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Description

Isabelle Bell wrote from Albany, New York to Susan U. Niemcewicz in Elizabethtown, New Jersey. Since receiving Susan’s letter of a very old date, Bell had sat down half a dozen times to respond to her but was prevented by some untoward circumstances. When she heard Julian Niemcewicz had gone to Europe, she hoped Susan would leave her favorite Elizabethtown and oblige her northern friends with a visit. Bell spent time at Cayuga Lake to visit with her sister Richardson who moved from Harrisburg to the country a year ago. She had left her young family in February and traveled 190 miles in a sleigh to see Bell. Susan and Matilda Ridley and five more of her former scholars were to visit Bell the following week and several had already asked her to take several of their daughters and nieces. There were two dancing masters and a music master already engaged to attend her young ladies. A drawing master of first-rate talents was still needed and asked Susan to inquire about one in Elizabethtown. Wished Susan would take a flight to Albany and spend time with her. Asked of Susan’s health, if Peter was in love with Kitty LeRoy, and how Mrs. R and Maria were. In the postscript, Bell asked Susan to remember her kindly to all their friends in Elizabethtown, particularly Mrs. William Dayton. Margaret Baxter wished to have spent some months of last winter in New York and would have liked to have been received as a boarder with Mrs. Hobert. Mrs. G. Livingston told them to consent to take her, but the season was too far advanced before they heard of it. This winter, Margaret did not express anything on the subject, perhaps in fear of another disappointment. Bell would have liked to know if she were inclined to go and if Mrs. H would make it convenient to have her at her house. Bell heard if the postscript was longer than the letter, it meant the writer was in love. Lest she unluckily find herself in that pitiable state and without redress, she ended the postscript.

People mentioned: Isabelle Bell’s sister Richardson, Julian Niemcewicz, Susan and Matilda Ridley, General North, Miss Duanes, Mrs. John Livingston, Mr. Imbert, Peter Kean, Mrs. Ricketts, Maria Ricketts, Mrs. William Dayton, Mrs. Hobert, Mrs. G. Livingston, and Margaret Baxter.

Author/Creator

Isabelle Bell

Recipient

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

Creation Date

1802-11-16

Creation Date

11-16-1802

Document Type

Manuscript

Location

Albany, New York

Collection

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

Inventory Location

103 C

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

Isabelle Bell to Susan U. Niemcewicz, November 16, 1802

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