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Knox, Lucy Flucker (ca. 1756-1824) to Hannah Urquhart

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.09891 Author/Creator: Knox, Lucy Flucker (ca. 1756-1824) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: circa April 1777 Pagination: 2 p. ; 31.6 x 20.5 cm. Order a Copy

Lucy writes to her sister Hannah, she mentions writing to her mother, Hannah Flucker, during the siege of Boston but never hearing back from her or her family. Begs her sister to write. Mentions she and Henry Knox had a baby girl. Says the [Revolutionary] War is tearing families apart. States, "how horror is the war, Brother against Brother, and the parent against the child." Date added later in pencil.

Hannah Flucker was a sister of Lucy Knox. She married for the first time to James Urquhart circa 1774, and then was divorced. She married a second time, to Richard Harwood, circa 1788.

[draft]
The very sincere or tender affection that I entertain for you my dear sister induce me to write you at this time, notwithstanding the great neglect with which [inserted: I think] I have been treated both by you - and my dear Mama - to her, I wrote several times during the siege of Boston - but never obtained a line in answer a circumstance that supprised and grieved me not a little - where she is now I know not - I am not only deprived of father mother Brother & Sisters but also denied the satisfaction of hearing of their wellfare. you I am told are at Halifax - if you are it is propable this may reach you - and if it should I beg of you - to give me a particular account of my friends and relations - is your little Boy - living - is he well - [struck: where is my Brother] [inserted: is Capt Urqurt [sic] with you)] when did you hear from him [inserted: my Brother] - is Sally married or not - [inserted: where is she.] I much wish to know all these particulars for my father and mother I [struck: love with] [inserted: entertain] the most Dutiful [struck: and tender] affection - and [struck: with] [inserted: in] fraternal [struck: love [&]] am not behind hand - therefore am greatly interested in the above particular [inserted: the answer to the above Querys] - my dear Harry is well - he my [struck: dear] sister is as when you [seen] him, the best and tenderest [inserted: of] friends, never were - two persons more happily united than we - we have a lively little girl, of whom I fear [&] [inserted: we] [are two] [strikeout] [struck: she is very like her [gran mama] - she looks vastly like [inserted: our] Mama - who I hope will one day see her - she will love her I am sure she will. I am going at last to take the small pox - more for the sake of my little Lucy - than myself - the Army and the country in general having been innoculated will make it dangerous for me to go from home without haveing had it - and in the present state of things I wish to be in such a situation - that I can go to all parts of America without danger - my Harry is not much home - and [2] I do not like to from him - [if] my sister, how horrid is this war, Brother against Brother - and the parent against the child - who were the first promoters of it I know not but god knows - and I fear they will feel the weight of his vengeance - tis pity the little [struck: while] [inserted: time] we have to spend in this world - we cannot [strikeout] enjoy ourselves and our friends - but must be devising means to destroy each other - the art of killing has become a perfect science - that man is most [esteemed] who has the best knack, at destroying the human species - in our juvenile days my Hannah we little thought - this Barbaras art would so soon have reached America - but [inserted: alas] her fruitfull fields [struck: have become the scene] of war [struck: and destruction] [struck: Battles rapes] been covered with the dead and dying] [inserted: of the heartfelt] - the grief their sister and brothers [inserted: must have] suffered} [struck: can never be told]
but enough of this god send a speedy issue to this war and give us a happy meeting is the sincere wish and prayer of her who [thro] all the [illegible illegible] scenes of life never will cease to be your affectionate friend and sister
LK

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Seaige Seige

Harwood, Hannah Flucker Urquhart, fl. 1774-1796
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

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