[John Hall Fulton at Richmond to Sarah Buchanan Campbell Preston at Abingdon, Virginia, December 11, 1828. Box 29, Folder 7, Robert Morton Hughes Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Patricia W. and J. Douglas Perry Library, Old Dominion University Libraries, Norfolk, VA 23529. This is my rough transcription. Instances of the "long s" in the original have been modernized and paragraph breaks added for easier reading.]
Dr. Madam
I was a few days since intrusted [entrusted] with a Secret with an Injunction not to propagate it -- an Injunction which I have extreme difficulty to comply with, and as all will be consumated [consummated] before this reaches you, I deem it no violation of confidence to send it to your fire side.
Judge Johnston is here, about ten days ago he met with a Miss Bernard at Judge Cabel's [Cabell's] it was the first time he had ever seen her. In a day or two afterwards he courted her; in a day or two thereafter they concluded upon a marriage contract, and, if there is no flying off, they will be married between this and [T]uesday, for on that day he intends to set out for home.
Miss Bernard is said to be an estimable woman, and has lived in the world a little more than half a century, I know nothing of her family or fortune, except that she is the sister of Mrs. Copeland of this place.
If you have ever in the course of your life observed the influence of Love, you can form a remote Idea of the Judge's actions, he speaks freely to Keller & myself [and] every Topic other than Miss Bernard, is without interest, he talks incessantly of his Girl, his sweetheart. The fate of contending nations, national & state politics, friends & loss of friends, are all secondary matters, and that Interest which under other circumstances he would feel in those subjects is now lost in the contemplation of the delectable Miss Bernard.
Richmond is dull and promises to be so during the winter. In the Legislature we anticipate much excitement, on the subject of a convention, the different local interests are beginning to be developed, and there is too much reason to appr[ehen]d that the conflicting interests of the different sections of the state, will result in the indulgence of much bad feeling among us.
Miss Lorraine's "Donald Adair" is out. It is read here with some Interest, and is really a work of much merit. I will send the young Ladies a copy by the first oppt'y. I hope they will read it and pray for Miss Lorraine's success.
I hope Miss Sally has recovered & that you are all enjoying Health & Happiness.
J. H. Fulton
[John Hall Fulton (1792-1836), brother of Andrew Steele Fulton (1800-1884).
Sarah Buchanan Campbell Preston (1778-1846)
Judge Johnston = Peter Johnston, Jr. (1763-1831)
Miss Bernard = Peter married Ann Nancy Bernard (1775-1865) in Richmond on December 13, 1828 (his second wife). Elizabeth Ann Bernard Wills (1778-1862), one of Ann's sisters, was a consort of John Allan (1779-1834), with whom she had "natural" twin sons. Allan, a wealthy, Scottish-born merchant based in Richmond, was also Edgar Allan Poe's (1809-1849) estranged foster father.
Judge Cabel = Judge William Henry Cabell (1772-1853)
Mrs. Copeland = Hennigham C. Bernard Copland (1781-1838) was the second wife of Charles Copland (1756-1836) of Richmond, and sister of Ann Nancy Bernard and Elizabeth Ann Bernard Wills.
Keller = ?
A. M. Lorraine, Donald Adair (2 volumes). Richmond: Peter Cottom, 1828.
Miss Sally = Sarah "Sally" Buchanan Preston (1802-1879).]
[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]
Dr. Madam
I was a few days since intrusted [entrusted] with a Secret with an Injunction not to propagate it -- an Injunction which I have extreme difficulty to comply with, and as all will be consumated [consummated] before this reaches you, I deem it no violation of confidence to send it to your fire side.
Judge Johnston is here, about ten days ago he met with a Miss Bernard at Judge Cabel's [Cabell's] it was the first time he had ever seen her. In a day or two afterwards he courted her; in a day or two thereafter they concluded upon a marriage contract, and, if there is no flying off, they will be married between this and [T]uesday, for on that day he intends to set out for home.
Miss Bernard is said to be an estimable woman, and has lived in the world a little more than half a century, I know nothing of her family or fortune, except that she is the sister of Mrs. Copeland of this place.
If you have ever in the course of your life observed the influence of Love, you can form a remote Idea of the Judge's actions, he speaks freely to Keller & myself [and] every Topic other than Miss Bernard, is without interest, he talks incessantly of his Girl, his sweetheart. The fate of contending nations, national & state politics, friends & loss of friends, are all secondary matters, and that Interest which under other circumstances he would feel in those subjects is now lost in the contemplation of the delectable Miss Bernard.
Richmond is dull and promises to be so during the winter. In the Legislature we anticipate much excitement, on the subject of a convention, the different local interests are beginning to be developed, and there is too much reason to appr[ehen]d that the conflicting interests of the different sections of the state, will result in the indulgence of much bad feeling among us.
Miss Lorraine's "Donald Adair" is out. It is read here with some Interest, and is really a work of much merit. I will send the young Ladies a copy by the first oppt'y. I hope they will read it and pray for Miss Lorraine's success.
I hope Miss Sally has recovered & that you are all enjoying Health & Happiness.
J. H. Fulton
[John Hall Fulton (1792-1836), brother of Andrew Steele Fulton (1800-1884).
Sarah Buchanan Campbell Preston (1778-1846)
Judge Johnston = Peter Johnston, Jr. (1763-1831)
Miss Bernard = Peter married Ann Nancy Bernard (1775-1865) in Richmond on December 13, 1828 (his second wife). Elizabeth Ann Bernard Wills (1778-1862), one of Ann's sisters, was a consort of John Allan (1779-1834), with whom she had "natural" twin sons. Allan, a wealthy, Scottish-born merchant based in Richmond, was also Edgar Allan Poe's (1809-1849) estranged foster father.
Judge Cabel = Judge William Henry Cabell (1772-1853)
Mrs. Copeland = Hennigham C. Bernard Copland (1781-1838) was the second wife of Charles Copland (1756-1836) of Richmond, and sister of Ann Nancy Bernard and Elizabeth Ann Bernard Wills.
Keller = ?
A. M. Lorraine, Donald Adair (2 volumes). Richmond: Peter Cottom, 1828.
Miss Sally = Sarah "Sally" Buchanan Preston (1802-1879).]
[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]
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