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The recipient can be identified as Lucy J. Shaw, born November 22, 1833, the fifth daughter and eighth child of Sanborn Shaw and Nancy A. Sherburne Shaw. Lucy later became the second wife of Moses F. Little.
Written only one week after Lucy’s nineteenth birthday, the letter is a charming example of informal correspondence between young female relatives in rural New Hampshire. Lillian says she has taken up her pen to write a few lines, asks when Lucy will come to see her, anticipates that they will “have a good time,” and requests news in return.
The most memorable line is the private instruction:
“dont let eny body see this writing”
This gives the letter an intimate and almost secretive character, suggesting that it was intended only for Lucy’s eyes.
The document is signed twice by Lillian A. Shaw, once at the conclusion of the letter and again on the reverse.
Transcription
Original spelling and punctuation have been retained where legible. Brackets indicate uncertain readings.
Miss Lucy Shaw nov 29 1852
Dear cousin Lucy
Sanbornton N H
As i take my pen and ink i
will write you a few lines i
havent time to wright much
and i will tell you how i am
i am a live and i hope that
you are. when are you coming
over to see me i want to see you
and we will have a good time
write to me and tell me
all about things i would write
more to you but i havent
got time dont let eny body
see this writing write to me
good by cousin
North Sanbornton
N H
Lillian A Shaw
The reverse is additionally signed:
Lillian A Shaw
Biographical NotesLucy J. Shaw
Lucy J. Shaw was born on November 22, 1833, in New Hampshire. She was the fifth daughter and eighth child of Sanborn Shaw and Nancy A. Sherburne Shaw.
Lucy was nineteen years old when this letter was written. She later became the second wife of Moses F. Little, connecting the document with both the Shaw and Little families of nineteenth-century New Hampshire.
Her identification adds strong genealogical value to what would otherwise be an anonymous family letter.
Sanborn Shaw and Nancy A. Sherburne Shaw
Sanborn Shaw and his wife, Nancy A. Sherburne Shaw, were the parents of Lucy J. Shaw and a large New Hampshire family. Their children formed part of the extended Shaw family network in and around Sanbornton.
The Sherburne family name was also well established in New Hampshire, and Lucy’s maternal ancestry may interest collectors researching the interconnected Shaw, Sherburne, and Little families.
Moses F. Little
Moses F. Little was the later husband of Lucy J. Shaw. Lucy became his second wife. Although he is not mentioned in the letter itself, his marriage to Lucy provides an important genealogical link and helps identify the recipient conclusively.
Lillian A. Shaw
Lillian A. Shaw identifies herself as Lucy’s cousin and gives her location as North Sanbornton, New Hampshire. No firm birth or death dates have yet been established for her.
Her youthful handwriting, informal spelling, affectionate tone, and request for secrecy suggest that she was likely a young relative close in age to Lucy. Further Shaw-family genealogical research may permit a more precise identification.
Historical Context
Sanbornton, located in Belknap County, New Hampshire, was a rural farming community during the 1850s. Personal letters such as this were the principal means by which relatives maintained family connections, exchanged news, and arranged visits.
Because the letter was written by a young woman to another young woman, it offers a small but authentic glimpse into ordinary female friendship and family life in antebellum New England.
Condition
The letter remains fully displayable but shows substantial age and handling wear, including:
- Original mailing or storage folds
- Edge losses and irregular corners
- Small tears and fold separations
- General toning and staining
- Several ink blots and smudges
- Wear along the central horizontal fold
- Some faint or difficult-to-read wording
Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.
An appealing 1852 New Hampshire family letter with identified genealogy, two Lillian A. Shaw signatures, and an unusually personal request that the recipient keep the writing private.
