[John Preston Johnston at West Point, NY, to Mrs. Louisa S. Johnston [i.e. Louisa Smith Bowen Johnston at Maiden Spring], care of Jno. W. Johnstone [Johnston], Tazewell Court House, Tazewell County, Virginia, November 20, 1839, Box 1, John Warfield Johnston Papers, 1778-1890, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University].
[After pleasantries, the letter delves into gossipy topics. Spelling is left intact. Paragraph breaks are added for easier reading].
I am not surprized at any thing which you may tell me as to Mr. Michel's intentions, for I have through Lizzy, already heard of a half a dozen or more schemes of his, such as going to Texas, Kentucky, Missouri, settling in Burke's Garden, &c. &c. He certainly is the most fickle man living, & I expect before he stops scheming, he will have his head sorely bent upon taking a voyage to the moon, in order to draw a likeness of the Celebrated Gentleman who resides there.
Uncle Jo's opinion, is that he will finally join the Party of Missionaries, which you know is now being fitted out to go to "Oregon Territory" at the mouth of the Columbia river; which, I dare say, were any one to suggest it to him.
By the way, speaking of Uncle Jo. I suppose he is, ere this time, safe at the Botetourt Springs, for when he passed by here, which was a month ago almost (on his way to Washington) he intended to keep straight on to Virginia, or if he stopped at all it would be only for a very short time: that he had not arrived at the Springs on the 12th I am informed by a letter which I have this moment received from Uncle Edward, but at any rate, I suppose he is there now. I also learnt from a letter of Uncle Bev's on the 11th Inst[ant] that Lizzie had not then returned to Uncle Edward's, for which I am very sorry indeed, as she will lose the most enviable pleasure of spending a considerable time with Uncle Joseph, & . . . it most undoubtedly is her duty, by all means to return; as Uncle Edward has for her the most ardent affection, & in his letter complained bitterly of the manner in which he has lately been treated by fortune, in Mr. M's & Aunt Jane's case; with regard to Cousin Susan Smythe, & also the great reduction in the number of pupils which his school has suffered on account of the odium which accrued to him from the infernal Rent Scrape.
He really is to be pitied, I think, for it is distressing, to think that a man of so pure & elevated character, who would sooner suffer death than commit an unworthy action, should thus be made the plaything of fortune. [A]s to Mr. M's case, though I am not capable of being much of a judge, yet I have no doubt that he (Mr. M) acted an entirely blameworthy part & now 'tis Lizzy's duty to return and show that she still respects & esteems him, Uncle Edward.
Nothing was so unexpected & wellcome [sic] to me as a letter which I recieved [sic] from Uncle Bev this [morning] unexpected, because it is the first which I have recieved [sic] from him since I have been here, & as 'tis against his creed almost to write to his friends: & you can guess why it was wellcome [sic], if you were in a country far from all your relations & those who love you.
If you should see Lizzie soon, tell her that ever since the receipt of her last letter, in which she mentioned her conclusion to return to Uncle Edward's. my letters have all been directed to the Bot. Springs, as I of course expected her to be there & tell her also, that my succeeding letters will also be [directed] there untill [sic] further orders; because, were she not there her letters would be forwarded to her by Uncle Ed'd & if I were to send to Burkes Garden they probably would not be forwarded.
My love to Uncle Peter when you next see him, tell him I will write to him, if he will let me know where in the World he lives. Remember me to Cousin Henry Bowen, John Warfield [Johnston], Grandfather Bowen, Cousins Ellen, Reese, & Every one of my friends in that part of the universe.
Yours with the greatest affection J.P. Johnstone [Romantic variation of Johnston].
[John Preston Johnston (1824-1847)
Louisa Smith Bowen Johnston (1800-1873)
John Warfield Johnston (1818-1889)
Lizzy = Eliza Mary Johnston (1825-1909)
Mr. Michel = Harvey Mitchell (1799-1866)
Aunt Jane = Jane Mary Wood Johnston Mitchell (1811-1892)
Uncle Edward = Edward William Johnston (1799-1867)
Uncle Joseph, or Jo' = Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891)
Uncle Bev = Beverly Randolph Johnston (1803-1876)
Uncle Peter = Peter Carr Johnston (1793-1877)
Cousin Susan Smythe = Susan Smyth (?)
Grandfather Bowen = Henry Reese (Rees) Bowen (1770-1850)
Cousin Ellen = Ellen Bowen (1817-ca.1850)
Cousin Reese = Rees/Reese Tate Bowen (1809-1879)
Cousin Henry = Henry Smith Bowen (1820-1887)
Botetourt Springs = buildings and grounds formerly owned by Charles Johnston (1769-1833), now on the grounds of Hollins University
Burke's Garden = in Tazewell County, Virginia, about fourteen miles east of Tazewell Courthouse
Maiden Spring = in Tazewell County, Virginia, about eleven miles west southwest of Tazewell Courthouse]
For their help and assistance, many thanks to the staff of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. For more information about the John Warfield Johnston Papers, here's a link to the guide.
[After pleasantries, the letter delves into gossipy topics. Spelling is left intact. Paragraph breaks are added for easier reading].
I am not surprized at any thing which you may tell me as to Mr. Michel's intentions, for I have through Lizzy, already heard of a half a dozen or more schemes of his, such as going to Texas, Kentucky, Missouri, settling in Burke's Garden, &c. &c. He certainly is the most fickle man living, & I expect before he stops scheming, he will have his head sorely bent upon taking a voyage to the moon, in order to draw a likeness of the Celebrated Gentleman who resides there.
Uncle Jo's opinion, is that he will finally join the Party of Missionaries, which you know is now being fitted out to go to "Oregon Territory" at the mouth of the Columbia river; which, I dare say, were any one to suggest it to him.
By the way, speaking of Uncle Jo. I suppose he is, ere this time, safe at the Botetourt Springs, for when he passed by here, which was a month ago almost (on his way to Washington) he intended to keep straight on to Virginia, or if he stopped at all it would be only for a very short time: that he had not arrived at the Springs on the 12th I am informed by a letter which I have this moment received from Uncle Edward, but at any rate, I suppose he is there now. I also learnt from a letter of Uncle Bev's on the 11th Inst[ant] that Lizzie had not then returned to Uncle Edward's, for which I am very sorry indeed, as she will lose the most enviable pleasure of spending a considerable time with Uncle Joseph, & . . . it most undoubtedly is her duty, by all means to return; as Uncle Edward has for her the most ardent affection, & in his letter complained bitterly of the manner in which he has lately been treated by fortune, in Mr. M's & Aunt Jane's case; with regard to Cousin Susan Smythe, & also the great reduction in the number of pupils which his school has suffered on account of the odium which accrued to him from the infernal Rent Scrape.
He really is to be pitied, I think, for it is distressing, to think that a man of so pure & elevated character, who would sooner suffer death than commit an unworthy action, should thus be made the plaything of fortune. [A]s to Mr. M's case, though I am not capable of being much of a judge, yet I have no doubt that he (Mr. M) acted an entirely blameworthy part & now 'tis Lizzy's duty to return and show that she still respects & esteems him, Uncle Edward.
Nothing was so unexpected & wellcome [sic] to me as a letter which I recieved [sic] from Uncle Bev this [morning] unexpected, because it is the first which I have recieved [sic] from him since I have been here, & as 'tis against his creed almost to write to his friends: & you can guess why it was wellcome [sic], if you were in a country far from all your relations & those who love you.
If you should see Lizzie soon, tell her that ever since the receipt of her last letter, in which she mentioned her conclusion to return to Uncle Edward's. my letters have all been directed to the Bot. Springs, as I of course expected her to be there & tell her also, that my succeeding letters will also be [directed] there untill [sic] further orders; because, were she not there her letters would be forwarded to her by Uncle Ed'd & if I were to send to Burkes Garden they probably would not be forwarded.
My love to Uncle Peter when you next see him, tell him I will write to him, if he will let me know where in the World he lives. Remember me to Cousin Henry Bowen, John Warfield [Johnston], Grandfather Bowen, Cousins Ellen, Reese, & Every one of my friends in that part of the universe.
Yours with the greatest affection J.P. Johnstone [Romantic variation of Johnston].
[John Preston Johnston (1824-1847)
Louisa Smith Bowen Johnston (1800-1873)
John Warfield Johnston (1818-1889)
Lizzy = Eliza Mary Johnston (1825-1909)
Mr. Michel = Harvey Mitchell (1799-1866)
Aunt Jane = Jane Mary Wood Johnston Mitchell (1811-1892)
Uncle Edward = Edward William Johnston (1799-1867)
Uncle Joseph, or Jo' = Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891)
Uncle Bev = Beverly Randolph Johnston (1803-1876)
Uncle Peter = Peter Carr Johnston (1793-1877)
Cousin Susan Smythe = Susan Smyth (?)
Grandfather Bowen = Henry Reese (Rees) Bowen (1770-1850)
Cousin Ellen = Ellen Bowen (1817-ca.1850)
Cousin Reese = Rees/Reese Tate Bowen (1809-1879)
Cousin Henry = Henry Smith Bowen (1820-1887)
Botetourt Springs = buildings and grounds formerly owned by Charles Johnston (1769-1833), now on the grounds of Hollins University
Burke's Garden = in Tazewell County, Virginia, about fourteen miles east of Tazewell Courthouse
Maiden Spring = in Tazewell County, Virginia, about eleven miles west southwest of Tazewell Courthouse]
For their help and assistance, many thanks to the staff of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. For more information about the John Warfield Johnston Papers, here's a link to the guide.
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