NRA-L-000029 / 1826
Letter from Tabitha Devereux to Joseph Story, 1826-09-14
English family correspondence from Tabitha Devereux in Johnston, Rhode Island, to her half-brother Joseph Story in Salem, Massachusetts, dated 14 September 1826. The letter concerns claims to property inherited through Tabitha's mother, Ruth Ruddock, probate accounts, and land associated with the Ruddock heirs near Copp's Hill in Boston. The folded address panel bears a Providence postmark dated 18 September.
Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000029
Transcript and readable English text
working scholarly aid
Address Panel
Original transcript
Honble Joseph Story.
Salem.
Address Panel
Readable English text
The Honorable Joseph Story
Salem
Letter Text - Page 1
Original transcript
Johnston September 14, 1826
Brother I taken the Liberty to write these
Lines to you to inform you when I Arived in
Boston that I was told that theire was a peace of
Land Belongin to the Ruddock Ears Back of
Copes Hill & that the Ears is to Cum & Lay theire
Clames Or the town will take it I want you
to Sea a Bout it for I think Now it is time that
I had Sumthing of my mothers Property Out of
All that my father had I ask not for any thing
That Was my fathers but for my mothers & my
father had my mothers Share and this is £ 950.0.0
And then [Dreaws?] a third more for his Expences
This is Abiel Ruddock & theire is 4 Shears Unsold
And Unpaid wich is 1385. 14. 6. by the Ballance
of John Ruddock Esq. Now Brother Ware is it all
That not One of four Children has One Cent of it &
Now that they had a mother Share you in my place
Would you Rested tell this day No you would not
I Apeal to your Consince was theire Ever so
much Ungustis done before when my Sister and
my Self went to Get that a mount that Lays On the
Probat Book to this day 927. 6. if you Can doe
Justis for Others I wish for Justis done for me
You Cum to this State to doe Justis for Others &
Me not for One of your One family Sprang from
The Same father you did and if that my father had
Not have had that property in his hands you Could
Not have bean Edecucated as you ware No more
Then the Rest of my Brothers you told me & my
Sister Roda that your father Ronge his Children
Letter Text - Page 1
Readable English text
Johnston, September 14, 1826
Brother, I take the liberty to write these lines to you to inform you that, when I arrived in Boston, I was told that there was a piece of land belonging to the Ruddock heirs behind Copp's Hill, and that the heirs are to come and lay their claims or the town will take it. I want you to see about it, for I think now it is time that I had something of my mother's property out of all that my father had. I ask not for anything that was my father's, but for my mother's; and my father had my mother's share, and this is £950.0.0. And then [draws?] a third more for his expenses. This is Abiel Ruddock, and there are four shares unsold and unpaid, which is £1385.14.6 by the balance of John Ruddock Esq.
Now, Brother, where is it all, that not one of four children has one cent of it? And now that they had a mother's share, would you, in my place, have rested till this day? No, you would not. I appeal to your conscience: was there ever so much injustice done before? When my sister and myself went to get that amount that lies on the probate book to this day, £927.6, if you can do justice for others, I wish for justice done for me. You come to this state to do justice for others, and not for me, one of your own family, sprung from the same father as you. And if my father had not had that property in his hands, you could not have been educated as you were, any more than the rest of my brothers. You told me and my sister Rhoda that your father wronged his children
Letter Text - Page 2
Original transcript
by not Chargen Us Children with Bord if
their was Nothing how Could he Charge
No he Never Ronge you any of your Part
Hee has Ronge Us for you for you have it
All O Cruel father to take from them that it
Belong to & Give to them it did not belong
To I have it all in Black & wite and the
Last a Count that my father Rendend in
the yr 1793. and there he Left to the Ears
£829.2=3 from his One a Count and their
has bean no a Count Seteld Sence then
And that is 33 years So that it is not Out
Lawd as you tryd to make me beleave if
that all the Rest of them had what Belong to
them weare is Ourn O Brother I a Peale
To heaven as my Witnes that Great Ungustis
has bean done me & Now I must Raise a
Louder Cry to heven for Justis my hevenly
father Says that Vengences is mine and I
Will Repay he has bean my father Eversence
My Mother for Suke me he has bean my
Procter Preserver and Benefator and I hav[e]
got Trust him to Doe all things for me
for with Out him I Can not doe any thing
Brother you Go from place to place to doe
Justis & Now I Cry for it from you &
from heaven for God shews the Way to take
His Eije is Upon me Now & may he add his
Blessin to it and if that you Dont incline
To Sea in to it for me I must
Letter Text - Page 2
Readable English text
by not charging us children with board. If there was nothing, how could he charge? No, he never wronged you of any of your part. He has wronged us for you, for you have it all. O cruel father, to take from those to whom it belonged and give it to those to whom it did not belong. I have it all in black and white, and the last account that my father rendered in the year 1793; and there he left to the heirs £829.2.3 from his own account, and there has been no account settled since then. And that is thirty-three years, so that it is not outlawed, as you tried to make me believe. If all the rest of them had what belonged to them, where is ours?
O Brother, I appeal to heaven as my witness that great injustice has been done me, and now I must raise a louder cry to heaven for justice. My heavenly Father says that vengeance is mine and I will repay. He has been my Father ever since my mother forsook me. He has been my protector, preserver and benefactor, and I have got to trust Him to do all things for me, for without Him I cannot do anything. Brother, you go from place to place to do justice, and now I cry for it from you and from heaven, for God shows the way to take. His eye is upon me now, and may He add His blessing to it; and if you do not incline to see into it for me, I must
Letter Text - Page 3
Original transcript
Expose it to the World God Streanthen me
I Can doe all things for all power is in
His hands and none Can Pluck them from
Him he Can Cill and he Can make a Live
And him that is Excoalted he Can make Low
And him that is Low he Can Exuolt and None
That Ever put their trust in him Nead be
Afraid for he says I will be with you to
The World End Brother you have Given me
mony from time to time I have felt Every thankfull
for it I have it all minited down and if that
it is Ever in my power I will pay it But
When you Gave it me you sayd that it was a
free Gift Brother Look at this Letter and at
things and sea if I ant Reason to Cry for Justis
Place your Self in my place and then you Sea
How it is I Shall not Rest tell I Sea Ware I
Can have Something Or Nothing it is with
You to Doe it you may think hard of me I Can
think harder of you for you Noe more then I doe
The time the town has Required and the Ears
Can have it by payen the Expences Cusin Ruddo[ck]
Can have it by pain the Expences and pain the Rest
of the Ears if he wishes & it is you that have deprived
me of my All
I hope Sister Haret is Better and your family is well
& all the Rest of Broth & Sister We are all Better
Then we have bean for this Season
I Remain your Sister Tell Death
Tabitha Devereux
Notes
The writer's phonetic spelling, capitalization and lineation are preserved. The overlapping photographs have been merged into three physical pages without repeating text. The single bracketed reading [Dreaws?] remains uncertain.
Letter Text - Page 3
Readable English text
expose it to the world. God strengthen me. I can do all things, for all power is in His hands and none can pluck them from Him. He can kill and He can make alive; and him that is exalted He can make low, and him that is low He can exalt. And none who ever put their trust in Him need be afraid, for He says, I will be with you to the world's end.
Brother, you have given me money from time to time. I have felt ever thankful for it. I have it all minuted down, and if it is ever in my power I will pay it. But when you gave it me, you said that it was a free gift. Brother, look at this letter and at things and see if I have not reason to cry for justice. Place yourself in my place, and then you see how it is. I shall not rest till I see whether I can have something or nothing. It is with you to do it. You may think hard of me; I can think harder of you, for you know more than I do. The time the town has required, and the heirs can have it by paying the expenses. Cousin Ruddock can have it by paying the expenses and paying the rest of the heirs if he wishes, and it is you that have deprived me of my all.
I hope Sister Harriet is better and your family is well, and all the rest of the brothers and sisters. We are all better than we have been for this season.
I remain your sister till death,
Tabitha Devereux
Notes
Because the manuscript is already in English, this is a modernized English reading rather than a translation. Spelling and punctuation are regularized without changing the writer's meaning.
Discovery Terms
- Historical correspondence
- Family correspondence
- Inheritance claims
- Probate accounts
- Women's property rights
- Family justice
- Religious rhetoric
- Ruddock family
- Joseph Story
- English language