Memoir of John Howe Peyton: in sketches by his contemporaries, together with some of his public and private letters, etc., also a sketch of Ann M. Peyton
History
Memoir of John Howe Peyton: in sketches by his contemporaries, together with some of his public and private letters, etc., also a sketch of Ann M. Peyton
Peyton, Anne Montgomery, 1802-1850; Peyton, John Howe, 1778-1847
Carolina, hang Calhoun and end nulification within a month and forever."
In 1830, the United States government made a large grant of lands to his
heirs as a further recompense for his military services. It was during
Mrs. Peyton's visit to her home in the Sweet Springs Valley, after her
father's death, that the following letter was written:--
JOHN H. PEYTON TO MRS. PEYTON:
Staunton, June 24th, 1823.
I duly received the letter of my dear wife on the 15th, giving me the
agreeable intelligence that she and Susan had improved in health and
were well. Let me say a word here on the subject of your and her health.
Do not let her habits of life become too delicate. If you will both
continue the practice of taking a cold bath every morning, you will soon
regain your former healthy tone, and Susan become stronger and teethe
easily. Whenever you suffer with heat and need refreshment resort to the
warm bath, not oftener, however, than once a day. Do not allow the nurse
to carry Susan in her arms as much as heretofore; let her place the
child on the floor to there exercise by getting on her own way--"We must
crawl before we can walk." Nothing can supply the want of exercise, it
gives the child confidence and the conversation of the nurse and the
pointing out of objects pleases its fancy and arouses its faculties.
Children that are too much nursed and coddled are apt to be weak and
delicate and are sometimes even deformed by the carelessness of nurses
in keeping them too long in improper positions. We cannot be too
particular with this lovely child in whom we so much delight. The
Masonic procession occurs to-day; it is in honor of John the Baptist.
Dr. Stephens delivers the address [Rev. Dr. Stephens, Rector of Trinity
Church, Staunton,] and the dinner is given at Mrs. Chamber's tavern. I
can only participate in the dinner, as there is a trial of a negro for a
rape committed on a white married woman, which will occupy my attention
throughout the day. Now that he is within the toils of justice, I shall
see that he does not struggle out and make his escape. Such brutal deeds
must meet their just punishment.
Your friend Mrs. Baldwin is much engaged entertaining her brother and
his family, who are on a visit from Winchester. Such spare time as I
have is spent with Johnson and his family, where I am almost domiciled,
[Chapman Johnson the distinguished lawyer.] Johnson's health is much
improved and his spirits are better. He no longer suffers with
depression. He makes many friendly enquiries after you and his
god-daughter, Susan Madison. He goes to the Sweet this summer with his
family and sister-in-law, Agnes Nicholson.
I have directed the servants to make you a supply of currant jelly and
walnut pickles. Sinah has also salted down, for winter use, a quantity
of excellent butter. Is there anything else you would like to have done?
If so, speak--you will not have to speak twice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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