Martha Osborne Barrett

Martha Osborne Barrett's Diary
Danvers, Sunday, February 9, 1848 - Attended morning services at the Congregational Church.. Afternoon attended the Baptist to listen to the farewell sermon of their minister.

Sunday, August 27, 1848 – A beautiful day. Attended Bible Class.  The subject of the lesson was the 2^nd chapter of Exodus.  Attended the Congregational Church at the morning session….Evening attended the temperance lecture.

Wednesday, September 6, 1848 – The day of the Jubilee.  Cool and pleasant, was at the Hall at 9 o’clock.  Joined a procession and walked to the Methodist Church.  Listened to a very interesting address from the Hon. Horace Mann, the subject the motives which should govern teachers.  After partaking of the refreshments again listened to addresses from Gov. Briggs, Mr. Mann, Mr. Hooker and other members of the board.  In the evening met again at the hall and spent the time in literary and social pleasures.  The day has passed off very pleasantly and the services have been exceedingly interesting.


Letter to Moses Cartland, Walnut Grove, Lee, New Hampshire from Martha Osborne Barrett, Danvers,  December 3. 1848 - Cousin Moses,  Once again at my home, and having an opportunity to send directly to “Walnut Grove” I could not let it pass without writing you a few words, though they may be hasty ones.  I intended to have written you while at Westfield but my time being pretty fully occupied as a school girl's ought to be – when I have little leisure I neglected my correspondence more than I should have done.  I thought you would be interested in your old pupil Mattie and in her endeavor to improve her mind which you have done so very, very much for.  More than any other person can.  For you awoke many a thought that would else have slumbered there perhaps forever.  You improved my taste for the beautiful, the true and gave me the desire to cultivate that immortal part of my nature which I think our creator intended should be forever progressing in knowledge.  Yes Moses to you I feel that I owe very much and do not think I can ever be sufficiently grateful.
      I have liked very much at Westfield.  Had a very pleasant school, numbering ….
      Well cousin Moses, the great political battle is over and the American people have chosen the wholesale murderers and slave owners to rule over them.  Strange that the spirit of Slavery should so long triumph over Liberty.  But I hope this is her last triumph and that the seed now sown by the noble “freesoilers” will ere the inept presidential elections that have sprung up all over the land and the fruit will be the redemption of our lived but guilty nation.  I have been away from the strife in the quiet and heard only occasionally what was going on in the reform movements of any kind but I have not lost my interest in them and I do believe had I been in the midst of the war I should - despite my professed Garrisonianism – have cheered on the free soil movement with my whole soul.  For I do think it a grand and noble stand that many of the leaders have taken.  I wish it had had as good success everywhere as it has in our own town.  She is going to send two free soil representatives to the legislature.  I almost feel proud of old Danvers.  But I am getting more engaged in the subject than I intended.  You will excuse it I know, you are so much interested in it your self.
      Have you a pleasant school this winter?  I cannot imagine how you are as easily as when you were at dear old Clinton – that spot where my memory will ever love to linger – but then you are unchanged and I sometime think I hear you uttering truths to you classes as was your word when we were clustered around you, a happy listening band.  How I should love to have visited you during my vacation and seen your new school room and all the improvements, but it is so short.  I have had no time to visit any of my friends those directly around my home.  I was so disappointed in not seeing you when you was in D— last summer.  I had anticipated such a pleasant time with you and then to have to leave town before you came, it was too bad,  but I could not help it and hope I shall see you again sometime.  I was very much pleased to see Mary and little “sis”.  I wish I could see her often so she might remember me.  Are her eyes as bright and sparkling as then?  Can she talk yet?
      Some boys are to start for Lee tomorrow morning by whom I shall send this note. It seems Danvers is going to send you her usual delegation.  She not forgets you though you have changed from Clinton Grove to Walnut Grove.  A pretty name you have now have not you?  But I never shall love it as well as old Clinton.
      I have a cousin with you Moses.  Welles S. Lovejoy.  I hope he will prove a diligent scholar though I suppose he is not at present far advanced.  I am very glad he had the desire to go to school.  He seems to wish to learn and improve himself very much.  He is a poor boy and has had to work hard to obtain the money to enable him to go to school, but I think such ones are more apt to succeed than those who do not have to struggle for themselves.  Don’t you?  I feel quite ??? in him and do hope he will do well.  Will you be kind enough to hand him the note I send with this?
…My love to Mary and little Carrie and also to the “bachelor brothers”, if they remember little Mattie.