Other Small Groups of Similar Material, Classified AB, in the Next Installment of the Guide

HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOTES AND DOCUMENTS The following letter is one oj jour written by Robert Fulton in the Society's manuscript collection. These are not included in "A Preliminary Guide. Part One" which lists only large groups of personal papers classified AA. The Fulton letters willbe listed with other small groups of similar material, classified AB, in the next installment of the guide. Devonshire Jany 20th 1792 My dear Mother This morning Irec'd a package of letters from Philadelphia among which were one from you and from— Abraham and two from Mr.Morris one of which was for Mr.West Inconsequence of my leaving London —inJune last for to do some business for Lord Courtney inDevonshire which is about 200 miles from London the letters by some accident have not reached me tillnow.—As you rely on itIshould have answered them by the firstConveyance But Irec'd them with infinate pleasure as they come from you and informed me of your good health. And now Iwillattend to the particulars. As Iam well convinced every incident relative to my life will communicate pleasure to you. You express much— desire to know how my pictures were rec'd at the Royal Academy this Ibelieve Ianswered before but possibly the letter has miscarried. You willbe pleased to hear that Isent eight pictures which rec'd every possible mark of approbation— that the Society could give but these exertions are all for honor there is no prophet arising from it.Itonly tends to create a name that may here- after produce business — My little tour through France proved very agreeable and was of some service to me as a painter in—as much as Isaw the works of some of the—most able masters in the art which much improved my eye and task Mr. West and me are on a very familiar footing and when he is in town pays me much attention which is extreamly agreeable as we live near each other. This evening Iforwarded Mr. Morris's letter to him which Ihave no doubt he willbe very happy to receive and Ishall call on him immediately on my going to London which Isuppose will be in about six months. When Iwrote you last Ibeged you would settel every thing to your mind relative to the Lotts and after regulating 88 HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOTES AND DOCUMENTS JANUARY every thing with Mr. Hays (?) and putting me in the way how to act. Iwould transfer— my right in the manner you can best settel among yourselves tho Icould wish one of them were sold to pay pollock — For Irealy feel my honor concerned inkeeping the poor man so long out of his money nor had Ithe least idea of its remaining to long un-— paid or Ishould have endeavored by some means to have it done but Ihope when Ihear from you next in answer to these letters you willhave everything so situated so as Imay transfer them to your wish. And ifno other method can be found —one lott ought to be sold to pay polk— — Itgives me much pleasure to hear of Abrahams attention to you— tho Iam sorry he has run— away with the idea of my getting rich Ionly wish it was true but Icannot concieve from whence the report arose — And Imust now give some little history of my life sine Icame to London. Ibrought not more than 40 guineas to England and was set down in a strange country— without a friend and only one letter of Introduction to Mr. West hear Ihad an art to learn by which Iwas to earn mybread but little to support whilst Iwas doing it.And num- bers of eminant men of the same profession which Imust excell before Icould hope to live --Many many a silent solitary hour have Ispent inthe most concerned studdy anxiously pondering how to make friends to support me tillthe fruits of my labours should— [be] sufficient to re- pay them thus—Iwent on for near four years happily Beloved by all who knew me or Ihad long ere now been crushed by Poverties Cold wind and Freezing rain—till last summer Iwas invited by Lord Courtney down to his country seat to paint 3 pictures of him which gave his Lordship— so much pleasure that he has introduced me to all his Friends And it is just now that Iam beginning to get a little money and pay some debts which Iwas obliged to contract so Ihope in about 6 months to be clear with the world,— or in other words out of debt and then start fair to make all Ican You know dear Mother this is very different from being [illegible] not that Ican say Iever was— in absolute want heaven has been kind to me and Iam thankfull hoping now to—go on Smoothe and happy so the absanc from my friends willadmit of My Poor Sister bell Ihope she and her little family willbe happy Ihope she willnot think Iforget her because Idont write her She may believe me she occupies much of my thoughts And Iwish much to know why Payton left the situation of the saw millbut none of you 1966 HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOTES AND DOCUMENTS 89 — have informed me Iam happy to hear that all relations are well Ishall write to them seprately Ienjoy excellent health which— Ihope willcontinue tillImay have the happiness of seeing you Please to Remember me kindly to M. Smith and all friends And may Heaven continue its blessings towards you is the most unfeigned wish of your obedient Son Robert Fulton Mrs Mary Smith Washing Town Washington County Pennsylvania Abraham Smith Fulton was the younger brother of Robert Fulton. David Morris was the husband of Fulton's sister, Isabella. Benjamin West (1728-1820) was a famous painter noted especially for his historical and allegorical pictures but also celebrated as the principal teacher of such great American artists as Gilbert Stuart, John Trumbull, Rembrandt Peale, Robert Fulton and Samuel F. B. Morse. 90 HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOTES AND DOCUMENTS JANUARY NEW MEMBERS September 1964-December 1965 Altman, Mr.and Larner, Mr.John W., Jr. Mrs. George L,II Leix, Mr.J. Walter Auxier,Mr. and Mrs. R.W. Long, Mr.Anthony C. Babyock, Mr.Nicholas M. McCandless, Dr.G. C. Bagenstos, Mr.Richard Noel McKee, Mr. George Kenneth Bankson, Mrs. John P McLanahan, Mr. Ward Behrend, Mr.and Mahaffey, Dr. Robert W. Mrs. Kenneth W. Markovich, Mr.Milan T. Benswanger, Mr. Wm. E. Marks, Miss Mary Helen Bernath, Miss Mary E. Mautino, Mr.Bob Cartwright, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Miers, Mrs. T. Jefferson Clark, Dr. William H. Miller,Mr.Donald M. Conroy, Mr. John J. Miller,Miss Grace H. Crombie, Mr.John N. Mitchell, Mrs. Mary Alyce Daniels, Mrs. Lillian B. Morris, Mr.and Mrs. C. O. Davis, Mr. John P., Jr. Murdoch, Mr.Robert B. Dimmick, Mr.and Mrs. M.Charles Nagata, Mr.H. Doms, Mr.Keith Nelson, Miss Mary F. Eichner, Mr.Kenneth H. Oden, Mrs. Jeanette R. Ford, Miss Zoe M. Orr, Mr.and Mrs. James E. Gaughan, Mr.William J. Osmer, Mr.and Mrs. Gilbert G. Giordano, Miss Tina Platt, Mrs. Edwina D. Good, Mr. Glenn Potter, Mrs. Howard T. Gordon, Mr.Edward L. Putnam, Mr. and Gormley, Dr.Charles L. Mrs. Stephen H. Harding, Mr. George L. Reed, Mr.James Brown Haudenshield, Dr. Samuel Steel Sayers, Mr. James B. Hershon, Mrs. Arthur H. Schultz, Miss Virginia C. Hibbard, Mr. Francis Hamilton Schwartz, Mr.Kenneth Hrico, Father Bernard Scott, Mr. and Mrs. W. E., Jr. James, Mr. Wilbur A. Seifert, Mr.E.E. Johnston, Mr. George O. C. Seneff, Miss Jeannette F. Klingensmith, Mr. and Stark, Mr. and Mrs. Donald E. Mrs. James H. Statti, Dr. and Mrs. Louis W. 1966 HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOTES AND DOCUMENTS 91 Stewart, Miss Grace G. Tracey, Dr. Grace L. Stone, Mrs. Robert C. Underwood, Miss Marian Strauch, Mrs. Albert T. Veon, Mr.and Mrs. D.M. Straussburger, Mr.and Ward, Mrs. E. B. Mrs. Eugene B. Weidlein, Mr.Edward R., Ill Tabor, Mrs. Edward O. Westerman, Mr.Richard W. Tily,Capt. James C. Wisniewski, Mr. John P. 92 HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOTES AND DOCUMENTS JANUARY 5n iUcmonam September 1964-December 1965 Adams, Mrs. Marcellin C. Locke, Mr. Charles A. Alexander, Mr. Park J. Marsh, Mr. James I. Bell,Mrs. Frank Breckenridge Mellor, Mrs. Elizabeth Burt Burke, Mrs. Kenneth R. Miller,Miss Catharine Robbins Coney, Mr. Aims C. Miller,Mr. Torrance Crump, Mr.Edward, Jr. Moore, Mr.E. Earl Dann, Mr.Alex W. O'Neill,Mr. J. Henry Denny, Mrs. Harmar D. (Mrs. Packard, Miss Margaret M. Mary Blair Burgwin Denny) Rea, Mrs. James Childs Ford, Mrs. Graham G. Robertson, Mr. A.W. Fuller,Mrs. S. H. Rodgers, Mr.Raymond W. Gorley, Mrs. J. Harry Scaife, Mrs. Alan Magee (Mrs. Sarah C. Gorley) (Mrs. Sarah Mellon Scaife) Graham, Hon. Louis E. Stewart, Mrs. Douglas Hamer, Mr.Harry M. Taylor, Mrs. Matthew Jolly, Mr.Thomas D. Thumm, Miss Emma Florence Leonard, Mr. John H. F. Young, Mrs. Lemuel W. 1966 HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOTES AND DOCUMENTS 93 Mrs. Alan Magee Scaife Inthe death of Sarah Mellon Scaife, widow of Alan Magee Scaife, the community has lost its most generous benefactress. Mrs. Scaife, born in 1903, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Beatty Mellon, died on December 28 at Western Pennsylvania Hospital after a brief illness. She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Cordelia Scaife May of Ligonier, Pennsylvania ; a son, Richard Mellon Scaife ; a grand- daughter, Jennie King Scaife ;and a brother, Richard King Mellon. Mrs. Scaife attended the Thurston School in Pittsburgh and the Spence School inNew York.

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