This letter was addressed to:Mrs. Henry A. Hindle, Walcots Ville (crossed out), Connecticut. Forward New Hartford, NY Postmark on letter reads:Walcottville Ct. Dec 22 From:Ann Patterson, Rochester, Dec11/41
I at leanth take up my pen to address you but I know not.. I will not attempt to describe my feelings when I received your letter ah! my dear friends you knew not that you were addressing one who had long payed the debt of nature.But morn not my beloved Sister for our Dear Mother. A short time before she died when speaking of Harriet she said tell her I am happy to go when God shall call for me. She continued in this happy stait of minde until a weak before she died and she lost her reason she was not crazy but was a compleat infant. She was confined to bed seven months. She died last January. ....... Once more I resume my pen; perhaps you would like to know what we are about. Jane lives on Cornhill. She is well and has one childe a boy; she calls it Frederick. Jerome works for the Poste. Mary makes it her home at Mr Higgins. And now for myself; the winter after Father died Mr Fox preach at the Bethel Curch, we heard of it and Jane went to hear him; he was a powerful preacher suffice it to say I was awakened I saw myself to be a lost sinner and the kneed of a savour and was as I thought converted. After this trouble pressed heavy upon me. Mother grew ill and poverty stood at our door and we struguld hard to maintain a respectable apearance , and that priid wich showed itself in my childhood deadened the religen in my soul. but still I lived a life of prayer and these words sounded in my ears ye know your dyty but you do it not.After Mother died I went to live with Mrs Comins all together soon after this I became acquainted with a young man by the name of Harris; he keeped a reces' next door to Mrs Comins shop we had seen each other but never spoken. he was about to leave the place and he sent me a ring he came into the place twise and came to see me he then wrote me a letter declaring his love for me and asking for mine in return. I answered his letter and he came back to Rochester to resied after this we became more aacquainted with each other and I learnt that he was from Whitesborough that his parents and friends lived there. About this time Mrs Comins was taken sick and died the 4th of July After her furnil Mr Comins took his two daughters and myself into the contry to spend a weak. Harris came after me with a carriage and brought me to Janes abought that time we were engaged to be married. I lived with Jane a short time during the tumult of my thought last summer religen was intirely forgotten. but in revuuing the passed and God mercy to me I have been again called to acnologe his goodness and ask his favour. And I trust dear Sister that I am now a child of God. And how could I help loving a being who has been so kind to me- one who born so long with my waywordness and I am surrounded with blessings; about to be married to a man of principle and virtue and one whome I love and respect-love and kind friends : what more could I ask.
Mr Harris has once professed religen what his views on the subjuct are at present I know not. he is not in place he spends the winter at Mount Morris (hole here)be married in May. One word and I have done.I have grown very much. I am very much like you and Mary calls me Harriet compleate my face is smaller and people call me pretty but that is nothing you know.And now dear Sister do write to me. I long to hear from you. you donte know how much I love you. Your Sister Ann Patterson
Will you not write. This Harris is cosin to the one that taught School.