Letter Dated January 19th, 1845

Lyme, Jan 19, 1845
My Dear Dear Husband

I received your kind letter from the HookThe maritime pilot who guided the Northumberland out of New York harbor and past the treacherous shoals at Sandy Hook, N. J., carried letters from officers and crew before the ship began its long voyage across the Atlantic. , and feel grateful that you had not neglected to write as I feared, I am uneasy about the trouble with your crewAmong the many possible dangers faced by a packet ship captain was trouble with his crew. Fighting and insurrection were thought to result in part from the scarcity of American-born seamen. In 1845 two captains from each of the principal lines of New York packet ships submitted letters testifying that native seamen typically made up only a quarter of their crew. Capt. Robert Griswold’s letter, written January 7, 1845, was submitted to Congress in support of a Naval School to train American seamen. President John Quincy Adams had urged Congress to establish such an academy in 1825, but not until 1845 was a Naval School established in Annapolis, Maryland, which later became the U.S. Naval Academy., you did not say whether that wretch hurt you, and I shall be constantly fearing he did, or thurces of happiness I have, that you are deprived of, yet all do not compensate for these separations from you, how much I look forward to being with you nextHelen and their elder daughter Louise, age three, would join Robert on his next voyage to London and sail from New York in May 1845. time and you too I trust will enjoy it, I shall endeavor to behave my best, and not allow trifles to annoy me, you Robert must not look for perfections, I do not, and am satisfied with my husband, and think probably he is much better than I deserve, and know that I have never seen one whom I could love so dearly,

You must have patience with me dear Robert, but always reprove me when I do wrong, and I will take it kindly and try to profit by it, You express anxiety about my side, I have put on the plaster A poultice of mustard seed plaster was thought to promote healing.
 as directed and am taking Iron, to strengthen me, as Doct Dr. Shubael Bartlett (1811-1849), who had married Robert’s niece Fanny Rogers Griswold (1822-1877) and lived nearby, visited Helen frequently and attended to her medical needs. says I am weaker than he has ever known me, but I shall be better soon, as I have weaned Adell Helen and Robert’s second daughter Helen Adele was born March 19, 1844; Helen’s mother Julia Powers (1787-1852) helped with her care., Ma keeps her at night so that I get good rest and I already begin to feel differently Doct thinks that RichardA partner in the prosperous New York shipping firm N. L. & G. Griswold, Richard S. Griswold (1809-1849) had built a stately home, later called Boxwood, on the highway through Lyme. Griswold in a bad way, he has been in New York some days past, probably you saw him, since he returned he has been troubled with a cough what a loss it would be to Lyme as well as his family, should he be taken away, this weather is unhealthy, warm, and wet for the season, a great many complaining – Doct and Fanny
Robert’s niece Fanny Rogers Griswold (1822-1877) married in 1842 Lyme physician Shubael Fitch Bartlett (1811-1849). Two years later the Bartletts became Helen’s neighbors when they built a home on today’s Lyme Street based on drawings from a book of cottage plans by architect and landscape designer Andrew J. Downing (1815-1852).
Dr. Shubael Bartlett house, shown ca. 1880. LHSA have been here spending the day, he thought I was low spirited and brought Fanny to enliven me, and I have passed a very pleasant day, dear Lou Louise Augusta Griswold (1841-1896) was Helen and Robert’s first child.  has also enjoyed it, for the Dr always frolics with her, Fanny  says that Mrs Stephen Sarah Ann McCurdy Lord (1807-1884), wife of Stephen J. Lord (1797-1851) and sister of Charles J. McCurdy (1797-1891), lived next to the church on the highway through Lyme. Lord told her, she never in her life saw so beautiful a child as Louise,

I must mention a droll speech of hers, the last time Ellen Ellen Elizabeth Ely (1841-1927), daughter of Matthew Griswold (1792-1879) and Phoebe Ely Griswold (1804-1904), was one month younger than her cousin Louise. Ellen Elizabeth Ely Griswold, ca. 1890, Courtesy Griswold Family Archives  and she were playing together, Ellen said to her, “if you don’t behave I’ll put you out of doors,” Nonsense Nonsense! Says Lou in the most contemptuous manner, how delighted the dear Soul will be with everything aboard Ship, and how much comfort you will have with her — I understand that they are endeavoring to suppress the publication of Bishop Onderdonk’sHelen comments about the widely publicized and controversial trial of New York’s Episcopal Bishop Benjamin T. Onderdonk (1791-1861), who was accused of “immoralities and impurities” against female parishioners. See Patricia Cline Cohen, “Ministerial Misdeeds: The Onderdonk Trial and Sexual Harrassment in the 1840s.”  Trials, and it is thought he will soon be restored, and that the statements have been misrepresented, I am sure that no Lady would come forward publicly with such accusations unless they considered it an honor, and I am confident that he would never have taken such liberty unless he had reason to suppose they were willing, I cannot imagine for an instant how any delicate female could come forward with such statements-, although she may be among the number of your acquaintances, All are well at Black Hall The section of Lyme where Robert was born and where the Griswold family had lived for almost two centuries was called.
Image: Approach to Black Hall, Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, February 1876 , and Mother is coming up next week to stay a while, Dear Robert I have written you by the “Yorkshire,” The Yorkshire, built in 1843 and reputed to be the fastest packet ship on the North Atlantic, sailed from New York to Liverpool for the Black Ball Line.
Image: Alexander Charles Stuart, Black Ball Line Ship Yorkshire, ca. 1843. Oil on canvas. Courtesy Skinner, Inc.  and next will be by the “Steamer” Like the scheduled packet ships that sailed from New York to London, steamers operating regularly between Boston, Halifax, and Liverpool also carried passengers and trans-Atlantic mail.
Image: The Cunard Line’s steamer Greenock launched in 1850 , dear Lou is in bed and asleep or she would have added a PS

Oh Robert dear dear Robert I can think of nothing but you, and shall have no happiness until I hear from you, do write me long letters, tell me if you have been well, remember me dearest and ever as your own affectionate

– Helen,

As to Betseys Dress, get her some cheap muslin, rather neat, not very gay, two Blue or a lilac, something rather delicate she says she would like, —

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Credit: Collection of Robert Lorenz