Ohio History Journal

Life was hard and toilsome in the early years of Ohio statehood for those souls who left warm eastern firesides and crossed the Alleghenies into the new western land. In the first years of their settling, long hours of work and the necessities of bare existence left little time for correspondence with fam- ily and friends. The letters that have been preserved show the writers to be unusually literate for the time and place, and they take on added significance in view of their scarcity. An unusual correspondent during this period was the Quaker lady, Anna Briggs Bentley. Her voluminous collection of let- ters with family and friends in Sandy Springs, Maryland, gives a rare pic- ture from a woman's viewpoint of pioneer life of a family newly arrived on their homestead and of their struggle to make the virgin land bloom. Anna Briggs, daughter of Hannah Brooke and Isaac Briggs, was born in Sandy Springs, Montgomery County, Maryland in 1796. Her father was a prominent engineer and a member of the Sandy Springs Monthly Meeting (Society of Friends) . He travelled extensively as engineer and surveyor with particular interest in canals and western land. Except for a short sojourn in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1813-15, members of the family remained on the estate, "Sharon," which continued in the family's possession until its sale in 1910. Anna grew up with five sisters and two brothers, Isaac, Jr. and William Henry. Theirs was a tightly knit family circle drawn closer by their Quaker faith and the continual absence of their father. Anna was especially close to her sister Sarah, who in 1830 married James Pleasants Stabler, postmaster of Sandy Springs. Sarah and her husband moved into the great house at "Sharon" in 1837, and the sister remained there until her death in 1886. NOTES ON PAGE 71

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ANNA BRIGGS BENTLEY                                             39

 

In August 1812, Anna was married to Joseph E. Bentley of Sandy Springs,

and in the course of the next decade bore him six children named, Gran-

ville S., Franklin H., Maria, Thomas M., Hannah B., and Deborah R. While

the youngest was yet nursing, the father moved his family to Ohio. Early in

the year 1826 they set out by wagon and foot to cross the mountains, resting

nightly with Quaker families along the way. Mr. Bentley finally settled his

family near New Lisbon (now Lisbon), in Columbiana County, calling his

homestead "Green Hill." Here Anna continued the correspondence which

she had begun on the trail with her mother and sister Sarah. Her letters are

a charming mixture of family news, discourses on life in Ohio, and on the

Society of Friends. Soon after their arrival, the Bentley's church membership

was transferred to the Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting, Columbiana County,

and in 1828 to the New Garden Monthly Meeting in the same area, indi-

cating their intention to remain in their adopted state. Anna's social life

revolved around Meeting, as her family's did at home in Maryland.

The following is one of Anna's early letters, written in the homey style of

a busy pioneer housewife, telling of her experiences on the frontier of a

young and vigorous nation.1

The Cabin 8th Mo 17th 1826 [August 17]

5th day night² [Thursday]

My dear friends

This I expect will be forwarded by a private conveyance and save you the

postage for if I get time I could make it as lengthy a letter as [the last] one

I wrote to you.  This has been a most laborious week to me washing, bak-

ing, scouring, cooking & I have been constantly on my feet.  I feel very

tired now and look forward to tomorrow as a treat for I have a great pile of

patching to do that I can sit down to--and I have 4 and 1/2 loaves baked

and pies enough.  I have had many calls from neighbors since 1st day

[Sunday]  Susan Holland and her sister that I had not seen before, Cath-

erine, a fine interesting girl just recovered from a Salination for the liver

complaint, A. Miller (of Maurice), Levi's daughter Mary and neice Pru-

dence, and I dont know how many men 3 took supper last night  It is

customary here for neighbors to go out and help at what they call a logroll-

ing, that is rolling in long heaps with levers the largest size logs and then

piling on the brush and firing it  All their pay is to go home and take

supper with them

3rd day the 22nd [of August]

Well I get on slowly with my letter but you can have no idea of the

constant variety of engagements I have and I now know how to make al-

lowances for the poor black people who can not keep awake when they sit

down of an evening.  But I sometimes shead tears of thanksgiving when I

find how much I am made capable of doing cheerfully.   My beloved

mother, thy prayers have been heard--the hearts of strangers have indeed

seemed to be turned toward us in a manner wonderful to me, not in empty

professions but in real substantial acts of kindness  I will give some in-

stances  my cow in jumping a low fence tore open one of her teats the

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40                                                 OHIO HISTORY

 

whole length we could not milk her at night  In the morning I went

over to friend Millers (1/4 of a mile) for a little tallow to grease it and to

know what to do. Friend Miller was very busy but she immediately left all

and came through the dew to milk her, which she accomplished in spite of

her kicking, by making a kind of pew in a fence corner  One of the girls

came and milked her in the evening   Friend Miller says let them know

whenever I have more work to do than I can easily get through with and

some of them will come and help  They supply me with beans, potatoes,

cucumbers in abundance, also apples, and peaches, and roasting ears. This

is the way she talks [:] "now do send over for any vegetable an any thing

thee stands in need off thee must not be any ways backward with us more

than thy own people I know just how it is with you, new beginners have

all to buy till they can make for themselves and I want thee to feel welcome

and always at home here  I want our intercourse to ripen into a friendship,

not of a day but permanent. Come, that is thy hen and chickens I will have

them a rooster caught and sent over and I have a tub of soap for thee when

I can get it over." She was looking at the wool thee gave me mother, she

said, "I have just got some wool dyed black thee shall have half a lb of it

and I will bring it over and pick thine and mix it for thee and we will spin

it for thee."

Well this morning Sally Miller came over . . . she said to help me wash,

for "I know thee stands in need of help and I will be very willing to come

and help thee every week but I wont take pay." The tears gushed from my

eyes as I thanked the kind hearted girl (she is 16 years old). Last 1st day

morning they sent a . . . invitation for Joseph³ and me, Maria,⁴ and David

Henry⁵ to go over and spend the afternoon  We found a good deal of

company (they intentions as much as Brookgrove⁶) among them was two

fine girls from Mero Garden,⁷ 5 miles from here, Margaret and Hannah Griz-

zle and Eliza Golbraith  There was 18 in all  There is a sort of feeling

that dont suit my awkward diffidence to find myself an object of general at-

tention wherever I go and I feel more at ease with a few in a family circle

than in a crowd. In our own neighborhood where our insignificance was

known we were treated with no more regard than we merited by some (this

is no reflection  I cherish with grateful rememberance numberless acts of

kindness I know beyond my merits) but here they as yet all seem to be look-

ing up to us.  May it be a strong inducement to us to establish our char-

acters so as to keep the respect and affection of these dear kind people.

As our excellent friend Levi Miller was sitting with us one evening lately,

I was as I often before have done noticing some thing in the sound of his

voice so like fathers⁸  My eye happened to rest on his profile on the wall,

it was instantly rivitted there for it is as exactly like our fathers  I called

to Joseph just telling him to look  he and all the children were struck

with the likeness in an instant, before I mentioned it.

4th day night [August 23]

It is very late but I must take time to tell you I received early this morn-

ing a dear interesting letter from my precious sister Me9 with a few lines

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ANNA BRIGGS BENTLEY                                              41

 

from mother and bro[ther] Isaac.10  Oh if you could only know the joy

your letters give me you would never let trifling engagements prevent your

writing frequent and long letters --

1st day 27th [August 27]

6th day was our monthly meeting  I attended for the first time and was

surprised to find it considerably larger than yours  It was much crowded

about 30 babies attended [and] there were more monstrous fat women than

I ever saw at once  One couple passed meeting11 and another handed in

their intentions (which they do one month and the next appear and say

"friends I continue my intentions of marriage with . . .") The clerk was a

neat young woman very much like Hannah Carlisle and the assistant clerk

is a lively looking woman with exactly such as face as Hannah Wilsons, a

fine delicate complexion, she has been married 4 years and has no children

Dear old Sarah Holland walked part way home with me  I told her I had

received a letter from home and mentioned some of the particulars of poor

cousin J Kersey12  She seemed much affected for she had known him.

The rumour had reached us some weeks since but it seemed beyond belief.

He that could so well point out to others the danger of giving way to tempta-

tion  Oh can he ever attain to the excellence he has fallen from.

In the afternoon Susan Holland came in  "Anna," she said, "my sister

Catherine takes me to task for using too much freedom with thee as to make

no change in my dress when I come over but I tell her she has not found

thee out yet as well as I have  When she has been as much with thee she

will discover that thee is one that would not value a person less for being

dressed in homespun."  She is perfectly neat always--soon after her mother

came in "well I can not be satisfied  if thee has no objection I want the[e]

to read thy letter to me and the parts relating to J Kersey ["]  I did so

the tears rolled down her cheeks as she exclaimed "Alas! poor human na-

ture" and when I read what dear sister M and mother said of my neighbors

she again strove to conceal the tears but they would come and she stretched

out her hand and took mine in hers. I wish you could see her and know

what sort of woman she is, her manners are perfectly dignified but so kind

and affectionate and yet no professions on any thing that would create a

doubt of sincerity.

Joseph went down to the clearing (i.e. our land) today and found some

person had stolen our hive which was nearly full of honey  botheration to

them. We cannot raise13 till next week and Ah then the work to cook

for these pie eating people  S Holland and Hannah Miller will help and I

shall bake in friend Holland's oven  It is not near so far as from Sharon to

Hebran.14 --How I have feasted on plum's for 2 or 3 weeks past so large and

delicious  They grow in the greatest abundance about 50 yds from the

house  larger trees almost breaking down with them -- And wild cherries

are here used for pies  they grow larger here than with you and resemble

black heart cherries in taste. I make a great many pies and puddings and

try some experiments with them  I mostly bake 18 or 20 a week  I stir

peaches not dried or apples and make a custard and mix with them season-

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42                                OHIO HISTORY

ing it nicely and make puff paste and bake them in  I do all my baking in a dutch oven and spider.15 They have [come] tonight in to scour tin ware with bulrushes and soap  brighter than with sand We have heard there was a house raised a mile from here day before yesterday  A man got his head between the logs  When it was extracted he was bled and he soon conversed with those arround telling them he was not seriously injured  they need not have sent for the Dr  When the physician examined his head he instantly pronounced it fractured and no hope of saving him. He died yesterday--ours will be such a heavy raising that I dread accidents -- I believe my account of the children might as well be stuck in here as I am so bothered I can hardly think of anything I am at this moment and have been all the time I have been writing this side, singing "bye O baby" as loud as I can bawl and D16 wont go to sleep. She is a sweet good babe it has been some time since she could get up in the floor and stand alone but she does not walk yet  She has for a long time tried to talk and can pro- nounce a great many words calls "pady," "mida, Hanna, mamma -- where ist, tie dane, go back, dont, and SINKS," and a great many others no less enter- taining if I had patience to enumerate them.  She does not look as fat and clumsy as when I left you but quite enough so Maria's teasing has had an effect on her temper and she is a little [?]tious sometimes  She had 4 teeth and our little indian looking Hannah is as fat and hearty as need be  She will not wear a bonnet and her neck is like a mulatta  She dont talk any plainer but talks a great deal about you  She brought me a little tin bucket

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ANNA BRIGGS BENTLEY                      43

of water from the spring today and said "now mamma wont de write unky witty an aunt Maye17 ans tell em I want girl bring de bucket a water" When she was dressed this morning she went to her father and said "warna pease bring de waggon now and take me see gamammy little wile"  Last week she was leaning on my wash tub she saw me raise up to ease my back and looked concerned and said "me wit me wad big enup to help de wats" Thomas's18 hearing is quite restored  He dwells upon "my dear uncle Richard and Aunt Mary" says sometimes "Mother it seems as if I loved them Most better than thee  I wish they had of let me stay  ask them when thee writes if they will take [me] home with them when they come to see us"           Tell Milly he talks a great deal of her  What shall I say for Maria            she is very useful and I would be glad to say she strove to conquor her temper,  was always respectful to me,  and did not tease her brothers and sisters but she gives me a great deal of trouble by teasing them and dis- puting with them and they follow her example with each other. I hope I shall have a better account next letter  F and G19 are mostly good boys They work very hard and enjoy the hours of rest  Granville grows rapidly They talk to you every day and of W Henry20 They often wonder if he loved them as much as they did him. I wish you would tell me if you really think Uncle Sammy21 will come and how soon  Jos does not get time to write or he would write again  Did uncle L22 receive his letter giving a description of the land & the distance to each meeting is the same -- 1 mile and an 1/2 -- As I am so anxious for our certificates  Sandy Spring is the name of our monthly meeting here23

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44                                               OHIO HISTORY Brother Isaac, I wont know what to think of thee  It would indeed be a heavy disappointment to us if thee should not pay us a visit this fall but if all judge thou art acting for the best I must acquiesce but . . . all your letters say something about it and always add something in the letters  AH if Elizabeth could be yet here I would be glad and we would be so happy  it would be such a comfort to me. Dear sister Mary was there any thing more than a jokeing in thy talking of paying us a visit sometime  it would be almost too much for me to bear. I have not seen one black person since I came to this place. [David] Henry has been invariably steady and always about home  On the first days he goes no where but among [F]riends. He has not heard from his friends since he came except too trace a message. I wish my love to be given to cousins C P & L B Thomas and MEG24 and tell all that you know love me that I love them more than when I was with them  Dear, dear friends so many of whom my eyes will behold no more in this life  My pre- cious aunt Polly  Oh that I could have paid her a visit  How often has she been a friend in need to me -- Give my love to cousin D. Stabler,25 to Dear uncles Sammy and Roger Brooke and their families . . . I wish I was of consequence enough for uncle Roger to notice me by a mention on a letter or a postcript in yours. I also wish my love to be given to Flora Powel, Polly Pumphry, Dorcas, and Billy.26  Oh all of your dear faces come so plain before me that [I] closed my eyes and kept them before my mental view, forgetting that it is past midnight and a toilsome day approaching, try- ing to forget the mountains, the long long road, but I must not cherish use- less regrets. Why does not Sister S27 let me hear more of the Poetry she did promise too. In your distribution of love dont forget M How and tell aunt Ginny28 Jos has worn no other coat (except first days) than the one she gave him since he left you  I must have room for Maria to add a little  I love you all too much for pen to express Your own affectionate Anna Bentley Hannah Briggs Sandy Spring Montgomery County Maryland

POEM: Found in a letter from Sarah B. Briggs to her father Isaac Briggs, September 22, 1821. Sweet is the thought; thou soon will share Our humble home and simple fare, Released from many an anxious care And ardent toil;

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ANNA BRIGGS BENTLEY                                             45 Cheer hearts which suffered much of fear, In thy exile. Who oft, in spite of hope, have sighed, And thought what evil might betide, And then upon the distance wide There was between; How death so dreaded -- undesigned, Might intervene. Sad would have felt our hearts to hear, Our kindest friend, our father dear, Had gone -- and that the latest tear, Which dimmed his eye, A Stranger wiped -- a strangers ear Heard his last sigh. While we unconscious, far away, Inspires with joy and feeling gay, When thinking of the happy day Of thy return Knew not we'd soon, to grief a pray In anguish mourn! But soon distressing fears will cease, We'll feel our comforts; joys increase, Our griefs by sharing will grow less -- We'll live in love -- If righteous; we will die in peace And live above. Thus, when thy exiles at an end, When we do welcome home our friend, Each former fear and grief will tend To teach us still, In every trial we must bend To heaven's will.

THE EDITOR: Bayly Ellen Marks is manuscripts curator at the Maryland His- torical Society.

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