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 October 1st 1862
Our Dear Children
Wednesday is with us once more, and happy are we to inform you, we are all in excellent health, and sincerely thankful are we to know that so far, Penna has not been visited by rebel hordes—we hope that yourselves and our Dear little Mary are in the enjoyment of good health & spirits—Henry has given us to know, that he was favoured with a letter from you which we were glad to hear of, should you visit him we expect to know the result, from both you & him; nothing has transpired here that we can think of, that would interest you—
A whole Brigade passed through Pittsburgh this week for Western Virginia—while here they were allowed a furlough of 24 hours—alas! alas! but our citizens were glad to see their heels away although on going, they cheered them heartily & while here made much of them, but oh! such carrying on, singing, shouting, Anne went to see the Miss Littles that lived opposite us who live now in Penn Street– & they told her the whole street stunk! it seems at night the boys did not trouble themselves to look for a necessary, but used the pavement as though they were in a clover field—well we have plenty of hydrants, & hose, scrub brooms &c &c. Sorry we have not any thing to entertain you with that would amuse—Do you intend to pay us a visit this fall?
Your affectionate father & mother
Henry & Mary Warner
P.S. Let us know if Locust Hill suffered any from the rebel raid in Md & if Mrs Eyster & family suffered in Chambersburgh
Citation: Henry and Mary Warner, autograph letter signed to John Riddle Warner. Allegheny City [Pittsburgh], 1 October 1862. Moore VI:05:11
.…
ñïàñèáî….
.…
ñïñ!…