1878 British Solicitor sending Share of Late Father to Hackettstown NJ resident

Apparently Miss Annie Maria Russell of Hackettstown New Jersey had requested addresses for her brothers but Solicitors Watson & Sons, 18 Parliament Street, Hull said they'd received their shares of the fathers estate and he didn't know where they were.

This letter is up for sale on Ebay Item number: 250351848871.

Stephen Pike, Burlington, New Jersey

Handwritten letters, 1805-1825. The material centers on Stephen Pike (1786-1826) a Burlington, New Jersey teacher and merchant who married Rebecca, a daughter of the noted Rev. Thomas Scattergood. Pike is an interesting writer who frequently punctuates his letters with humor and personal musings. He was active in Quaker affairs and there are many names and commentaries. All but a few of the letters were penned by Stephen Pike and many were sent to his good friend, Thomas Kite, in Philadelphia. Other correspondents: Rebecca Pike, sister Sarah, and Miers Fisher.

Highlights include:

Three detailed travel letters home, 1819, Union, PA; Salem, Ohio; Fredonia, New York; from Pike's horseback trip to towns in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. Content on a salt mine, maple sugar camp, journey into coal mine, Lake Erie, Cattaraugus Indians, more.
Hears Elijah Hicks lecture
Dr. Physic to treat Susan Emlen's cancer
ALS Miers Fisher - death of William Redwood
Fascinating descriptive portrait of the "little Prophetess" Mary Roscoe [married name Hinsdale -- later figured prominently in Thomas Paine recant controversy]
Quaker meetings; prominent visiting ministers
Brief excerpts:

1819 [Pike enters 400 ft into PA coal mine with lighted candle] - "There are a number of passages crossing each other at right angles like the streets of a city; what represents the blocks of houses, however, are but 6, 8, or perhaps 10 feet square - through these passages a cart is drawn to the extremes where the coal is dug..."

1819 [Sandy Hill Meeting, OH] - "...the smallest meeting house I think I have ever seen...built of logs...with sliders to separate the men and women..."

1819 [Ohio salt works on Yellow Creek, north of Richmond] - "They bore the earth, mostly through solid rock...descending frequently to the depth of three hundred feet...a tube is inserted to pump up the salt water from the bottom."

1819 At Lake Erie, Pike is mortified to find himself unexpectedly on board a vessel of war while on an outing with Commodore David Deacon. "My opposition to the spirit of war was by no means lessened by this accidental visit..."

1819- [Buffalo, NY] - "I passed through the Indian Village at Cattataugus...I was much interested in seeing the uncivilized aborigines of our country in their native haunts...I saw a number of the Indians of both sexes apparently enjoying their indolent repose...I met one party of young folks on horseback. They galloped by me with smiling countenances, their faces ornamented...with streaks and spots of red paint." More.

1819 [Crosses Carthage Bridge, NY] - "Conceive of a bridge of a light, airy structure, two hundred feet above the surface of the water, the principal support being a single arch of 300 feet springing from one perpendicular precipice to another...; [seeing people on bridge from below] "...it appeared as if [they were] passing over a rainbow among the clouds."

1813 [Elijah Hicks] - "I had the satisfaction of hearing him, for the first, at an appointed meeting he had here...He was eloquent on his two (I almost said favourite) topics..." More.

1814 - "Dr. Physic, who is now sick in the same family is an instance of one who has attained to their every pinnacle...and is very far from being lifted above the calamities of life. He has come to relieve his afflicted friend, but he is, himself so much afflicted by disease as to be unable to perform the necessary operation."

1807 [Philadelphia Yearly Meeting] - "This being the yearly meeting week we are crowded with company and fare sumptiously...the streets are swarming with plain gowns...the doorkeeper of the women[s] meeting house was curious enough to count the number that attended it and computed it to upward of sixteen hundred women in one house."

1824 - "Sister Scattergood has had a tedious time with a felon on one of her thumbs...Her son Joseph has also been much afflicted with a swelling on his arm. Above seventy leeches were applied. Afterwards it was oppend and since that town or more pieces of bone have come from it..."

Prophet Mary Roscoe

1814, 1815 - "Mary R. rose and began an interesting and very instructive address...she appears to speak only in compliance with a higher power.."; "...there were many in the meeting as well as myself, enamoured of the beauty of her lines, and exicted strongly to desire the possession of what appears so noble, and the same time, so lovely."; "I am told she fainted several times in attempting to speak in public,"; "She resided for a time in Willet Hicks; family, and it troubled Willet & his wife not a little that they could not, by any means, induce her to sit with them at table. I suppose they considered her a sister in the highest affinity, being, spiritually a child of the same Divine Parent, a partaker of his favours....but he insisted that the kitchen was her proper place..." More.

Note: Three letters have content on Mary Roscoe -- her family background; sermons, personal nature. Although none of these letters are complete, they do contain a lengthy Roscoe portrait - about 2pp. legal total. One letter with paper loss at bottom; two lacking signature pages. [See last photo.} Mary Roscoe (later married Henry Hinsdale) played a prominent role in the Thomas Paine (1737-1819) recant controversy.

Rahway, New Jersey 1872

To the mayor of Rahway, New Jersey. In full: “There died at this place on the 8th inst. Of Typhoid Fever a young man of the name of Geo. Jackson whose parents and family reside in your place as ascertained from letters found among his effects. Will you be kind enough to break this sad news to them and inform them that a letter to me will be answered giving full particulars as regards his effects &c. Respectfully, Dr. A.A. Mix, Public Administrator, Yuma Co., A.T.”

This letter is for sale on Ebay Item number: 260281923720

Joseph Bloomfield, New Jersey 1802

Joseph Bloomfield of Bloomington NJ Letter (Rev. War, Officer, Attorney, Gov. NJ)

The letter reads:

Trenton,
April 12, 1802

I thank you my dear Sir for your favor of 6th current-for your attention to the case of Lieut. Howard of which I had received notice from Col. Ogden & for ????? of the proposed Judiciary Bill which I hope will pass. A person to whom I had loaned it has given some outlines of it in the Trenton paper of tomorrow & which is enclosed.

I do not wish to be troublesome or impertinently intrusive, in recommending characters, but I will venture to mention the situation & pretensions of Mr. ????? Coxe to the notice of government. The repeal of the internal taxes does away the office of Collector under the Supervisor, by which Mr Coxe will be thrown out of the Collector's office for Philadelphia under the appointment of the Supervisor, and And in a great measure of the means of supporting a most amiable wife & a large family of Children.

The defense of our interests against Lord Sheffield-his view of our revenue -his active & zealous promotion of the election of Governor McKean & the late Federal & presidential elections are universally acknowledged & it is well known that no person has more successfully pursued the investigation of our manufacturing commercial and agricultural interests than Mr. Coxe.

The abolition of the present office & removal from his former office of Commissioner of the Revenue, the first and most conspicuous Sacrifice made of him-his banishment in a great measure from his family connections who have separated themselves from him as ????? of his sentiments and decided conduct in favor of the cause of Republicanism, there will be an inducement to bring him ????? and again into office.

I beg of you to be assured that I have no other interest in writing this letter than a conviction that Mr. Coxe deserves some attention from government-that he be not forgotten, but that his talents & indefatigable industry be usefully employed for the public good. Having no personal acquaintance, I cannot take the liberty of addressing the President in favor of Mr. Coxe, but you have encouraged me to declare my sentiments of Men & public characters.

In writing this I have discharged my duty & you will do what is proper on all Occasions.