| Title: | Mary Cumming, Baltimore to William Cumming, Petersburg. |
|---|---|
| ID | 796 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Cumming, Mary/50 |
| Year | 1815 |
| Sender | Cumming (n. Craig), Mary |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | middle class housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
| Destination | Petersburg, Virginia, USA |
| Recipient | Cumming, William |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | wife-husband |
| Source | T 1475/2 pp138-140: Copied by Permission of Miss A. McKisack, 9 Mount Pleasant, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9404188 |
| Date | 24/03/1815 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 25:04:1994. |
| Word Count | 573 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Mary Cumming's last letter.] Baltimore. March 24th. 1815. My ever beloved and darling William, When these few lines will be given to you the writer of them will be at rest and peace. They are, in all probability, the last that will ever be written by me; I therefore wish them to belong to you. I leave them as a little token of remembrance to you. I feel at present quite collected and entirely free from any pain. When my ever-beloved William reads these lines I well know how his affectionate heart will grieve for the loss of his poor Mary; but, my dear and ever kind Husband, think I am happy, as I firmly trust in the Almighty I shall be, free from all care and sorrow, from pain and sickness, at rest and peace with my Blessed Saviour. Try and be resigned to the will of Providence. Think that in a few years we shall be united in another and far better world, never never more to part, to know any sorrow or care. Let this comfortable thought sustain you. Had it pleased God to have spared me with you a little longer how happy I should have been; but that I must not repine at. You have ever been the most affecionate, kind, attentive friend and husband to me that it was possible to be. Let this console you that it was always your study to make me happy. If I ever offended you, forgive me for it; but, alas! why need I say so? We were almost too happy with one another. Go to our beloved native country, there you will find peace. Talk to my beloved friends of me. Tell them we will all meet in a better world. If I can I will hover round and bless you wherever you go. You are gone out to Springfield, Margaretta will give you these few imperfect lines when I am at rest and in happiness. I know my ever-beloved William will value them, for I well know he loved the poor writer. I believe I have given all the directions I wish for. I enclose you a lock of my hair, which I wish you to keep for yourself. You will like it better as my hands have put it up for you. The rest will be given to my beloved Sisters. I did not intend writing so much, but I can hardly bring myself to bid you farewell. My adored, beloved, dearest William could you but be blessed and happy as I would have you to be. May the God of all consolation be yours in all your trials in this world. Think your dear Mary is gone to prepare a place in Heaven for you. 0h, God bless, bless, my ever adored William, will be the last last prayer of his own own Mary Cumming. I was always proud of that beloved name. We shall be extremely happy in Heaven. Tell them at home how much I loved them. God be your comfort, my love. We'll be resigned when woes betide, Patient when favours are denied, And pleased with favours given, This is the wise, the virtuous part, This is that incense of the heart, Whose fragrance reaches Heaven. (0nce more, God bless you!) But cease, my William, cease to grieve, Repress each murmur and each sigh, Nor once distrust His ample love, Who lives and reigns supreme on high. (for I shall be happy) |
