Letter to Thomas T. Sloan from Bridget Sloan, June 16, 1835

Lexington June 16 th 1835

My dear son I hope when this reaches you, you will be on your native shore. Ah! me, I at this moment feel as though I could reach out my hand over hill and dail, and grasp yours with a ferver and love that none but a mother can feel. I wrote to you ten or twelve days since. I thought then, I would not address you again, untell I should hear from you. But I have just learnt from the news paper that the Constitution Frigate will return with Mr Livingston. In consequence of this fact I feel disposed to write again to you. In my last I spoke of your Uncles bad health He is now much better, I may say well, for he is now able to hold court which is now in session. We have had continual rains all this month as well as part of last month. We are in fear and trembling that the cholera will visit us again. But I hope the Lord will be mercifull to us and spare that miserable scurge. Your Uncle received your letter ot the 15th of April. He was very sick when it came to hand. I was melancholey after reading it. I am sorry to find that when your hear-un are that remindes you of gon by days, that the next impression is, that your relatives do not love you. If you will come and visit us this summer you will lose that impression. This thought that perhaps you will not go to sea again. until fall, if it should be so, you will I hope come home if it is your power. You will see some change in our City since you left us. For instance, the turnpike road is finished from this place to Maysville, main cross streete is turn piked as far as old Mr McCoys, and the workmen are now at work on the road from this place to Nicholasville. The steam car is in full opperation on the rail road from Lexington to Frankfort. They are also turn piking the road to Georgetown. Our Colledge is finished as well as the U. S. Bank. We are building a splendid Catholick Church. Besides all this there is many dwellings put up since you left us too tedious to mention. I will now turn my thoughts home. I have not had good health for the last three months,of

think it is improving now. I rise at four in the morning drink camelile tea, take a good deele of exercise, and pay {?} attention to my diet. By this course I am tolerable comfortable. I think we all look the same as when you saw us. We have had an intive change of servants with the exception of hannah and her children. William Elie Dugless S'- We have two young gentlemen living with us at this time reading law, one is a son of Govenor Midcalf who is is a great drole, he prides himself on being odd. The other is a common good natured soul, as well as a gentleman. They ocupy the room in the old office that you and Harrison slept in. The grape vines in the garden look very well this summer, we have the prospects of plenty of fruit this year. The yard is beautifull, every shrub has put forth flowers of its kind. The trees and shrubbery has grown-very much. The wild grape you set out is flourshing, I never pass it, that I do not think you. The haw trees and mulberrys are now hanging full of fruit. The lain and all in it stand as when you were here. I have a farwell verse that you left sticking under a pirture fraim over the mantlepiece in your room at the office. Poor Fanny Ray and myself went down in a day or so after you left us to look at your roome, we were feasting our eyes at every thing that was laying just as you left them. Fanny was the first to see the paper. We read it, and I put it in my pocket book and there it is yet. Property has raised in value in this county very much Your Uncles land and residence would at this time bring a han som price. He speaks of resigning his Judge ship and going to the south this winter to practice law, but I expect it will be all taulk. Robert also says as soon as he can wind up his business in this place he will go to some new cun -tery where he can make a fortune. He was here yesterday a few moments, I told him I would write to you to day, he then requested me to give his love to, and say he had a letter partily writen to you which he would finish as soon as he could and send you. Elizabeth is well, but I have not seen her for, I think, three weeks. her fathers family has been in retched health all summer, and she has been much of her time there lately. I hope you have got all the letters writen to you by us for the last three months or more

I am distressed to hear that you suffer with the rhumatism, you should do every thing in your power in time to cure and prevent its progress you aught by all means to weare flannel, and I am told read, is the best. I wish you would put it on, if you have not, you should not neglect it for it is of the greatest importance that you should be warm. You should also be very particular never to put on damp cloaths if fine is in your reach dry them. It is good to use a flesh brush freely.

Mr Bradfords family are all well. I expect you have heard that Ann is married. The gentleman lives near Mount Sterling {Helen} is now Miss Bradford she is not so showey or so intelegent as her other sisters. Thomas B. is yet at the Gazette office. I have never seen him since I saw you. I am told he has never been out side of the doore for two or three years. I never pass a printing office but my heart heaves an involuntary sigh. I think of days that are gon never, never, to return. Why do feeling out live circumstances? Ah! it is right, it is right, the bosom of a mother must be ever filled with care untill the last throb of its inmost con seace to beat. I would not for worlds, it was other wise, the solicitude I feel for my boys and daughter, is a spir to every action of my life. I live for them alone, and hope in God that my lat breath I may drawn in his prais, and a petition for my chilldren. I must now come to a close as Mary Jane wishes to say a few words to you, and May, I expect her here in a few moments, perhaps she will say something to you. Adieu, and may you be happy, is the wish of Your mother B. Sloan

P.S. Dear Theadore I am pleased to hear that you are comeing home you must certainly visit your native land this summer I will try and give you reading if not a party we have some very handsome girls you may be captivated and become and old man Mary I Hickey

P.S. This space was intended for Margaretta to fill but as she did not come out with me I felt gratified that I met with an opportunity of reminding you of your ant Fanny Guevin. you know that I have returned to lexington. I would be delig hted to see you again I hope the time will yet come that

I may see you a brilient charactor in Lexington I like to see all my friends near me. may you succeed in all your most sanguine expectations. do you recollect your name sake Theodore Guevin he favours you very much I think. I must leave of there is no more room fare well may you arrive safe again in america is the prayer of your Aunt Guevin

Lieutenant Thomas T. Sloan U.S. Marina corps New York City

James Grenn letter