Sarah Ricketts to Susan Niemcewicz, July 11, 1806

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Sarah Ricketts wrote from Otto House to Susan Niemcewicz, unaddressed. Sarah was on board the Otis with Mrs. Carmack who had taken her passage and would sail in a day or two. Mr. Ricketts planned to go with her to Gravesend where Mrs. Carmack would embark. She wrote to Mr. C to meet her at New York and then she planned to go immediately to Philadelphia and perhaps stay one night at Elizabethtown. If she stayed half an hour at Elizabethtown, she would make a point of seeing Susan and give her an account of Sarah and her family. Sarah promised Mrs. Carmack that if she saw Susan, she would give her peaches. Sarah purchased a ring for Mrs. W and she worried she would not like it. Sarah waited until the last minute in hopes of seeing something new and she chose the prettiest and newest pattern she could find for the price, but all the shops asked for ten and twelve guinea for handsome pearl and Sarah was limited to two and a half. She thought the shops in New York, though not as large, were better and cheaper. The shops in England used to get their fashions from France and improve upon them, but since the war, they had nothing new. Sarah saw no change and they continued to wear their American clothes. She dined at Mrs. Lewis’s with a party and wore the chambray Mrs. K sent her without any alterations. They’ve had constant invitations and Maria was much admired. However, the parties were almost over, and a number of people left. They say Parliament would not sit longer than a week. Sarah took James and Phil to a masked party at St. James’s Palace the week before that was given by Mrs. Boscawen. It was a pleasant party, and the garden was prettily illuminated. Many people thought they would never enjoy America again and thought it cruel to take Maria back. Sarah feared she would be induced to stay as she had several offers. Sarah could not bear being separated from her daughter even though she had no prospect of making as good a match in America as she would in London. Sarah wished their affairs were settled as it was unpleasant not to have a house of their own. She always had an idea that it might appear mean to stay so long with the “Old Gentleman” and she worried over the additional expense they must put on him. Sarah received a new carriage that came to the door on her birthday with their arms as a surprise for the day. On her wedding day, she received a present of a handsome watch. On Maria’s birthday, she received a handsome pearl necklace, bracelets, and earrings. While writing this letter, Sarah received a letter from Lord Bolingbroke mentioning their arrival and wished to see Sarah and her family immediately. Sarah mentioned that Lady B was safe in bed and all danger was over. She delivered a dead child not five minutes after the ladies left the room. Sarah had two dishes made for Susan agreeable to the pattern she gave her. She also sent two hats; one for Mrs. Armstrong and the other for Jane; and two caps for Molly and Becky. Julia’s frocks were thought uncommonly handsome and have several times been sent for as patterns. Children her age generally wore plain clothes; it was only infants that they dressed expensively. Sarah also sent Jane a pair of fashionable earrings and an ornament for the head, a ribbon necklace and bracelets, which worked with long sleeves to easily make yourself a set. Some people wore them in their hair.

People mentioned: Mr. And Mrs. Carmack, James Ricketts, Mrs. W, Maria Ricketts, Mrs. Boscawen, Mrs. Armstrong, Molly, Becky, Jane, Julia, Lord Robert, and Baron Ferdinand.

Places mentioned: St. James Palace

Author/Creator

Sarah Ricketts (1755-1826)

Recipient

Susan Livingston Kean Niemcewicz (1759-1833)

Creation Date

7-11-1806

Document Type

Manuscript

Location

Otto House

Collection

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

Inventory Location

Series 2; 103 C

Recommended Citation

Ricketts, Sarah. Sarah Ricketts to Susan Niemcewicz, July 11, 1806. Manuscript. From Special Collections Research Library and Archive, Kean University, Liberty Hall Collection 1800s. https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/lhc_1800s/562

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