The images in this post are scans of an 1831 letter written by Robert Lord Sargent from Mobile Alabama to his son Winthrop Sargent in Monroe, Maine. The scans are provided through the generosity of the Penobscot Marine Museum and are posted with permission. Many thanks to Niles Parker for his assistance in obtaining the scan. The transcript of the letter is provided with the encouragement that the reader look at the scans of the original documents. The transcript is broken according to the line breaks in the original document. The images can be enlarged by double-clicking on the them.
TO WINTHROP SARGENT
Winthrop Sargent
Monroe, Me.
State of Maine
Robert L. Sargent
1831 Letter Page 1
above and below
Mobile March 18th 1831
Dear Wife and Children I am still alive
through the mercy of God in Jesus Christ
Am in good health am at work for a mr. ____
Bebe __ Clark at one Dollar and fifty cents
per Day and Vitaels & Drink. I bear you on my mind very
much waking and sleeping i often dream
of being presant with you and discribing
the country I have pased through but my
mind is more intent on the Scriptures.
Theay impress me with thear truths more
and more every day. I feel thankfull to the
Father of all our mercys for preserving
my life so long and giving me grace to beleve
on my Saviour. My Dear Relations one and
All, I am concerned about your health
and how you make out for your Dayly
Bread /which is sure /if you fear God/ But more
for your precious souls. It has pained my heart
for fear any of you should live in Sin
And fail of the Grace of God when my
mind is led out to the Lord in prayer.
I have bin imprest for you with a most
tender affection of Soul that the Lord
would Call you all by his Grace and
give you to feel your need of a Savour
by your acknoledgin your Sins and no
longer neglecting to call on his Name
And remember me when you have
access to God’s throne through Jesus Christ.
When we shall meet together again, none
Knows but the LORD.
Robert L. Sargent
1831 Letter Page 2
above and below
Page 2
If you wish to see me, your father Remember
you must Ask leave of GOD. But let us be
contented(?) we shall Se and know one another
in a nother State of of Existence where my
hopes and wishes will be fully satisfyd forever.
I have to work hard for an old man but
I see it is good to learn obedence by the
things wich I suffer. I want you to conform
your Selvs to your preasant conditions And
be shure not to murmer or complain of your
Lot. But have faith in God. He will bring
all our ________ to a happy Ishue. Let not sin
Reighn in your mortial Body but Serve the Lord.
My Dear lovs(?) I have not exprest the love
and hope that is in my Brest. You must give(?)
what your freind(?) has gone through
In my mind, although I have feed at the rich-
ist tabils (sic) and Do Still Live on the best
And have not any temtations to sin.
I have a Bass Voil for Moses and a
new gun for Noah and a complet
set of tools for Johnson and a brass pistol
I have not Cash Enough to Come home
as i whant to. i have a mind to go
out to Texes 500 miles to the west
in the provence of Mexico i need some
of their Spainis dollars. I intend to
come home by the way of long Island
and see Johnson Chaise and Visit Block
Island. If the Lord will. I shall see
you again
Robert L. Sargent
1831 Letter Page 3
above and below
Page 3
Pray for me be kind to your mother.
I send my love to hir and you all tell
Mr. Alline(?) and all I owe I have plans(?) to come
home able to pay them of before i Die. I have
good meetings and have pleasant weather.
This 15 day of march I have worked 15 days
on rail ways to take up ships. i am
Very Comfortable Except when i
think about you. You must
do as well as you can.
I leve you all in the hands
of God praying him to preserve(?)
you all in Jesus Christ and
call you by his Grace. Dear
Children, live in love and peace
& the God of Peace will bless you.
I long to see you all and hear
from you. If you Send me a
letter to Mobile I think i can
get it. I would have you write
as soon as you git this and fail
not to let me know how you all
Do. I remain your loving father
until Death.
Robt L. Sargent
The original copy of this letter is on file at the Penobscot Marine Museum in the Sargent file at the Stephen Phillips Memorial Library, which is open by appointment. The scans of this letter are posted with the permission and generosity of the Penobscot Marine Museum.
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