Anne Matthews letter to John Norton, 1771 August 10

Anne Matthews letter to John Norton, 1771 August 10

Anne Matthews letter to John Norton, merchant of London, England. Matthews writes concerning her granddaughter, Nancy Moir, whose circumstances have been complicated by the death or her mother, Mary Moir, and then the death of her aunt, Catherine Davenport, who took her in after her mother's death. Matthews hopes to procure some clothing for her from a second aunt, Mrs. McKey, in England, who has passed away.

MS1936.3.493
Oversize

John Norton and Sons Papers, MS 1936.3

Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Ink on paper

Recto

Virginia Aug^st 10^th

Sir

This day I Rec^d. y^r Letter dated Y^e 29^th of May and am much oblig^d
to you for taking the trouble to See M^r M^cKey y^rSelf.
I was Much blam^d for not leting Nancy goe to England
with her Father but I was inform'd by several people that
M^r Moir had been in several parts of Virginia with a brief
Begging & as he had gott another wife & three Children.
I Realy Confess I had some Fear, the Letter might not be
true, although I blam^d My Self for haveing So ill
a thought of him. but I Concluded to write to you,
and know the truth, before I let her goe.

As you in y^r Letter advise Me to write to M^r M^cKey
again, am imboldened to inclose a Letter to him once
More, hopeing he will send her Something, if it is only
some of her Aunts Cloths if she has left no Children
to wear them, or what ever he pleases will be except-
able to her. She is Fifteen years old, and a pritey girl
I think, if she had but Cloths to appear in decently.
if her poor Aunt Davenport had not left her some of
her Cloths when She dyed, Nancey would have been very
poorly off indeed. She lost her best Friend She had in this
world, when My Dear Katey Died. She made no differance
between her and her own Daughter. I never have heard any thing
of [torn, illegible] I wrote First to you, nor any thing any thing
from M^r Nelson about him. As M^r Nelson is a good man
perhaps he might think it would make me uneasey.
I hope his Children will turn out much Better persons than
their Father, as they seem to promis it by there behaviour
heither too. I am with the most greatfull acknowledge-
ments y^r much oblig^d & obedient Hb^le Serv^t

Anne Matthews

P.S. pray Make my hb^le Complements to M^rs. Norton
I have not Seal^d. M^r M^cKeys Letter, please to Read it,
& if you think any thing amiss in it, please to
Blott it out, & Seal it I am
A M

Verso

To
M^r
John Norton
Merch^t in
London

Virg^a. 10^th Aug^st 1771
Anne Mathews
Rec'd the 17^th Oct^o. Ex'd
p the Randolph

Enq^r for Dan^l. Mackay
Merch^t. N^o. 24 Bishopgate
Street within