Holcomb Letters

Introduction

Written by Tina Ordone

Dawn Sherman recently visited the Albany Library, where the George Holcomb papers are housed. In addition to the Holcomb Diary, she also discovered many letters written by various members of George's immediate family, as well as extended family. I will post whatever Dawn sends to me on this page. For those which are difficult to read, I have tried to transcribe them as best I can.

Please feel free to right-click on the pictures and save the images to your computer. From there you can take it into a picture editing program, and probably do better at sizing the images than I have. This site has limits as to the size of images, so I am hampered by that.

I hope you enjoy reading these letters as much as I have. Thank you Dawn for all of your work and your many trips to the library to get these images. I am in your debt.

Holcomb Correspondence Excerpts

Letter written by George Holcomb to his brother Beriah, on August 9, 1845. In it he mentions the death of his daughter Lucinda Angeline at the age of 20. She died in December, 1842.


Brunswick, Feb. 5th, 1842

Dear Family,

No doubt you are waiting for a communication from Charlotte, she will now attempt to write to you in her own feeble way, but wishes to address you on a subject altogether new, at least a subject which I have not had until lately any experience – knowledge of it, in the all important subject of religion, that which will make a person happy in this world and in the world to come.

Dear Parents and sisters, I have the sweet hope that my sins have been forgiven and my name written in the Lamb’s book of life.

I do not know what led me in the first place to think of my situation, but for some time I have felt that all was not right, that I wanted something more than this world could afford, I sought for it, and found the pearl of great peace. I found Christ precious to my soul. You may think all this that it is more excitement, but no, I hope it is not. It is God that has done it and he is able to keep me in the hour of temptation, unto he will do it, if I only put my trust in him. My dear Father and Mother, Brothers and Sisters, I do acknowledge that I have been a sinful and wicked girl. I know that I have not lived as I ought to live, but we all fall short of being what God requires of us, but now may we begin anew. Let us so live in the sight of God that when we have to die, he will receive us in Heaven to praise him forever. If we will be love as God wishes us to, we shall find it far more pleasant, and we shall be more happy if we but have pure religion in our hearts.

Why will we not all become a praying family. I feel that there is not anything wanting but pure religion to make us a happy family and if we will but try we shall find it so. God has done much better by us, than we desire to be done by and is ready and willing to do more if we will do as he commanded and ask of him, for he says, “ask and ye shall receive.”

I think I never shall have reason to regret the time that I have spent in Brunswick. I think I have been empty ____ for coming here I have taken much more comfort here than I anticipated when I came. I like the society very much indeed for the young people all appear to be united. I attend singing schools yet. I have made two visits to Troy at ABR Gibbs, since Father was here) and enjoyed myself well.

Our Minister was absent last Sabbath and we attended Church in Altea (?) in the forenoon. I went to Sister D. Sackett’s and attended Church with them in the afternoon; it was a very large society. I should think there were between four and five hundred people present. Mr. Wadsworth is the name of this Minister. We heard two excellent sermons that day. I suppose you will begin to look for me home before long. I think I shall return home in the course of three or four weeks certain. I expect the company that was good home with me on a visit will have to give it up for we are not likely to have any sleighing. I have not heard from home since Father was here. I would like to hear very much. Will you write Sister Angeline as soon as you receive this? They thank you kindly for there cuts. They are _____.

Do write to me ______: As soon as you get this and let me know if you are all well, for I imagine that Mother’s cough is no better.

Give my best love to all friends. And kindly accept these lines from a sincere heart and an affectionate Daughter and Sister,

Charlotte E. Holcomb

Tell Freelove I have some of the Haight’s wedding cake for her when I come home. They made quite a _________. I will tell you all about when I come home.

Related Pages

• George Holcomb Ancestors
• George Holcomb's Diary
• Images of George Holcomb's Diary