Two Poignant Shuler Family Letters

Contributed by Nancy Robinson

Two Poignant Letters

Written, 21 April 1845,

Postmarked 24 April 1845,

from

Catherine E. & Mary A. Shuler,

Amsterdam, NY

to their little Brother

William A. Shuler,

Town of Wilsborough, Essex Co., NY

                                                            April 21th 1845

Dear brother,

           I now take my pen in hand to write a few lines to you that I am in good health and hopeing this may find you the same   I received your letter the 5^th of March  I left Albany the 10^th of Feb and Emily came with me home yest   I hadn't received no letter  I thought you had most forgotten me but it was not so    Dear William  remember your affectionate Sister you sed the tears of affection began to flo when you thought of me but my heart was too ful for utterance that morning you left us   Emily remains in Albany yet   She thinks som of  coming to Aunt Sarahs to board this sommer if Henry is willing she should    I am at aunts Mary this sommer for thay wanted som one    I could find no work in the citty for times weare hard    I will work when I can get work to do for we are left alone in this world to faice rageing storms of sorrow and disapointement though frindes should all fail and foes all unite for I finde thare is few friends in this cold world    Catherine  and I live near togetther and that is one comfort   Dear brother if we could live half so near how happy we might be but I was disappointed when you wrote that you could not come    Dear William  you must be a good Boy and come as soon as you can for I would like to see you and don't forget to come and live near if you can   Aunt Mary sends her love to you and sase you are a nice Boy  and I will be a good girl and get a nice Man if I can for if I am a bad girl I will not get a nice one   if you ever get a wife get a good one if you can    James has ben down this Winter with a load and thay came to sea the folks but he did not appear like a brother for he did not say six words to me and that looks heard for a Brother to use a sister so yet I love him     Boy you must answer this letter as soon as you can for I want to know how you are And what you are a bout and kep the best company the place affords    remember your dear sisters  William

Thou hast a warm and tender heart

How few thear is can clame that part

But I for one thy love allure

For thou hast stampt the image shour

                                                           This I composed my self for you

                                                             Mary A. Shuler

                                                            April the 21 1845

Dear Brother     I take my pen in hand to infor you that I am well and hoping that this will find you in good health   I came from Mr. atweil dowery  too sheets one feather bead   one  quilt too pillowes   I have not got but a few this is my donation    I was in Albany three weekes with Emily     William I hope it will no be so long as it was before  I can see you again   I kisst the baby for you for it is a sweet childe   when I came home Morgannah went down and stayed A while and now she is alone   Dear Brother  have you  received a letter from Mother and if you have you must write and let me now    Dear Brother you must not forget your bible and if yo should get married doant forget your sisters for our brother is married and don't seme to care much for us   Morgannah sends hur lov to you and she sed yo mus wate a little while before you get Hariet and come and see hur    excuse my bad mistakes    I remane your affectionate sister

Remember dearst brother

When years have past away

Into cold and obblivion

To think of me and pray

                                                                            Catherine E. Shuler

These two touching letters were handwritten on a single sheet of paper in blue ink, folded so as to make an envelope and sealed with red sealing wax, the imprint and pieces of which remain. It was addressed to "M   William A. Shuler, Town of Wilsborough, Essex County, N.Y.," and postmarked Amsterdam, NY APR 24. Someone later wrote in black ink  the date "1814" by the addressee's name.

For me the love of these two sisters for their little brother more than made up for the spelling errors & lack of punctuation and I have typed them exactly as written.

In searching census records, it appears that this may be the family of William Shuler & Martha P. Davis. However, there were many Shulers living in the area at the time. There is a Morgiana Shuler, wife of G.W. Marcellus buried in Green Hill Cemetery, Amsterdam. If anyone has any information on the fate of this family who seemed so scattered and missing each other terribly, I would love to know.

Nancy Robinson

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