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Peter Kean wrote from Washington, D.C. to Susan Niemcewicz in Elizabethtown, New Jersey. The following letter is incomplete and appears to be missing the first five pages. The letter documents part of Peter’s travels to South Carolina and Georgia. On the 4th, Peter occupied himself on delivering letters of introduction, including one to Mr. Harper who invited Peter to a dance at his house that evening. The company was large and the ladies well dressed. The ladies of Baltimore were generally pretty and their manners were affable and polite. The character of Mr. Harper was well known, his manners were dignified yet affable. The gentlemen of Baltimore were remarkable for their hospitality & politeness to strangers. Colonel Howard fought alongside General Washington and always adhered to the principles of his Chief. Old Mr. Gilmor was an open-hearted hospitable gentleman. His son, Robert, married the daughter of Major Ladson of South Carolina was a man of refinement in his ideas and manners. Messrs. Oliver we generous open-hearted men who amassed great wealth in trade. Mr. McHenry, the former Secretary of War was extremely friendly. Baltimore was situated by the Chesapeake Bay and the city was surrounded by hills that overlooked the water beyond it for many miles. The houses were mostly two stories high and small. Fort McHenry protected the harbor of Baltimore and was situated on the South East side of the basin on a neck of land formed by the Patuxent and the bason. On the 13th, Peter left Baltimore for Washington and when he arrived, he called on Mrs. Erskin. Mr. E invited him to dine with him. The house did not take up the Embargo question for want of some documents. The Senate had been sitting with closed doors. Dr. Mitchel promised to introduce Peter to the President (Thomas Jefferson).

People mentioned: John Eager Howard (1752 – 1827), George Washington (1789 - 1797), Sarah Reeve Ladson (1790-1866), Robert Gilmor, Sr. (1748-1822), and Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826).

Author/Creator

Peter Philip James Kean (1788-1828)

Recipient

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

Creation Date

1808-11-14

Creation Date

11-14-1808

Document Type

Manuscript

Location

Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

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

Peter Kean to Susan Niemcewicz, November 14, 1808

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