HISTORY BY HAND

original historic handwritten manuscripts, documents and letters

a division of Jonathan Sheppard Books

Item Number: DM4064

The Letter: After the Revolutionary War, some members of the Loomis family of Connecticut, along with their neighbors, became part of the great Yankee exodus from New England, searching out new lands to the west in central New York.  One of those individuals was Erastus Loomis, the writer of this 1830 letter to his 14 year old daughter Lucy, who was away at Cazenovia Academy, a boarding school in Madison County, NY.

Datelined "Westmoreland June 20, 1830" addressing Lucy as "Dear Child", Erastus Loomis writes that " . . . writing from an absent child is gratifying to parents, yours of the 11th was rec'd with pleasure . . ."   He goes on to remark that he hopes that Lucy's education is progressing well and says that " . . . we still hope we shall not be disappointed, time is money, said a wise man and money is hard earned let it not be wasted. We hope you may live to returne to your fathers hous . . ." He goes on to remark that "Henry" will be visiting her in about ten days and that "Uncle Amos" is in good health. Apparently Lucy complained about the school food in an earlier letter. Her father responds, "as to your food I am not in the least disturbed so long as your health remains good . . . pain is all together best for a sedentary life." He signs the letter "Your affectionate father".

 The letter is in generally good condition with a few separations at the folds. There is no loss of text. A small amount of blank paper has been torn off, probably when the letter - which was sealed with sealing wax - was opened. Size: 15 1/4" wide x 12 1/2" high, folded to 12 1/2" high x 7 5/8" wide.  It is addressed to "Miss Lucy A. Loomis/Cazenovia Sem/Matison County." It is postmarked "Westmoreland NY June 24 1830 Paid 10." Above the postmark, written in a different hand, are the words "Dear Brother".

Background Information: The writer, Erastus Loomis, was born in Coventry, Connecticut in the early days of the American Revolution, on 8 August 1776, the son of Ensign Nathaniel Loomis (1747 – 1825).  In 1796, at the age of 18, he moved with his parents and family, including his sister Polly and his brothers Nathaniel, John, William, Doddridge, Chester and Russell, to Westmoreland, Oneida County, New York.  On 6 February 1801, he married Lucy Deming (1778 – 1817). Erastus Loomis married his second wife Sarah Cheever on 6 December 1818.  He died in Westmoreland on 18 April 1854.

Erastus and Lucy (Deming) Loomis were the parents of 5 children: Clark Deming (b.1801), James B. (b. 1804), Edward (b. 1806), Henry Granger (b. 1808) and Lucy Ann, who was born on 24 September 1815.

 His youngest child, to whom this letter is addressed, later married John M. Buell in 1836, and died in 1871, leaving a daughter Sarah Adelaide Buell.

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