MOB 009
1-1/2 pg. letter, approx. 5-1/2" x 8-3/8", dated at Diyarbakir, Turkey, Nov. 24, 1865, from "Frederic", to his father-in-law, "Father Harding" - Rev. Sewell Harding of Medway, Mass. (1793-1876).
A scarce American missionary letter from Diyarbakir, in Southeastern Turkey, on the Tigris River, with great content advising Harding of the safe arrival in Diyarbakir of "A. & E.", after a long overland journey - "A & E" were the missionaries Augustus Walker (1822-1866), and his wife, (and Harding's daughter), Eliza Mercy Harding Walker, (1826-1906). Augustus Walker, from Ct., graduated from Yale in 1849, and from Andover Theological Seminary in 1852, and after being ordained that year, he and Eliza sailed for Diyarbakir, where he devoted his life to Missionary work until his death at age 44, from Cholera. The writer makes a clever Civil War reference, noting that when Eliza returned after such a fatiguing journey, she plunged into fixing up the house "with as much energy as one of the regiments of veterans would assault Richmond." The letter reads:
"My dear father Harding, I have some doubt whether A or E will find time to tell you of their safe arrival & secure lodging in their own house, and so I officiously send you the word. The Lord has been very good to them all the way & has heard prayer in their behalf to his name be praised. The only rain they have had in all the long land journey has ben just as they were reaching comfortable quarters, e.g., at Sivas, Kharpoot, Argana (for the Sunday). The rest of their journey was performed in delightful weather, & they entered Amida the Black [an ancient name for Diyarbakir - the black referring to the color of the city walls] Tuesday noon, Nov. 21, 1865, being met some six miles out by horsemen, the crowd increasing till as we neared the black walls we were a cavalcade of about 50 horsemen & 100 footmen. At sunset that night, it began to rain & has rained since, sprinkle, shower, pour, pour, sprinkle, shower, till last evening when there were indications of a clearing off, which this morning does not fully justify. As yet, everything is confusion. A part of their boxes they found here, but 23 of them have not yet come, including the stoves, of which just now there is more need of anything else - one semi cool stove came however, & that, with the parlor Franklin & the old cook stove, must suffice till the rest come. But the half loaf is vastly better than no bread. The children are all well & I never saw Eliza when she endured fatigue so splendidly. She rode all day cheerfully, & when we dismounted, she was as spry as a cricket & the journey ends, she plunges into the fatigue of house righting with as much energy as one of the regiments of veterans would assault Richmond. Miss West is just now a little disabled by a boil, but we hope she will soon be as fresh & energetic as the rest. I stop here a few days to look about & then (D.V.) shall push on to the regions beyond. With much love, your aff. son, Frederic". ASK FOR AVAILABILITY
Price: $180.00