Travis Mills Dec^r 1^st 1805
My dear Cousin
I am ashamed when I look at
the date of your letter to find I have been so negligenct in
not replying to it sooner, but indeed the only excuse I can
make is not having any thing worth your perusal, tell
your Grandmother Spear she will begin to think me a
Lazy Correspondent as I don’t feelt o have the same taste
I have had for writing, but I shall exert myself as much
as I can as it is one of my greatest pleasures hearing
from my Friends and if I neglect I cannot expect to be
indulged, your kind remembrance I received by M^rs Griffiths
for which I shall Vallue for the {?Bouker} I have had it on
& shall wear it for the Workers sake, I am glad to hear
you have got Miss Kirkpatrick back a little Assistance
will be very Comfortable and I hope serviceable to you all
I am glad to hear my Aunt keeps so well she ust not
be too Venturesome in walking tell her she will not be
able to Visit Travis Mills in the spring if she does,
[new page]
I hope you will be able to come and see Betsy before she goes
To school as I think her Father will not like to part with
Her it will be a great sacrifice but I hope it will be for
Her good, as it is now time for her improvements your
Uncle was much pleased with the Lady & the Sittuation
Thomas & Jonathan are both very well they come
In every Night to play a Rubber before Supper with
your Uncle, young Rosious has been in Manchester a
fortnight he has been well received your Cousin T has been
twice, his benefit is tomorrow Night, I hope I can give
a good Account of my Father he keeps tolerable he goes
to the Warehouse each day in the Morn^g, his Cough
is sometimes troublesome but we must expect infirmities
at 80 years of age, give my love to your Father tell
him we had a letter from Mr Alty on Thursday
saying he would [deleted] wait upon them on Friday
next with the Lease, if Mr N could make it convenient
to be with us on that day it would give my Father
great pleasure, Mr Duckworth is to be here, & we hope
[deleted] {^Mr N} will take a Bed with us as it is Winter if he comes.
I had a letter from Rotherham the last week they was all
very well desired their love to all friends.
[new page]
we have been changing servants which is unpleasant
we have had a Wedding last Sunday Nanny that had
been with us 4 years to the Carter I hope she has done
well we have had a delightful Winter to day is rather
wett, we have this week finished with the Workmen
which is very Comfortable thing, we was at the Chapel
this Morn^g there was a very slender Congregation
being wet and our situation being dank I am oblig^d to putt
on my spectacles in every other respect is a Comfortable
seat, we have had little variety this last Month
and I have kept close house I hope it will be some excuse
for this dully letter, must not forget to tell you [damaged]
Uncle talks of visiting Mr Vandries the next summer [damaged]
he is able as he was pleased with the scenery & I shall
have no objection as it gives us an Opportunity of seeing
your friends, & also visiting them, Please to give my kind
love to your Grandmother, Father Brothers & Sisters
and Accept of the Sincere regards of your Affectionate
Cousin H Hatfield
PS my Father desires me
To inform Mr N if he can make
it convenient to come over he
should be glad to see him on Thursday
as it is uncertain what time on
Friday Mr Alty may be here.
[new page]
[change hand] Travis Isle Dec^r 1^st 180₅
H Hatfield to M A N
Rec^d 4 Dec^r
Ans^{d Decr 12th 1805}

Travis Mills Dec^r 1^st 1805
My dear Cousin
I am ashamed when I look at
the date of your letter to find I have been so negligenct in
not replying to it sooner, but indeed the only excuse I can
make is not having any thing worth your perusal, tell
your Grandmother Spear she will begin to think me a
Lazy Correspondent as I don’t feelt o have the same taste
I have had for writing, but I shall exert myself as much
as I can as it is one of my greatest pleasures hearing
from my Friends and if I neglect I cannot expect to be
indulged, your kind remembrance I received by M^rs Griffiths
for which I shall Vallue for the {?Bouker} I have had it on
& shall wear it for the Workers sake, I am glad to hear
you have got Miss Kirkpatrick back a little Assistance
will be very Comfortable and I hope serviceable to you all
I am glad to hear my Aunt keeps so well she ust not
be too Venturesome in walking tell her she will not be
able to Visit Travis Mills in the spring if she does,
[new page]
I hope you will be able to come and see Betsy before she goes
To school as I think her Father will not like to part with
Her it will be a great sacrifice but I hope it will be for
Her good, as it is now time for her improvements your
Uncle was much pleased with the Lady & the Sittuation
Thomas & Jonathan are both very well they come
In every Night to play a Rubber before Supper with
your Uncle, young Rosious has been in Manchester a
fortnight he has been well received your Cousin T has been
twice, his benefit is tomorrow Night, I hope I can give
a good Account of my Father he keeps tolerable he goes
to the Warehouse each day in the Morn^g, his Cough
is sometimes troublesome but we must expect infirmities
at 80 years of age, give my love to your Father tell
him we had a letter from Mr Alty on Thursday
saying he would [deleted] wait upon them on Friday
next with the Lease, if Mr N could make it convenient
to be with us on that day it would give my Father
great pleasure, Mr Duckworth is to be here, & we hope
[deleted] {^Mr N} will take a Bed with us as it is Winter if he comes.
I had a letter from Rotherham the last week they was all
very well desired their love to all friends.
[new page]
we have been changing servants which is unpleasant
we have had a Wedding last Sunday Nanny that had
been with us 4 years to the Carter I hope she has done
well we have had a delightful Winter to day is rather
wett, we have this week finished with the Workmen
which is very Comfortable thing, we was at the Chapel
this Morn^g there was a very slender Congregation
being wet and our situation being dank I am oblig^d to putt
on my spectacles in every other respect is a Comfortable
seat, we have had little variety this last Month
and I have kept close house I hope it will be some excuse
for this dully letter, must not forget to tell you [damaged]
Uncle talks of visiting Mr Vandries the next summer [damaged]
he is able as he was pleased with the scenery & I shall
have no objection as it gives us an Opportunity of seeing
your friends, & also visiting them, Please to give my kind
love to your Grandmother, Father Brothers & Sisters
and Accept of the Sincere regards of your Affectionate
Cousin H Hatfield
PS my Father desires me
To inform Mr N if he can make
it convenient to come over he
should be glad to see him on Thursday
as it is uncertain what time on
Friday Mr Alty may be here.
[new page]
[change hand] Travis Isle Dec^r 1^st 180₅
H Hatfield to M A N
Rec^d 4 Dec^r
Ans^{d Decr 12th 1805}