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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Greene, Catharine Littlefield (1755-1814) to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.04624 Author/Creator: Greene, Catharine Littlefield (1755-1814) Place Written: Bethlehem Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 7 June 1790 Pagination: 3 p. : address : docket ; 25.7 x 20.6 cm. Order a Copy

Writes to thank Knox for his friendship and support and hopes that he will continue his correspondence with her. When he is unable to write, hopes that his brother will send an occasional letter updating her on the well-being of the Knox family. Mentions that her children remember Knox in their prayers. Noted as written in Bethlehem, state unknown.

[draft]
Bethlehem June 7 1790 -
My Dear Genl
I intended immediately upon my arrival here to have done myself the honor of writing to you - but my situation has been such hitherto as to prevent it - and now I have half a dozen children playing Monk[e]y tricks about me so that it is almost impossible -
Would so God I could tell you my Dear Genl, how sensible I am of every part of your goodness to me, but alas that is impossible - but be assured tthat, never till I cease to smile, and to weep, will the gratitude and affection which I feel for you be forgotten I shall fear to write to you as often as my inclination would lead me to - least I should [2] impose a task on you by reading my letters and take up that time which would necessarily and more agreeably be devoted to something else[.] I pray you however to let me hear as often as you can conveniently, of your health and happiness - if you have not leisure to write yourself a line from your Brother saying how you and the family are, would be particularly gratifying to an absent friend who is shut up from all society -
Have my letters or papers yet arrived from My Dear friend, or has my Brother arrived?
My Children say that they never forget you in their Morning or Evening prayers because you are so good to their Mama nor wou[l]d I, if I believed as they do - [3] be pleased to present my compliments to Mrs Knox and my other friends and believe me
Your sincere and affectionate
C Greene
[address leaf]
The Honorable Genl H. Knox
New York
[docket]
from Mrs Greene
7th June 1790
Answered the 14th
the day I reced it
and enclosed a
letter from Mr Miller

Greene, Catharine Littlefield, 1755-1814
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

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