Month: November 2013

November 21, 2013 Image

Diary of Nathaniel Booth – November 17 & 18, 1845

Diary of Nathaniel Booth - November 17 & 18, 1845

17
My twenty sixth birthday – Oh my! How old I am getting – twenty six – only think! for the sake of novelty consented to go on a “coon hunt” so soon after dark – having filled a basket with eatables and not forgetting a little bottle of “Oh Be Joyful” I started in company with Mr. King, Bland and others under the Captainry of Nase – an old darky well skilled in these adventures – Mr. King backed out and went home but the rest mounting a waggon drawn by two mules and driven by the immortal “Bill Turley” drove on in high spirits – after riding over a rough road for five miles we took to the woods and loosed the dogs – it was midnight and still no raccoon had been started so we kindled a fire and prepared a supper – cold beef – ham – bread &c. was portioned to each not forgetting the “Cretur” – and the way the victuals disappeared was a caution – in five minutes not a vestige remained – at length the dogs struck a trail and now the sport began in earnest – yow! yow! here they come; now they double; now (illegible) almost beyond hearing; again so near that we expect to see them – again they are off until a change in the cry of the dogs causes everyone to yell, he’s treed! he’s treed! hurrah! and such scampering never was seen – guided by the noise of the dogs, we gained the tree, a tall spreadly oak and disposed ourselves in battle array – a young darky ascended the tree and climbing within three feet of him began to shake the “coon” – hung like wax but Ben was too many for him and down he came crashing to the earth – turning himself on his back – his sharp claws and long teeth made him a match for dogs and it was not til after a desperate fight in which blood flowed freely from the dogs as well as himself that he gave up – he was the largest I ever saw and we returned well pleased with the sport – in the night George Lipscomb returned without procuring a situation

18
Skinned and stuffed the “coon” as a memorial of our frolic – spent the evening at Millers where we met a large company – a Mr. Hardy amused the company by this banjo performances – we danced, had music – and all left well pleased with our entertainers

November 16, 2013 Image

Letter to John Vanderlyn from Aaron Burr, Aug. 28, 1811

Letter to John Vanderlyn from Aaron Burr, Aug. 28, 1811

This letter from Burr to the artist mentions the portrait of Burr’s daughter, Theodosia, that Vanderlyn was working on. Portrait shown is referred to as the “Nags Head” portrait of Theodosia Burr Alston (not the portrait spoken of in the letter). Theodosia was lost at sea in 1813.

Letter from Aaron Burr to John Vanderlyn
Aug 28th 1811
Amsterdam

Your letters begin to arrive with more punctuality – that of the 24th, which you are pleased to call a duplicate is received this morning – again therefore I acknowledge the receipt of the enaml. picture of T. & of the parcel containing, as is written & said, brochures & gravures – The defect in the coloring of the neck & face is that which most displeases me – the green drapery I would forgive – The drawing really pretty well.
You cannot be better employed than in making a picture of the belle C—-J’espere que en seroit enfin et pas trop charge de draperie. Si la seroit unifie et elle consenteroit j’assiste aux Seances, je me rendrai a paris par le premier Courier – which you will be pleased not to say to any but D. Ca –

Adieux
AB.

Please to hand personally the enclosed – The name has been cut off from the note which accompanied the piece but has not been destroyed

Addressed:
a Monsieur
Monsieur Van Der Lyn
Rue Vaugirard No. 100

November 15, 2013 Image

From the diary of Nathaniel Booth – Aug. 20, 1849

From the diary of Nathaniel Booth - Aug. 20, 1849

Twaalfskill Aug 20 1849
I like old names so instead of Wilbur I shall call our little place by its ancient name Twaalfskill – the name of a little “spring stream” that boils from the earth in a dozen fountains at the head of “Jacob’s Valley” a particularly wild and romantic vale between this place and Kingston – The name signifies “Bass Creek” from the fact of many of the fine fish of the name being taken near its junction with the Rondout in old times – before the tannery, lines and flour mills poisoned the water and drove them far away – Twaalf is Dutch for twelve and applied to the stripes, six on each side, of Bass on our creek – so Twaalfskill shall be the name hereafter.
The day beautiful – arose early and was at my business before breakfast – Brown returned with a brother in law of his – He has not yet decided about the store – Baldwin is anxious for me to have it and has promised in the event of Brown not taking it to offer me a good opportunity to take it – next week is to decide and I am to await that time.
Mary came down – took tea with Hubert, then will so be another of the ______ If “coming events” do “cast their shadows before.” – Heard that Hubert’s sister is to be married to her cousin Rush – Hubert enraged at the match.