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Susan Symmes wrote from Vincennes, Indiana Territory to Susan Niemcewicz in Elizabethtown, New Jersey. Susan Symmes (daughter of William Livingston) meant to write to her cousin, Susan Niemcewicz sooner. At the time, Symmes was in Indiana with her stepdaughter, likely Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison. Symmes found nothing to complete her happiness aside from the society of her relations, from which she was cut off. Claimed Mrs. H was a “good republican” and had fallen into the measures recommended by the President [Jefferson] in terms of multiplying the human species. Nancy had been confined to her room since the beginning of January. Governor Harrison was occupied with improving his grounds. He had an elegant farm that adjoined the village and laid out a beautiful garden. Symmes was of the opinion that Mr. Niemcewicz would admire her part of the country and wished Susan and her family were with them. The Wabash afforded plenty of fish of a superior kind than any other freshwater river she knew of. Symmes claimed they had an agreeable male society in their village. If Congress permitted slaves into the territory, fifty of the first families in Virginia would immediately remove to it. Governor Harrison was empowered to hold a treaty with the Chiefs of the Indian Nations early in the summer so existing differences between them and the United States may be adjusted and the benevolent intentions of President Jefferson toward them better known. Referred to her “run-away” husband, John Cleves Symmes. He was waiting for the completion of his business before Congress, which was in the hands of the committee who had not yet reported on the case. John Cleves Symmes had been detained in Washington City since the beginning of the session and planned to either come or send for Susan Symmes in June. Heard of the declining health of Eliza and Niemcewicz’s plans to visit Poland.

People mentioned: William Henry Harrison, Anna Harrison, Julian Niemcewicz, Thomas Jefferson, Eliza Otto, Peter Kean

This document refers to enslaved and Indigenous peoples.

Author/Creator

Susan Livingston Symmes (1748 - 1840)

Recipient

Susan Ursin Niemcewicz, formerly Susan Livingston and Susan Kean (1759-1833)

Creation Date

1802-04-16

Creation Date

4-16-1802

Document Type

Manuscript

Location

Vincennes, Indiana

Collection

Liberty Hall Collection, 1711-1847 (bulk 1790-1830)

Inventory Location

Bay 1, Column 2, LHC Series 2

Rights

This collection is open to the public for research use. Copyright remains with Kean University. Credit this material. Personal photographs may be made for research purposes. Inquiries regarding publishing material from the collection should be directed to the Special Collections Research Library and Archive at keanscrla@kean.edu.

Publishing Repository

Special Collections Research Library and Archive, Kean University

Susan Symmes to Susan Niemcewicz, April 16, 1802

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