The Andrew Wylie Family Letters - Indiana University Bloomington

1855
Anderson M. Wylie to Jane M. Wylie, Bloomington, Indiana
92 S. 11 th St Philadelphia
January 6th 1855
My dear Sister,
Your last I received in due time & sit down to write you the first regular letter of this year.
How amazingly time to me seems to fly! From my heart do I wish you, mother, Redick & all a
happy & blessed New Year; and in the Providence of God may it be so.
I thank you too dear sister for your overplus of letters, which I confess I do not deserve, but hope
you will not fail to consider the circumstances in which I am placed. You need make no apology
for writing for I will not object though you should write every day. You need not be surprised
when I tell you I returned on Tuesday night from a visit to N.Y. which I enjoyed very much
though in a quiet way for such a city. When there last summer DrMcElroy made me promise to
come on & spend the holidays with him. I went on Sat. morning Dec 23rd & remained 11 days.
It is a great recreation from employment. I had some little business to attend to which may turn
out favorably. I was received with marked kindness by the Dr & his family, of which it is hard
to keep the account for his present wife is the fourth & was a rich widow of his con[gregation]
& relinquished over $4000 a year to marry him. His own daughters are married & his son is
studying Law in Worsester Mass. The most promising son died 3 years since. His present
wife is a perfect lady & understands true hospitality for she strives to make every one feel at
home. Her sister & mother live with them, & there are two daughters at home both of whom
are quite interesting. The Dr’s new Church is in a fine part of the city, in 14th St between 5 &
6th Avenues. The church is a chaste & beautiful edifice with brown stone front. Dr McElroy
desires particularly to be remembered to mother. He loved to recur to old times, & dwell on
dear Father’s character & life. On last Sunday mor. he preached a most eloquent sermon to his
congregation, and during the sermon there was scarcely an eye that did not shed tears. That day
31 years ago he preached his first sermon to that people & during that time near 1600 had been
added under his ministry. He is much beloved, regarded as an able man and is much known
over the city. Mrs McLeod was almost offended at my not going there to stay. The N.Y. people
are very different generally from those of Philad’ & it is like going into a different nation. The
time was mostly occupied in visiting from which it is impossible to refrain. I visited some of the
finest paintings in this country. The most celebrated are those of the Dusseldorf Gallery which
are all gems & numbering 200. I wish I had time to give you a description. Lockhart’s painting
of the Last Judgment is of eloquent expression & of much celebri ty. You may form some idea
of the size from its being 17 1/2 by 27 feet. Truly when I am in N.Y. there is so much to see &
learn that days pass like hours. Whilst there I became acquainted with Dr Tyng whose son is my
rector. Dr T- is regarded as the most eloquent & able extemporaneous speaker in the country,
& has the largest church, which can seat 2500 persons & in all the depart ments of the S.S. has
1500 children. The organ has I believe 60 stops & 6000 pipes & cost $12,000. He is a very
low Churchman. I went to hear Henry Ward Beecher but was disappointed in hearing him. If
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Miss Poor or May Rolsten are in or about N.Y. I wish you would let me know. Staying at Dr’s
was Miss Mary Lee who is a daughter of an old friend of Father’s. I missed seeing Mr Lee by
being out when he called. Miss Lee is a very superior young girl and her father has retired from
business & lives in the country. The old custom of calling on N. Year’s day is still kept up with
much spirit. During the day & evening I made a number of calls and met with some old friends
of Father’s from Pittsburg & Wash ington. I was drawn into Dr Parker’s family by Mr Crittenden
who has taken quite a leaning towards me. Mr C. is brother to the one who travelled with me, is
author of the bookkeeping of his name, is now studying Theology in N.Y. & is engaged to Dr P’s
daughter who is remarkably accomplished, and sings almost as well as Sontag. There is being
built a large fine Ch. for Dr Parker in 4th Avenue. It seems my fortune to get in minister’s families.
Mr C- wants me to go on in May as groomsman.
I saw Mr Leeds & Dr Wright when there. Yesterday I received a few lines from Dr
W- which were copied from a letter from bro. John to Dr Hibberd. He arrived in safety at the
Sandwich Is lands; is much improved in health, & much pleased with the cli mate & says the
expenses are those of California. May our prayer be that God will grant an abundant blessing
upon him & restore him once more to his friends & home in health and strength. I wanted much
to write to John today but am anxious to hear from Liz before writing, she writes but seldom & I
have not received a letter from Irene or Andrew for about 10 mo. or a year. What I have done I do
not know but I have honestly endeavored to dis charge my duty. Give my love to Mother Redick
Mary & family & all friends.
Your affectionate bro.
Anderson M. Wylie
I have a great propensity--I desire to write long letters after I once begin, but I positively must
desist for I have not time, so you will excuse me from writing such long letters as I used to do. I
believe I mentioned in my last how I am situated. I still continue as before & may even take more
teaching as I have been urged to, and may I say it some do not like to have anyone else besides
me.
Mrs Shubrick, widow of the Comodore is boarding now at Mrs R’s and treats me almost
like a Son. I met her two years since & she has now broken up house keeping having with her but
an only daughter.
Do write soon and be a newspaper to me by telling me all the occurrences. Remember me
also to Prof. Read Dr Daily & Prof. Campbell when you see them.
Will Lethermen has gone over to Baltimore & has not yet returned. Jack L. has written home
long accounts of his expedition beyond Santa Fe. Theodore Jr is expected to return here before
long. I am afraid to venture my taste in regard to Toody tell sister Mary, & say for me there is
none prettier than her own. You mispell umbrella.
I believe did not tell you I lost that fine pencil in N.Y. and can’t account for it for I went to the
house where I was sure I had left it--but could not find it.
Abigail Ritchie to Elizabeth Wylie, Wheeling, Virginia
San Francisco. March 30 th 1855--
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