1800: Grace Treat to Mary (Treat) Holman

Gravestone of Katherine Holman Miner

This short letter was written by Grace Treat (1740-1816), the unmarried daughter of Thomas Treat (1699-1780) and Mary Hopson (1705-1786) of Glastonbury, Connecticut. It was written to her older sister, Mary Treat (1729-1816), who was the widow of Capt. Samuel Holman (1721-1782), a native of Windsor, Connecticut, who resided in East Hartford where he worked as a tailor originally. During the Revolutionary War, however, Samuel served aboard the man-of-war “Oliver Cromwell” and then later as captain of his own ship (probably a privateer) until captured by the British. He was thrown into the hull of the infamous prison ship “Jersey” where he suffered indescribable treatment until his death in June 1782.

Samuel and Mary Holman had at least one child — Katherine Holman (1754-1829) who married in 1775 to Richardson Miner (1753-1847), a sadler born in Stonington, CT.

[Editor’s Note: I usually try to transcribe the letters preserving any miss-spellings, but in this case, the transcription would still be difficult to read so I have presented it entirely corrected.]

Stampless Letter

Page 1

TRANSCRIPTION
Addressed to Mary Holman, Kensington, [Connecticut]

Glastonbury [Connecticut]
October 6th 1800

Dear Sister,

I once more have an opportunity to write to you to inform you of my health which is low but I hope it ain’t nothing more then the last of my fiends that has brought me to see the weakness of my faith state which I now remain in. But God is able to restore me my health again if I ask him so to do. And I hope to as far as I am able and with a sincere heart.

I received your letter [of the] 15th September, which informed me of your health [and] that you weren’t well, which I am sorry to hear, but I am glad to have you still in the land of the living. You wrote to me that we must submit to the will of God. I know we must, but God has seen fit to take them away. I hope I don’t murmur what he has done. It ain’t but a little while that we have to live and we must go to them. Life is short; Eternity, O how long. I wish I could see you once more and tell you my troubles I see. If you could come and see me, I should be glad. Our friends are all well.

I remain your sincere friend and sister till death. So no more at present. I wonder now how Miner and all his family does and of all their ages —  I and [all] of yours. I have forgot how old you are. – Grace Treat