1848 – A letter from a woman in Ash Glen, Pennsylvania welcoming her brother’s fiancé into the family

Ash Glen, Pennsylvania, 1848. Envelope or Cover. Very good. This three-page stampless folded letter measures 14.5” x 9.5’ when opened. It was written by Emily Hoopes of Ash Glen, Pennsylvania to Deborah Price of Philopolis, Maryland on ‘’4 mo. 26TH. 1848” (the Quaker method of expressing April 26, 1848. It bears a circular Westchester, Pennsylvania post mark and a “5” rate stamp, both in blue. In nice shape.

In this letter, Emily welcomes Deborah to the family as the fiancé of her brother Samuel. It reads in part:

“I have left the family circle this evening to convers with thee through the medium of the pen. For the place thee holds in my affections is not that of a common friend! The warm feeling of sisterly love does already flow forth to thee, who in a few short weeks will be one of our group, & a sister by being the companion of a beloved brother. The shares of his joys and sorrows . . . I trust such will be your experience. . .. I feel thee will agree with me in sentiment when thee expressed thyself as having felt it was so great an undertaking thee feared thy ability to perform it aright. . ..

“The dear brother in whom thee has placed thy affection I trust thee will find all that he promised loving & faithful, a warm heart that will strive to promote the happiness of his kindred spirit who is willing to brave the world with him – but I would not have thee think that I consider him without fault, for none are perfect here.. ..

“In closing this I will say a little about dress, [however] if thee had thought of any other arrangement . . . I hope thee will make [it known]. It is customary with us to have some similarity in the dress of the Bride & those that wait upon her, if it is [the same] with you . . . will thee please inform me as to the kind or make of dress, collar or other neck dress, color of gloves, and bonnet if you go the meeting house. Anything thee would mention was I with thee. Though it is early to be mentioning these things, I thought it would take much longer when the pen is employed than if I could spend a few hours with thee.

“Please give my love to thy sisters reserving a large share for thyself."

. Deborah was a Quaker herself and a first cousin to Emily and Samuel. The marriage was recorded in the May 5th, 1848, record of the Gunpowder Friends Meeting at Sparks, Maryland. Interestingly, official Maryland records report that the marriage actually took place on 28 March in Cecil, Maryland, a month before this letter was written.

(For more information, see genealogical records at Ancestry.com and the Find-a-Grave website.)

A heartwarming, if rather stilted, sister-in-law’s welcome to the fiancé of her brother, who actually had already been married to him for a month.

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