Letter from Samuel Joseph, Syracuse, [New York], to Mary Anne Estlin, 1865 June 26

Item Information

Title:
Letter from Samuel Joseph, Syracuse, [New York], to Mary Anne Estlin, 1865 June 26
Description:
Samuel Joseph May writes to Mary Anne Estlin in regards to her letter regarding condolences for his wife's death. He writes about his sorrow for his wife's death. He also talks about receiving financial support from his church. He discusses his various children and family members and their current state of affairs. He writes that besides his parochial duties, he is President of the Board of Education, which "in a city growing so rapidly as Syracuse is, imposes on me not a little labor. We have over 500 children under publick instruction, and new families are being added to our population every week. The education of these costs is nearly $50,000 annually: and the disbursement of that amount of money and the supervision of the schools occupies many of my hours." He is also secretary for the Soldiers' Monument Commitee. The county decided to erect a monument "casting not less than $100,000 to the memory of the hundreds of soldiers of this country, whose lives have been sacrificed in the war." He writes about his efforts in educating the poor people who have been "belittled by Slavery." He writes that the freedmen are enfranchised but the majority of them are ignorant, which he is doing his part to educate them so they may be put "on the same level politically with the white men." He writes that men who fought for the South, such as John C. Calhoun, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and other leaders will not be raised "among the colored people of the Southern states." He writes of the separation between Garrison and Phillips, and the dissolution of the American Anti-Slavery Society, which he regrets not being present for. He says there is more work to be done but perhaps it would be better done under other names and larger constituencies. He mentions the Freedmen's Protection Relief and the Education Societies as prime examples of anti-slavery work that continues. He asks that she forward this letter to Mary Carpenter and Mr. Chapman and asks her to give his regards to other abolitionists that they both know. He mentions a tragic story of the death of a wife, Emma, to Captain Philip Johnson of the U.S. Navy after giving birth to her son seven days later. The son, Philip Wansey Johnson, was christened by Samuel Joseph May's son.
Author:
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871
Addressee:
Estlin, Mary Anne, 1820-1902
Date:
June 26, 1865
Format:
Letters/Correspondence
Manuscripts
Location:
Boston Public Library
Rare Books Department
Collection (local):
Anti-Slavery Collection
Subjects:
Abolitionists--England--19th century--Correspondence
Abolitionists--United States--19th century--Correspondence
Antislavery movements--Great Britain--History--19th century
Women abolitionists--England--History--19th century
Social reformers--Lectures and lecturing--United States--History--19th century
Soldiers' monuments--New York
Race relations--United States--History--19th century
African Americans--Education--United States--History--19th century
African Americans--Segregation--Southern States--History--19th century
African Americans--Segregation--United States--History--19th century
Abolitionists--Public opinion--United States--19th century
African Americans--Suffrage--History--19th century
Social justice--United States--History--19th century
Women social reformers--England--History--19th century
Antislavery movements--Societies, etc--United States--History--19th century
Freedmen--United States--History--19th century
Suffrage--United States--History--19th century
Antislavery movements--United States--History--19th century
Abolitionists
Abolitionists--United States--History--19th century
Antislavery movements--Great Britain
Women abolitionists
Social reformers--United States
Lectures and lecturing
Soldiers' monuments--New York (State)
Race relations
African Americans--Education--History
African Americans--Segregation
African Americans--Civil rights--History--19th century
Abolitionists--United States
Public opinion
African Americans--Suffrage
Social justice--United States
Women social reformers
Antislavery movements--United States
Societies
Freed persons--United States
Suffrage--United States
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
American Anti-Slavery Society
Freedman's Relief Association
Freedmen's Aid Society
Estlin, Mary Anne, 1820-1902
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871
Phillips, Wendell, 1811-1884
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Places:
United Kingdom
Southern United States (area)
England
New York
Extent:
3 leaves (12 p.) ; 21 cm.
Permalink:
https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/2z10zc758
Terms of Use:
No known copyright restrictions.
No known restrictions on use.
Place of origin:
Syracuse, [New York]
Language:
English
Notes:
Holograph, signed.
Title devised by cataloger.
Identifier:
5138078
Call #:
MS A.7.3 p.103
Barcode:
39999085505046