11 June 1821

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Woodbridge

First letter to her mother upon arriving in Georgia. She briefly mentions her trip from Hartford, which took exactly four weeks, and goes on to discuss her social engagements and upcoming work at the academy as a teacher. She wishes she could write more but says that she is too busy, and expresses that she is very content and happy in Georgia thus far and expects to remain that way.

GLC08934.020

23 June 1826

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

This letter was sent to her sister shortly after their mother's passing. She spends a good deal of time talking about the concept of death in general, saying: "We shall soon, my dear sister, reach the ocean of eternity. A few more days of sorrow and trouble may roll away before we go down to our graves; but that time will come, and is approaching with rapid strides." She also talks about their mother's death and expresses regret that she was unable to help care for her physically or monetarily, though she comments that her expenses are much greater in Georgia than they would be in Hartford.…

GLC08934.021

9 September 1826

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James W. Hale

She appears to have received word of their brother's death, and is very upset by the news because she considered herself quite close to him. She also expresses worry that he did not die a Christian, saying that if she was confident that he had, she would "rejoice" that he had "left this troublesome world." She goes on to discuss a fever that has been plaguing Washington, Georgia - a man who also lived in her boarding house died in the night, and the physicians are overwhelmed with the number of sick people in the area. She comments that this is very unusual, because it is usually a "healthy…

GLC08934.022

26 December 1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: Certification of Aurelia Hale's service at the academy

A short note certifying Aurelia Hale's time at the academy.

GLC08934.023

23 January 1827

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

This is the first letter sent to her sister Sarah since Aurelia's relocation from Washington, GA to Mount Ariel, SC. Sarah's last letter took many weeks to reach her, but has finally arrived. She briefly talks about her experience settling into a new area, and indicates that she has many social engagements and is quite busy. She also says that she unfortunately cannot send their brother James money for their mother's gravestone nor Sarah money to visit, because she will only be paid at the end of the year. In a post-script at the end, she requests that they send her their brother Horatio's…

GLC08934.024

25 June 1825

Hale, Horatio, fl. 1821-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

This letter is from Horatio Hale to his sister Sarah, written from Brazil. In the letter, he refers several time to Sarah's health, advising her to show "a degree of fortitude beyond most of your sex," because he thinks that positive thinking has a stronger effect on disease than any medicine does. He also talks briefly about their family, before going on to talk about women in Brazil in general and his wife in particular, who apparently favors American styles.

GLC08934.016

05 May 1826

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Horatio Hale

This letter to her brother may have gotten wet at some point, because much of the text is blurred and difficult to read. She mentions concerns about "negroes" several times during the letter, saying that an area which she traveled to (the name is obscured by water damage) had a very different culture than Savannah and Augusta. She describes many of the people wearing little or no clothing, and compares the fervor with which residents hunt runaway slaves to fox hunting, also saying that it is a "common amusement." She also mentions is being unsafe to travel late in the evening "on account of…

GLC08934.019

27 May 1828

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

This appears to be the first letter to her sister in many months. She speaks at length about matrimony and says that she has spent eighteen months deliberating on it. She says that she has been reflecting on whether to "marry a respectable, pious and smart young man (that had my affections) with barely a competency - or marry for riches and perhaps without love." Despite her original intentions of marrying a "rich planter," she chose to marry for love, and on May 1 married Thomas Jefferson de Yampert, whose family has some money but who is a younger son. She says: "I feel confident that I…

GLC08934.025

19 September 1829

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

She expresses that she is deeply unhappy with their move to Mount Meigs following her husband buying land in the area, saying that although being a planter in the area can be very lucrative (which she measures in money and in number of slaves), it is not very comfortable; there is often not enough water. She says that she misses her friends from South Carolina and may go back there for a year in the near future. She promises to write to James soon, and also declares her intention to send Horatio some money. (Note: The Horatio referred to here appears to be a relative, possibly her brother's…

GLC08934.026

06 March 1830

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

She is sad that she is separated from her friends and family, and urges her sister to come visit if her physcians will permit it, and asks if their brother James can loan them the money for travel or if she will have to borrow it. She also suggests that Sarah bring Horatio. She also reports that her and her husband's plantation is doing well, mentioning that they need to "buy another negro."

GLC08934.027

25 July 1830

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

She addresses the logistics of her sister Sarah's planned visit and promises to pay the full cost. She enclosed $50 with the letter and promises to send another $50 soon. She expresses concern for Sarah's health, writing that she hopes it will improve. She also requests that Sarah bring their mother's silver rather than sell it. Much of the letter is crosswritten.

GLC08934.028

11 August 1830

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

She encloses another $50 in this letter as promised, and continues to plan for her sister's arrival. She also speaks at length about the comforts of their home, including a "very valuable negro woman" who keeps the house "well attended to." She hopes that being in the South will help improve Sarah's health. Much of the letter is crosswritten.

GLC08934.029

10 October 1830

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

She continues to plan for her sister's arrival. She is very excited that they can "meet on this side of the grave again." A drought has made the river low, so Aurelia suggests her sister remain in Mobile until the steamboats start to run again. She again mentions being concerned for her sister's health, and mentions a "Brother Nicholas Merriwether" who is a physician and has promised to try to help Sarah recover her health.

GLC08934.030

22 May 1832

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

This letter was written shortly after Sarah departed from Alabama. In it, Aurelia says that she hopes Sarah was able to avoid the storm that came about a week after she left, which appears to have destroyed much of her property. She describes several buildings as being unroofed and several people nearly dying when the roofs collapsed on them. She ends the letter by sending love to their brother and to Horatio.

GLC08934.031

29 June 1832

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

Aurelia is very glad to hear that Sarah managed to avoid the storm. It was followed by a drought, and they were afraid the crops would fail, but there has been rain this week. Her husband, Jefferson, has been trying to find work for Horatio, who has apparently recently been married.

GLC08934.032

3 July 1832

de Yampert, Thomas Jefferson, fl. 1828-1834

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James W. Hale, to Sarah W. Hale

There are two letters within a single folio. The first letter is to James W. Hale, and expresses regret that Sarah's time with them was not as pleasant or beneficial to her health as they had hoped. He goes on to discuss his attempts to find work for Horatio as a clerk. The second letter is to Sarah W. Hale. He suggests that she is happy to be home and free of "us Southerners," but adds that he does not blame her for going back to where she felt she would be happiest and says that many were sorry to see her go. There is also a post script on the side of the paper containing the address to…

GLC08934.033

26 August 1832 - 30 August 1832

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

The letter is dated August 26, but there is a notation halfway down the first page that much of it was written August 30. In the first part, she writes that there has been a good deal of rain and wind. In the second part, she writes that the cotton crop is "very much injured" as a result of the storms and mentions a friend whose cotton had "turned black with the rot." She also says that her husband is planning to build a mill.

GLC08934.034

2 September 1832 - 16 September 1832

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

This letter is dated September 2, but on the third page a notation indicates that several paragraphs were added on September 16. In the part of the letter dated September 2, Aurelia says that the Sabbath is often the only day she has time to write, and reports that "the Negroes do very well," elaborating about a man named John: "John does well, and has never attempted to run away again. He thinks he has disgraced himself, but puts the blame all on Mr. R." She also mentions a cholera epidemic in the area. In the part of the letter dated September 16, she mentions that Mr. de Yampert has been…

GLC08934.035

18 November 1832 - 24 November 1832

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

This letter is dated November 18, but on the third page a notation indicates that a paragraph was added on November 24. In the part dated November 18, she apologizes for not answering Sarah's letters, and says that the reason for her silence was grief because Mary, her baby daughter, passed away on October 2 due to the cholera epidemic. She is buried in the backyard, and Aurelia visits the grave daily with her daughter Sarah. She says that she finds comfort in God and knowing that Mary is in a better place. She also mentions several cases of Bilious Fever among people she knows. In the part…

GLC08934.036

28 December 1832

de Yampert, Thomas Jefferson, fl. 1828-1834

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

He apologizes for not writing more often. He speaks briefly about Mary, the infant daughter he and Aurelia lost to cholera in October, and says that their daughter Sarah now refuses to speak at all. There have been no new storms and that both he and Aurelia have been able to put on some weight. He also talks briefly about their slaves and the Mill that he hopes to open.

GLC08934.037

8 February 1833

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

She begins by apologizing for not writing sooner, but says that shortly after she started a letter, she was called away to see her cousin Frank, who appeared to be on his deathbed. He became delirious and spoke about God and the Devil, but appears to have recovered. She mentions that the friends Sarah made when she visited.

GLC08934.038

4 March 1833

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Hale

She is sending the letter along with one she has written to Horatio. She is planning to visit the North, and will be bringing as little as possible because the fashions might be different. She says that she is not dreading the "fatigues of the journey" because they are preferable to all the storms the area has been experiencing. She also includes news about her daughter Sarah as well as some of the people her sister met when she visited.

GLC08934.039

1 September 1833

Hale, Aurelia, 1798-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Nichols

She apologizes for not writing, but says that she lacked the energy to do so over the hot summer months. She continues to talk about going North, and believes that her husband will send both her and their daughter Sarah next year. She responds to news of her sister's marriage to a Mr. Nichols, and expresses dismay at some unspecified missteps from their brothers James and Joseph, and indicates that she intends to speak to them when she visits and also refund what they "had so unjustly taken." Note: Sarah W. Nichols is the married name of Sarah W. Hale.

GLC08934.040

14 March 1834

de Yampert, Thomas Jefferson, fl. 1828-1834

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Nichols

This letter is about his daughter Sarah, who became ill in late January. They discovered that she was vomiting and had a high fever, and by the time the doctor arrived, it was too late. He was not sure what to call the disease, though Thomas speculates that it might have been "scarlet rash." She passed away and is buried with her sister in the garden. He also mentions their son, Lafeyette, who apparently strongly resembles Sarah and Mary, which worries him.

GLC08934.041

23 June - 7 July 1834

de Yampert, Thomas Jefferson, fl. 1828-1834

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah W. Nichols

This letter is dated June 23, and there is a post-script dated July 7. They are both still suffering from Sarah's death, and Aurelia is saving locks of their daughter Sarah's hair and intends to give the largest lock to her sister Sarah. Aurelia's health has greatly improved, as has his. He also says that their son Thomas is doing well and resembles his sisters. The post-script, which is dated July 7, apologizes for not sending the letter earlier.

GLC08934.042