Martha B. Baker to Martha B. Eppes

my dear Sister

I have anxiously look’d out for a letter from you or from some of my friends1 at Mill Brook, this is the second to you & no answer, your situation I have attributed my not hearing from you to & be assured make every excuse I can, before I allow myself to suppose my being this far from you has lesson’d your feelings of friendship & affection for me, This would distress me more than I could express, for believe me my Sister, you & yours are often very often the subject of our conversa[ti]on and much oftener of our thoughts—Mr Burton was here, on his way to visit his family and as he returned, which was last thursday, as you have not probably heard as lately, the family were all well—Mrs Burtons child was so young she could not venture to return with [. . .] Burton, he has promiss’d to spend a day with us, as he returns—he made a great many enquiries after you and my dear Brother whose health he appeared very anxious about—I was sorry I could give so little information about all of you, do write me soone some of you, my anxiety is always great to hear from you, We heard from Sally Lane yesterday—she has increas’d her family, Mr Lane very low —he cant live much longer—I am glad Polly is with them I never saw any two, want the attention of their friends more than they did when I was there—Your acquaintance Mrs Purkins has been to see me, I was never more pleas’d with a stranger—she does not talk much of living in the country—I frequently wish I could see you, and hope you will visit me,—The business Mr Baker has commens’d in puts it out of my power to visit much—He says he is compleatly tied this year in Richmond I of course I shall feel unwilling to leave him—my love to Matilda and Brother an[d] tell them both, how I wish them to write to me kiss all my dear children for me, and tell them not to forget Aunt Baker —I shall feel particularly anxious to hear from you—we are all well Martha writes to Mary Aunt Hylton has just got a letter from Cousin Lucy, She is still at a Mr Hunts in Hunts Ville , very low spiritted, & writes in bad spirits they have lost one of there Negroes & all the Cotton blasted —I must now bid my beloved Sister Adieu after wishing you health and

1Manuscript: “fiends.”
Date Range
Date
March 30, 1820
Collection
Repository