[Letter to Sarah Upshur Teackle Bancker from Elizabeth Dennis Teackle - October 7, 1807]

George Town Oct^br 7^th 1807

My Dear Sarah

Your very interesting communication came duly to hand, to learn my dear child with her sweet babes were again restored to the arms of an anxious husband all in perfect health was truly a relief to me. I had many fears for the dear children especially after the rainy weather came on. How changed has our House been ever since you left us. Total silence has reigned throughout the whole of it. We have had no Relish for Society altho much has been imposed upon us. I have not been out at all, neither the girls, only to wait on your neighbor Dunants family^{1The family of Edward Dunant, a merchant who lived at 333 High Street in Philadelphia. At this time, the Bancker family lived 335 High Street. James Robinson. The Philadelphia Directory of 1806 ... Accessed https://archive.org/details/philadelphiadire1806phil/page/n91/mode/2up} who came into Georgetown the day after you left it. All our great folks have returned and of course we must, whether agreeable or not, call on them soon. Our wishes at present would be to stay at home and prepare for winter. I am very glad to hear you found all at home so satisfactory. Your good thoughtful husband, although Loaded with care, never neglects any thing that he thinks will lead to your happiness. Ah could I have been blessed to have lived near you, but such an indulgence would have been more than I deserved to be happy. So far separated from your family is more difficult to me since you have children. Those trials I suppose Providence has wisely ordained to wean us from a world that we are too much attached to when there is nothing to interrupt our Peace. The work you did on your Journey, leads me to hope you did not suffer with Fatigue as I feared. I think you could not have done much more at home. Our neighbors make great enquiry

about your getting on and I do believe they feel much interested for you all. The Peters^{2Martha Parke Custis (1777-1854) married Thomas Peter (1769-1834) in 1795 and the couple lived on Wapping Street (later K Street) near Rock Creek in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC. In 1805 they purchased Tudor Place where they lived the remainder of their lives, raising ten children. Martha was the daughter of John Parke Custis (1754-1781), son of Martha Washington by her first husband Daniel Parke Custis. Her mother was Eleanor Calvert Custis (1758-1811), granddaughter of Charles Calvert, 5th baron Baltimore and proprietary governor of Maryland. Elizabeth Dennis Teackle was staying at the Teackle home in Georgetown at the time she wrote this letter to her daughter, Sarah Bancker. The Teackle’s daughter, Elizabeth Ann Upshur Teackle Quinby attended Madame Grelaud’s French School with the Peter’s daughters, Columbia Washington Peter, and America Pinkney Peter.} have been to hear from you. Old Mrs. Deacon appeared quite distressed at not knowing of your leaving us. She said she would have had a kiss at the children if she had to have come over for it. I apologized for your not calling. She request[ed] her love to you. I want you to have part of Neighbor Threaldkel’s peaches we are every day enjoying. I never saw such before.

I rejoice to hear of Miss A. Guest’s^{3Most likely either Ann or Amelia Guest of 276 Mulberry Street. They may have been some relation to Charles N. Bancker’s partner at Guest & Bancker, John Guest of London. 1807 Philadelphia directory: https://archive.org/details/philadelphiadire1807phil/page/134/mode/2up} comfortable removal. No one in this world deserves indulgence more than herself. Remember me affectionately to her and family. I thought to have loaded you with love for my worthy friends in Philadelphia, but my agitated mind forbid an utterance of the kind. I am much obliged by your thoughtfulness and Mr Bancker in sending on the things you mention. They will be of great use to John and Hetty. I wish to buy as little Black as possible although it seems not worth while for our family to lay in any other coulour.^{4At this time, the John Teackle family is in mourning for the loss of their son, Henry Dennis Teackle, 1786-1807.} In regard to the shoes, I requested your papa to deliver your five dollars for to pay for three pair of shoes, 2 pair of them for me and one for Eliza. Her shoe will fit me with socks exactly the size of the red Morocco one sent, and Eliza mentioned some ribbon you were to get for her which she observed she wished a half dollar added. I am very glad you with your little ones escaped the uncommon cold weather we have had for several days. The children would have taken cold had they been out. All of our family seem to have their colds renewed by the change. Do let me hear soon from you.

Capt. Hand has not yet come to G.T. I hear he is at Alexandria. I hope we shall receive Mr. Bancker’s portrait this fall. Give all the love of a mother to him and accept for yourself and sweet babes the unceasing affection of an highly interested

Mother Eliza^th Teackle

Mrs. Sarah U. Bancker Care of Guest and Bancker Merchants Philadelphia 12 ½

1807 My Grandmother Teackle to my Aunt Bancker V.L.P.