Frances Norton letter to John Hatley Norton, 1772 February 22

Frances Norton letter to John Hatley Norton, 1772 February 22

Frances Norton letter to her brother, John Hatley Norton, merchant of Yorktown, Virginia. Norton writes about the death of Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, mother of George III. Norton also writes concerning the tall tales circulated in London following the explosion of powder mills at Hounslow Heath and to request a cock red bird.

MS1936.3.628
Folder 56

John Norton and Sons Papers, MS 1936.3

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

Ink on paper

Page 1

Gould Sq^r Feb^y the 20 20 -- 1772

Dear Brother

since I received your kind letter my Mamas health
has been verry bad which has hindered me honouring my
duty both to you & my Dear Fd^s. I have the Pleasure of hearing of
your better health this Winter & I pray God it may continue so
you mentioned your having some birds of Different sorts I should
take it as a favor if you would send me a cock Red bird if you could
get it without much Expence the poor Princess Dowager of Wales
Departed this life about a fortnight ago a verry happy thing I [torn, illegible]
for her poor Creature for she was Really tired of this world & the
people of her in general though by all accounts they used her in
most scandalous manner. Mama myself & some others went to see
her lay in state as the last Token of Respect we could show her
however. I hope she is Translated into a better world free from the
cares anxieties & Raillery of a wicked People - there happened
a verry strange thing about a week ago my Mama Papa myself

Page 2

& Brothers were all sitting at Breakfast when there was a great
Rumbling Noise & shock like that of an Earthquake it Sounded
Just like the Jarring of a Window when it sticks & is
hard to be opened we listened to see what it was about a Minute
after there was another shock like that of the first & then another
All three were felt verry Distinctly my Papa who had
Breakfast & was in the Counting house came Running
up Stairs & asked us if we had not felt it he said it was
Certainly an Earthquake but there was that Morning
several Powder Mills Blown up on Hounslow heath
many say it was occasioned by that but it cannot be
because the shocks were felt many Hundred Miles from
London this has given an oportunity to a Lady at
Stockwell Named Goulding to sett forth the verry specious
account of many Wonders Performed at that time
in her house Viz- a Candlestick Jumping out of
the Kitchen Nine feet into the parlour an egg Jumping
of the the shelf on the floor without Breaking the
furniture Jumping out of their Places on the floor & Breaking

Page 3

a Hog that was in Pickle & a bit of its side eat came to life
again Spilt the Pickle and ran about with the hole
in its side a pail of Water on the fire Jumped of
& Danced about the Room & many other things of
the like Wonderful kind but for my Part I believe
there has been no whichcraft since the Witch of
Endor however many people here are Credulous [torn, illegible]
to believe it. pray my Comp^ts to Miss Nichlas as [torn, illegible]
Understand you sometimes Indulge yourself in seeing
her my love to all Enquiring Fr^ds my Mama Intends
writing you by this oportunity

your affecttionate Sister
Frances

you will say I am [torn, illegible] Girl
for writting you such a letter
for I daresay you will be tired
with it before you have halve
Read it but as I had a little leisure I thought
I might as well Employ it in this as anything Else [illegible] Excuse
it you know me very well

this is Intended you by Cap^t Goosley whom I Expect to sail about
thursday Next

Page 4

To
M^r. Jn^o Hatley Norton
Merch^t
York Town
Virginia

J^o Hatley
Unity
[p]^r G Goosley

this Lettre
answered July 8^th
72