Mary Louisa Michel Binckley to Charlotte Stocker Binckley, October 1859

Mary Louisa/Lou/Louise Mitchell/Michel Binckley (1838-1930)

[Mary Louisa Mitchell/Michel Binckley at Washington City to Charlotte Stocker Binckley, [October 1859]. Additional paragraph breaks inserted for easier reading.

Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy, Sally Young and Sue Davis for their ongoing research collaboration; specifically to William for providing scans of the original document, and in turn many thanks to Peter Johnston Binckley and Patricia D'Arcy "Trish" Binckley (1951-2007), at the source.]

                                                                  Washington City
Dear mother Binckley

We have just returned, Milton and I, from our trip to the North -- feeling very much worn out bodily with the fatigue of travelling constantly for more than two week[s], but conscious of having acquired knowledge and experienced pleasure that will be a constant source of delight for the rest of our lives -- the remembrance of well spent happy hours in scenes of beauty and refinement will be riches that no one can take away from us.

To be sure, the weather was often raining and dark, troubling Milton not a little, but when I look back now, I seem to remember only the bright days.

In Boston we spent nearly a week with one of Milton's artist friends of whom you may have heard him speak -- Mr. Wall, an Englishman who lived some years ago in this city -- he and his wife were very kind and attentive, and as I had friends in Boston and the sight-seeing [was] peculiarly interesting from historical associations, we had a most pleasant time there. 

While there Milton received your last letter and we were glad to hear that you were well. I was particularly pleased to find that bother George had received my letter, and hope soon to hear from him. Give to him and my mother brothers my best love.

Milton will doubtless send some message when he comes home and finds I am writing.

The little flower I enclose mother pressed to send you thinking you might like to keep among your other pressed flowers one worn on her wedding day by your Milton's bride.

I was looking over my box you gave me and found that the bunch of pressed flowers had Frannie Stewart's name written on the back. I will send or give them to her soon.

There are so many things I would like to write about our trip which might interest you, but to-day [I] feel very tired, and will give you in my next letter what would be very stupidly written to-day. It will be several days yet before I get my wits fairly about me.

All desire to be remembered to you. Farewell for awhile --
                                                      Your new daughter
                                                                     Mary

[JMB note:]  Mary holds the  . . . & I points out this spot has me write on, and I tell her I have to use it all in repressing my indignation for not giving me more.

[Mary Louisa Michel (1838-1930).
John Milton Binckley (circa 1831-1878).
Mother Binckley = Charlotte Stocker Binckley (1788-1877).
Mother = Jane Mary Johnston Mitchell/Michel (1811-1892).
George = George Michael Binckley (1828-1885).
Mr. Wall = Joseph Wall.]

Letter from Joseph Wall, September 17, 1867

[Letter from Joseph Wall at Boston, September 17, 1867. It is probably addressed to Mary Louisa Mitchell Binckley (1821-1878) but it could also be directed to Charlotta aka Charlotte Stocker Binckley ~ "Mother B." (1788-1877). Wall was an associate of John Milton Binckley (1821-1878).]

Savin Hill  Sept. 17, 1867

My dear Mrs. Binckley,

I did not reach home till Monday morning as the cars do not run East of New York on Sunday for fear of shocking the Puritanical sensibilities of New England.

On my way home from the horse cars I passed three little gipsies, unnoticing and unnoticed, who, on a second look, turned out to be my own children.

My daughter Alba is much grown and does not wear a chignon; her sister Dora, should have been her brother, for she is a very tomboy and infringes considerably on the privilege of the opposite sex to be ugly; Avery, the older boy, is much like others of his species. I subscribe, of course, to all that is said of the baby, the sweetest, the most beautiful &c. The children are all delightfully weather stained by the sea-breezes. I found my wife better than I expected to find her.

I wish you could see the beautiful scenery around us. The ships sailing in and out of Boston harbor are within a mile or so of us, richly colored meadows intervene between us and the ocean; on the right the sea meanders to within a few hundred feet of us, a blue ribbon of it comes up to connect with the creek at the foot of our garden. Yet, with all its beauty, I am thinking of selling the place; because it is too near Feniana [Irish].

I see the newspaper scribblers continue to rack their brains to complete their sketches of Milton; with all their ingenuity they have not discovered or invented any thing injurious to his character as a man or to impair the estimation he is held in by those who know him.

I suppose he is enjoying himself with his family at Abingdon [Virginia] regardless of the petty and miserable personalities of his enemies. 

My wife joins me in much love to you
Very truly yours
Joseph Wall

[PS] Mrs. Charlotte Binckley
Please write soon and address Boston, Mass. 

Original manuscript in the John Milton Binckley Papers, 1816-1943. Library of Congress Manuscript Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. This is my rough transcription. 

Many thanks to William Myers for sending scanned copies of the documents from the Binckley papers, and also to Mary Davy and Sally Young for their assistance.