1859

Mary Burt writes to her father and step-mother, Dennis Chapin and Lucinda Dorcas (McNeil) Chapin after nearly a year of no written communication, which Mary says is due to a combination of a lack of writing supplies and various illnesses. She feels guilty about this, and is undoubtedly suffering emotionally from running the homestead and tending to the boarders on her own in addition to raising her children.

Quickly, Mary moves on to news of the marriage of Elizabeth Burt and Mr. Johns. She also covers the visit of Welling Burt (her father-in-law), and the death of Samuel Denman, presumably a family friend. Finally, Mary includes a short note from her daughter Lizzie, which asks about the name of Marcia’s son.