March 25, 1863: Henry and Mary Warner to John Warner

Henry and Mary Warner lived in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, now part of Pittsburgh. They are the great-grandparents of poet Marianne Moore.  By the 1860s they had three surviving children:  John, Henry, and Anne. Their letters to John, a Presbyterian minister living in Gettysburg, are preserved as part of Marianne Moore’s family papers.

Transcript:

Allegheny City Wednesday March 25^th 1863

Our Dear Children, Another Wednesday has rolled round & brought us so much nearer to our resting place, we are all in good health, and as we have nothing new since Mother travels to Ohio, I will have consequently a short letter for you this time; my first item must be, an anxious inquiry after your health, this we would like above all things to know, Are you completely clear of the severe cold you had when you wrote to us? Also has that dreadful disease the smallpox passed by, without visiting your dwelling.

Our first piece of news is, a young man, a student, has been called unanimously to fill the pulpit lately occupied by Dr. Plummer, at a salary of $1200.00 per annum he is unmarried which Mrs John Patterson told Mother & me, in our back parlour yesterday, was guarantied to him by a few influential, leading, & wealthy men of that congregation—Robert & Anne pay 8$ per quarter, now my next item of news is butter is 40¢ per lb & very scarce at that piece, I notice these things as they occur to my mind, least I should forget them;

The Christian commission delegates have been with us, and we had quite an interesting time with them, which very likely you will see in the ‘Press’ the amount of their collections &c &c.

It has been showering almost constant from Monday morning until noon to day, Mother is busy transplanting a favorite willow in the yard, I can think of nothing more that would interest you, with kind remembrance to Jennie and an affectionate kiss for Mary, we remain your affectionate father & mother

Henry & Mary Warner

P.S. We are under great anxiety about the welfare of poor Henry’s Soul as well as his body, we wish you in your next to let us know if they have any chaplain there

Mother says, you need never be under any apprehension of taking the smallpox yourself, for you had a heavy coat of varioloid when you were a child, and the Doctor said at that time, there would never be any danger of you taking the small pox

Citation: Henry and Mary Warner, autograph letter signed to John Riddle Warner. Allegheny City [Pittsburgh], 25 March 1863. Moore VI:05:17