receive a female, from the house which stands among us, a shelter for the indigent, and unfortunate people — and, for the purpose of selecting a proper person, she commissioned me to pay a visit to this temporary prison of Penury.     Our Almshouse is occupied by unsuccessful industry, destitute vice, miserable Old Age, and helpless infancy — This miscellaneous receptacle of suffering, is romantically situated at the foot of a steep declivity — Huge rocks form a semicircle, enclosing every part of the house except the front which is washed by a copious river [—]  Its appearance was in no sort descriptive of the wretchedness it sheltered...

28 Jul 1775 Judith Sargent Stevens to John Murray    Letter 20   To Mr Murray   Gloucester.  July 28th 1775   You wish for some particulars relative to our publick affairs, and indeed they have somewhat varied since you left us —  Upon the day of your departure, the arrival of a schooner belonging to his Britannick Majesty, threw our people into great alarm —  Immediately the drums beat to arms, the [bells] sounded portentously, and the streets were filled with the goods of the terrified inhabitants —  [Families] running up and down, throwing abroad their hands, the most heart affecting distress visible in their almost frantic gestures, when to heighten the misery of the scene, the Captain of the schooner dispatched a special messenger to the family of the Sargents, soliciting permission to visit them, and begging that some fresh provision may be sent on board, for which he will make ample payment, and disavowing at the same time al...