A Letter My Great, Great, Great, Great Grandmother, Ann Hartshorn, Wrote To Her Son

July 17th 1839

Dear Son,

I again take up my pen to write to you in answer to your letter dated June the 12th 1838. I hope you will excuse me for not writing sooner though I am yet alive and so that I can set up and go in and out the house with crutches- my hand is unsteady to write myself and therefore I have not wrote and as I have stated that the rest of the family is well, and hope that yours is also well.

You speak of conciliations to the afflicted in the word of God. It is by realization of his word that I have hope in this life for he too has said blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and enter in threw the gates into the City and by realizing God's word I find that though every one has been ever so great a sinner that they can by obedience be moved free from the same. For Paul says sixth chapter 11th verse “But God be thanked that you were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine is.”

It is highly probable that we differ in sentiments of religion - but we find that by obeying God threw a principal of love to God and his laws. You want to know when I joined church and when you get religion?

I have not read in the scriptures much about “getting religion” but by the preaching of the gospel. And when baptism was used for the remission of sins they that gladly receive the word ware baptized and as it respects myself it is about seventeen years this summer since I received the word of God as the only rule of faith and practice and was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and the gift of the holy spirit. This is the most I can tell about my “getting religion.”

I will now give you an account of the other affairs of my life. I was born February the 13th 1778 in the state of Delaware Kent County married the 26th of October 1796 in the same state. Now I will give the ages of my children.

James Hartshorn was born October 6th 1797
Amos Hartshorn was born March 24th 1799
Martha Hartshorn was born February the 21st 1808
Jacob Hartshorn was born January the 23rd 1810
Samuel Hartshorn was born December the 29th 1811
Anne Hartshorn was born June the 7th 1814
John W. Hartshorn was born May the 12th 1816
Naomi Hartshorn was born May the 20th 1818
Jesse Hartshorn was May the 3rd 1821

I am still living in Samuel's place yet and Ann and Amos too. Andrew and Hannah is living with me. Jesse is working from home this summer and he expects to go down the river this fall and he wants you, if you write, to let him no whether you are living where you did or where you are living now, so that he may call when he comes down.

I have nothing more particular to write but I would be glad to see you if you could come possibly then I could converse more freely and particularly upon different subjects. So no more at present, but I remain your affectionate mother until death.