Grassmere [Seneca Falls, New York] Sept 26^th [1849]

Dear Lucretia,

            As I am deeply interested in having all woman kind who are dependent on themselves for their support strike out some new path to wealth & distinction, beside the needle, & marriage as a necessity, & as I have hung out my sign as the she pilot to guide & direct all young maidens who wish to launch their bark on an untried sea, I have had several applications for advice & assistance. Emily Winslow & Abby Southwick¹ at my suggestion have just established a school for young girls in Buffalo.   The spirit of enterprize [sic] has seized Elizabeth McCintock² & Anna Southwick, & they have decided to be famous silk merchants, in Philadelphia making their annual visits to Paris & other great cities of the old world. Preparitory [sic] to the realization of these bright hopes they would fain get a clerkship in the establishment of thy noble son Edward Davis³. I believe he made Elizabeth an offer of a situation in his House some years ago--she had not the courage to accept it at that time but now she has the hardihood to sue for it-- ah! me those woman's rights conventions, have spoiled our lovely maidens now instead of remaining satisfied with the needle & the school room they would substitute the compass & the exchange. If Edward Davis cannot give them a situation in his House, perhaps he might get them into some other silk establishment. Will you inquire & let me know as soon as possible.
            The climate of Boston is too severe for Anna or she might get into some establishment there, tho it would be pleasanter for her to commence her new life in a strange city & with so agreeable a companion as Elizabeth McClintock. How often I have thought of you dear Lucretia since our pleasant visit at Peterboro, & how sad I felt in hearing of your deep affliction in the loss of an only brother⁴. You must feel the void--but he has no doubt passed to a higher & more congenial sphere than the one in which he moved on earth. Cousin Gerrit⁵ has taken another new step since you saw him. He now keeps the Jewish Sabbath. is servants say they have two Sabbaths-- they do no work on their own Sabbath & he will not allow it on his. I think under this new arrangement the servants are much more pleased & benefited than either Gerrit or his God. Gerrit enjoyed your visit very much & regretted that it could not have been longer. Is he not very liberal for one so bound by forms?-- Now Lucretia do not take the trouble to answer this letter yourself make one of the youngsters do it for you, reserve your strength for something of more importance.
            Remember me kindly to your Husband & children. Henry⁶ is now in N.Y. getting out his book. The little boys are all well    Good night
                        Yours in love   E.C. Stanton

General note:   For the most part, transcripts retain the author's original spelling, abbreviations, underlining, capitalization, and punctuation (or lack thereof).   Transcriber's comments, changes or additions are in brackets.

1. Emily Winslow and sisters Abby and Anna Southwick were the daughters of New England Quaker families active in abolitionist circles
2. Elizabeth McClintock's parents were abolitionists and radical Quakers who owned a drug and book store in Waterloo, New York
3. Edward Davis was married to Lucretia Mott's daughter Maria. He was proprietor of E.M. Davis & Company, a silk importing firm in Philadelphia
4. Lucretia Mott's brother Thomas Mayhew Coffin had died on July 12, 1849 of cholera
5. Elizabeth Cady Stanton's first cousin Gerrit Smith was an eccentric philanthropist and abolitionist activist who lived in Peterboro, New York
6. The book in question was Sketches of Reforms and Reformers of Great Britain and Ireland by Henry B. Stanton