Hart, Ossian and Catherine Hart to Catherine's Parents, August 29th, 1847- Key West - Transcript

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Key West August 29, 1847


My dear Parents

I feel happy to have it in my power to acknowledge once more the receipt of a letter from
home. Six months] I have been anxiously looking and wondering that I did not hear
from you until [sic] at last I gave up expecting and concluded you where [sic] all to[o]
much engaged to answer my letters of [sic] think of me.

But now that you have made one grand effort and a letter has arrived I must give you
credit for it and endeavour [sic] to duly appreciate its arrival. I can assure you one and all
I do appreciate it, and feel those good old feellings [sic] reviveing [sic] again, and think
how much I should like to see you all and the dear old home where I was born and raisid
[raised] where my earliest ideas was formed and my fondest recol[l]ections linger, and I
am not alone in the enjoyment of a letter from home. Ossian is always as much delighted
as I am and is just as anxious to see you all. I am very glad that Emma feels the
importance of a good education and hope she will persevere in her endeavours [sic] to
obtain one. I wish she would write me a good long letter and tell me all about her school
and her studies. Curias's [?] letter I have not received yet suppose I shall get it next mail.
I am glad to hear that Oby is so near home. I shall wright [sic] to him this mail. I hope
he will not be lead in to the snares and tem[p]tations laid for young men in the city of
N.Y. and I hope he will be particular in his associates of both sexes and let his
companions be such as will improve himself and do honor to his family. I hope if he ever
marries he will do better than Lewis did. Pa did not say one word about Aunt Elmina's
health or any of the family. When you write again let me know how they all are, give my
love to all of them, tell Cate she must write to me. And how is Grandma Congar? Give
my love to her. Tell Charles I should be highly delighted to see the scratch of his pen, if
he has not forgotten how to use it. We are snugly settled down here and I hope will
remain here for a while. O[ssian] thinks he has a fair prospect of doing well, has met
with many warm friends who all do everything to throw business in his way. I do not
like the place so well as some others I have seen, neither[r] is the society so pleasant as it
might be, but it is of but little consequence to me for I have a plenty to do at home and
care but little for society. There are a few ladies who have sought my acquaintance and
are very pleasant good people, the balance are a class I do not want to have anything to
do with. Vice and immorality and licentiousness is looked upon by some who are heads
of families as no crime and are guilty themselves of many indiscriminate acts. The
climate does not agree so well with my health as it did at Indian River. I have had several
attacks of ulcerated sore throat since I have been here, and the last which was about a
month ago was very severe, more so than any I have had before, it commenced feeling
sore about 2 o'clock in the afternoon and at sundown when Ossian came home from his
office he found me with a very hot fever and my throat in a high state of inflam[m]ation,
it was very painful that night and the next and then formed into ulcers about the size of a
shilling first on one gland and then on the other. I was sick about a week before they
healed, used salt and water and brandy and salt and blistered my neck. I have had this
sore throat every since I left home more or less, but never so bad as the last attack.
Ossian has enjoyed excellent health during the summer and is growing quite fleshy and is









the same kind affectionate devoted husband he was the first week we were married. I can
see not change in him his kindness and affection fully compensates for the loss of home
kindred fr[i]ends and makes me feel contented and happy here upon this desert rock. I
hope I may be thankful for this one great blessing. Ossian wishes to write a few lines. I
must close fore [sic] the present in Oby's letter I will give you a more] particular
description of the manner in which we are obliged to live. Kiss Charlotte for me she
must not forget her sister. I hope my dear Parents you are in good health and enjoying all
the comforts of this life. Remember to all who enquire after me and except [accept] this
from

Your affectionate Daughter
Catharine S. Hart


I wish I could keep Kate from calling her brother Obey, he is not a child now, but a man
and is entitled to his proper name. We ought to change our language with increasing
years to suit the progress of more mature minds. Kate is considerably nettled about the
female part of society here well it is pretty much as she says. The richest woman in town
is from the lowest origin & has the meanest & lowest kin, but she gives excellent dinners
& splendid parties & as she takes care never to invite her kin she succe[e]ds in getting
many of the good people to associate with her. She has been known to say that marked
distinction ought to be made between the rich & poor, the poor ought not to be noticed by
the rich. Kate heard this it created the most sovereign contempt. She never called on
Kate and that made the matter worse & now Kate loves her too well to ever be known to
say a good word of her. There are some others here pretty much the same, however Kate
has a few select, intelligent, & respectable friends, whom she values, and with whose
society she seems to be satisfied.

We have done better since we came here than we had every right to expect, true we met
with difficulties & opposition & even attempts at persecution, but this was to be
expected, and we are now gradually shaking it all off & the prospect brightens but this
may fade. The result is that we have almost made all our expenses & considering the
met, the efforts made to discourage us, our sickness & all, we have been somewhat
fortunate. Some few important successes in Court have changed everyone's department
[?] in a wonderful manner. My respects to Joseph & Charles, to all hands, and Smith
Morris.

Yours Affectionately,
Ossian B. Hart.

P.S.
I have been promoted to Vice President of our Temperance Society, and must shortly
render up an account of my stewardship as corresponding Sects. Should be glad if you
could make it convenient to forward the music books, & lecture Books, &c [etcetera].
The Journal of the Am. Tem. Union, The Spirit of the Age & the Temperance Advocate-
came promptly -but But [sic] the New England Washingtonian the paper from Columbia









So. Ca. and the Boston Temperance Standard- have never yet arrived. Some of your
society have lately formed a division of the Sons of Temperance. I am not one- wish to
understand the "modus operandi" a little better first. Will you be so kind as to let us hear
from you often? I am sorry to put you to so much trouble about the business of our Tem.
Society when I might have imposed it on another gentleman who was recommended to
me by our President. I'll be a good boy in future.

Your Truly
Ossian

PAGE 1

Key West August 29, 1847 My dear Parents I feel happy to have it in my power to ac knowledge once more the re ceipt of a letter from home. Six month[s] I have been anxiously looking and wondering that I did not hear from you untill [ sic ] at last I gave up expect ing and concluded you where [ sic ] all to[o] much engaged to answer my letters of [ sic ] think of me. But now that you have made one grand effort and a letter has arrived I must give you credit for it and endeavour [ sic ] to duly appreciate its arrival. I can assure you one and all I do appreciate it, and feel those good old feellings [ sic ] reviveing [ sic ] again, and think how much I should like to see you all and the dear old home where I was born and raisid [raised] where my earliest ideas was formed and my fondest recol[l]ections linger, and I am not alone in the enjoyment of a letter from home. Ossian is always as much delighted as I am and is just as anxious to see you all. I am very glad that Emma feels the importance of a good education and hope sh e will persevere in her endeavours [ sic ] to obtain one. I wish she would write me a good lo ng letter and tell me all about her school and her studies. CuriasÂ’s [?] le tter I have not received yet su ppose I shall get it next mail. I am glad to hear that Oby is so near home. I shall wright [ sic ] to him this mail. I hope he will not be lead in to the snares and te m[p]tations laid for young men in the city of N.Y. and I hope he will be particular in his associates of both sexes and let his companions be such as will improve himself a nd do honor to his family. I hope if he ever marries he will do better than Lewis did. Pa did not say one word about Aunt ElminaÂ’s health or any of the family. When you write again let me know how they all are, give my love to all of them, tell Cate she must write to me. And how is Grandma Congar? Give my love to her. Tell Charles I should be hi ghly delighted to see the scratch of his pen, if he has not forgotten how to use it. We ar e snugly settled down here and I hope will remain here for a while. O[ssian] thinks he has a fair prospect of doing well, has met with many warm friends who all do everythi ng to throw business in his way. I do not like the place so well as some others I have se en, neither[r] is the society so pleasant as it might be, but it is of but little consequence to me for I have a plenty to do at home and care but little for society. There are a fe w ladies who have sought my acquaintance and are very pleasant good people, the balance are a class I do not want to have anything to do with. Vice and immorality and licentious ness is looked upon by some who are heads of families as no crime and are guilty themselves of many indiscriminate acts. The climate does not agree so well with my health as it did at Indian River. I have had several attacks of ulcerated sore thro at since I have been here, a nd the last which was about a month ago was very severe, more so than a ny I have had before, it commenced feeling sore about 2 oÂ’clock in the afternoon and at sundown when Ossian came home from his office he found me with a very hot fever and my throat in a high st ate of inflam[m]ation, it was very painful that night a nd the next and then formed in to ulcers about the size of a shilling first on one gland and then on the othe r. I was sick about a week before they healed, used salt and water and brandy and salt and blistered my neck. I have had this sore throat every since I left home more or less, but never so bad as the last attack. Ossian has enjoyed excellent health during th e summer and is growing quite fleshy and is

PAGE 2

the same kind affectionate devoted husband he was the first week we were married. I can see not change in him his kindness and affec tion fully compensates for the loss of home kindred fr[i]ends and makes me feel conten ted and happy here upon th is desert rock. I hope I may be thankful for this one great blessi ng. Ossian wishes to write a few lines. I must close fore [ sic ] the present in Oby’s letter I w ill give you a mor[e] particular description of the manner in which we are obliged to live. Kiss Charlotte for me she must not forget her sister. I hope my dear Parents you are in good health and enjoying all the comforts of this life. Remember to a ll who enquire after me and except [accept] this from Your affectionate Daughter Catharine S. Hart I wish I could keep Kate from calling her brot her Obey, he is not a child now, but a man and is entitled to his proper name. We ought to change our language with increasing years to suit the progress of more mature mi nds. Kate is considerably nettled about the female part of society here we ll it is pretty much as she says The richest woman in town is from the lowest origin & has the meanest & lowest kin, but she gives excellent dinners & splendid parties & as she ta kes care never to invite her kin she succe[e]ds in getting many of the good people to associate with her. She has been known to say that marked distinction ought to be made between the ri ch & poor, the poor ought not to be noticed by the rich. Kate heard this it created the mo st sovereign contempt. She never called on Kate and that made the matter worse & now Ka te loves her too well to ever be known to say a good word of her. There are some others here pretty much the same, however Kate has a few select, intelligent, & respectable friends, whom she values, and with whose society she seems to be satisfied. We have done better since we came here than we had every right to expect, true we met with difficulties & opposition & even attemp ts at persecution, but this was to be expected, and we are now gradua lly shaking it all off & the prospect brightens but this may fade. The result is that we have almo st made all our expens es & considering the met, the efforts made to discourage us, our sickness & all, we have been somewhat fortunate. Some few important successes in Court have changed everyone’s department [?] in a wonderful manner. My respects to Joseph & Charles, to all hands, and Smith Morris. Yours Affectionately, Ossian B. Hart. P.S. I have been promoted to Vice President of our Temperance Societ y, and must shortly render up an account of my st ewardship as corresponding Sects. Should be glad if you could make it convenient to forward the mu sic books, & lecture Books, &c [etcetera]. The Journal of the Am. Tem. Union, The Spir it of the Age & the Temperance Advocatecame promptly –but But [ sic ] the New England Washingtonian the paper from Columbia

PAGE 3

So. Ca. and the Boston Temperance Standardhave never yet arrived. Some of your society have lately formed a division of the Sons of Temperance. I am not onewish to understand the “modus operandi” a little better firs t. Will you be so kind as to let us hear from you often? I am sorry to put you to so much trouble about the business of our Tem. Society when I might have imposed it on a nother gentleman who was recommended to me by our President. I’ll be a good boy in future. Your Truly Ossian