[Synopsis from the seller: Abby Elizabeth Young was the proprietor of Mrs. Young's Female Seminary in Allentown. Her letter shows how family and hometown ties helped young women achieve an education and become inspired to pursue careers in education. Abby Young and Abby Ford were both from Morristown and Abby Young's niece Josephine was an assistant teacher at her school. Abby Young writes to prospective student Abby Ford, giving her information regarding the opening of the summer session and informing her that she has "secured a very skilful music & drawing teacher." She writes compassionately, telling Abby that she hopes she will bring her sister Sarah Elizabeth with her "so you would be less lonely if she were here." She adds that Josephine, who was close to Abby Ford's age, would give her directions regarding the best way to travel from Morristown to Easton. Both Abby Ford and her sister Sarah Elizabeth later attended Mt. Holyoke Female Seminary (now Mt. Holyoke College) and became teachers.]
Allentown March 8th - 50
My Dear Miss Ford
I suppose from what your Mother said when I last saw you both that I may expect you to be here by the first of May. My session closes the first week in April, and the summer session will commence the first day of May. If you could be present at that time I should be very glad but should any thing prevent please let me know when I may hope to see you.
I hope to hear from you as soon as you receive this. I trust you will like A-[Allentown], and that you will find your situation pleasant. I have secured a very skilful [sic] music & drawing teacher. I think you will be much pleased with his instructions.
Please let me know in your letter whether your Sister will accompany you, I hope she will for I should like to have her for a boarder, & you would be less lonely if she were here.
Please present my kind regards to your Mother & Aunt. Josie sends her love and says that you will find it most agreeable to come through Somerville to Easton, and then you can come directly on to Allentown as there is a stage coming to A- after you reach Easton: but to take that rout you must go to Newark.
"Hopeing [sic] to hear from you soon
I remain
your sincere friend
Abby Elizabeth Young[More notes from the seller:
Abby Elizabeth Moore (1810-1880) was born in Morristown, the daughter of merchant Loammi Moore (1776-1841) and Huldah Byram (1779-1860). Her father was killed when an old church in Morristown that was being demolished collapsed. Loammi and Huldah are buried in the First Presbyterian Church cemetery in Morristown. Abby's sister Sarah "Sally" Ann Moore (1800-1881) married Rev. Daniel Young (1795-1831), a German Reformed Church pastor and Professor at the Theological Seminary of the German Reformed Church at York, PA. Sarah established Mrs. Young's Select School for Girls at York and moved the school to Mercersburg, PA, after the death of her husband in 1831. Shortly afterwards, Abby and her sister Phebe Bethiah Moore (1807-1846) moved to Mercersburg to teach at the school. On May 18, 1842, Abby married Rev. Andrew S. Young (1811-1848) of the German Reformed Church. Rev. Young taught at Marshall College in Mercersburg and had served as the Principal of Allentown High School. In 1843 he accepted a call to a church in Trappe, PA, where they remained until 1845, when his failing health forced him to resign and move back to Allentown. They opened a female seminary in Allentown and operated it together until Rev. Young passed away on February 15, 1848. After his death, Abby supported herself and her young son James Edgar Young (1844-1876) by continuing the operation of the school as Mrs. Young's Female Seminary. Her school had a high enrollment and was recalled as "an excellent school for young ladies." On March 12, 1851, she married James Henry Coffin (1806-1873), who was a distinguished author, scientist, and professor at Lafayette College in Easton, PA. On December 9, 1880, Abby passed away at Easton. She was recalled as a woman of "great ability" and "genuine politeness." See The Liberator (July 9, 1841), Sayre Family (1901), Proceedings and Papers Read Before the Lehigh County Historical Society, Vol. 1 (1908), Family Records... (1851), History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, New Jersey (1885), Old Mercersburg (1912), and The Fathers of the German Reformed Church in Europe and America, Vol. 3 (1872).
"Josie" refers to Josephine Waldo Baldwin (1832-1925), who was the daughter of Caleb D. Baldwin (1795-1868) and Susan Moore (1804-1892) of Essex County, NJ. Susan was the sister of Abby Elizabeth Moore Young. Josephine was an assistant teacher at Abby's school and was known there as "Miss Baldwin." In 1854 Josephine married William Samuel Marx (1829-1866), a leading Allentown lawyer. He graduated from Princeton College in 1848 and was admitted to the bar in 1850. William rose to prominence and was elected District Attorney in 1856. Overwork contributed to his chronic ill health, from which he did not recover. He passed away on September 2, 1866. Josephine remained in Allentown and is buried in Fairview Cemetery. See History of the Counties of Lehigh and Carbon... (1884) and General Catalogue of Princeton University (1908).]