Letters Packet 1

Amerikan Bord Heyeti (American Board)

This packet contains a note and a letter from Elias Riggs announcing his daughter Elizabeth’s death: “Elizabeth was born in Smyrna March 11th 1837, and died in Hasskouy Constantinople Nov. 29th 1858 – less than two months after our return from America after a visit there of two years. She died of scarlet fever.” It also contains a number of condolence letters from the family’s friends. Most of these letters express surprise at the unexpectedness of her death (“Like a thunderclap upon us came the intelligence of Elizabeth’s death. We are speechless” “What can we say? Absolutely nothing. We are struck dumb, and can only sit down in the dust and weep.”), and the writers’ expectations that Elizabeth was to have had much “earthly work” to do. The letters all employ references to God and religious explanations or justifications for her death (“A jewel is removed from your house – but she has already become a jewel on the great Redeemer’s crown. Our circle is diminished, but the heavenly family has received a welcome member”), and the sentiment that her loss will be felt by everyone in the mission community. [Mary Lane] Dwight writes, “I long to say or do something to comfort you, but I know this wish is vain, for in such sorrow, who can comfort but He who inflicted the blow.” A letter from Henrietta Hamlin makes reference to Susie [her daughter Susan Elizabeth b. 1842 d. 1859], who “wishes me to say that she sympathizes with you, but Christ will comfort you, and that she shall soon see Lizzie. She will probably not be with us much longer as the disease has extended to her lungs.” [Indeed, Susan died the following year, in 1859], Several offer to help with the remaining sick children in the household, and extend wishes for the recovery of Charlie. Condolence letters from the following people/families: Henrietta Hamlin, [William G.] Schauffler, [Isabella Holmes Porter] Bliss, E.M.H. Cork, Anna Binns, [Mary Lane] Dwight, [Charlotte H.] Ladd, [Mary L.] Peabody, B.D. Larkin, [Harrison G.] Dwight, Emily A.V.L. [Van Lennep], S.L. [Sarah L.] Powers, Adele [Lennofo in French, Smyrna], Sophia Dalesia [in Greek, Smyrna, 17 Dec.], A.H. [M? Mayze? Mayer? Addressed to “My dear cousin Martha”], H. Ball (New York, 21Jan 1859), M.G. [Mary Wheeler] Benjamin, [James] Hammond, Phebe [Riggs Potter, Elias’s sister] (enclosed are notes “from the children”: Elizabeth A. Van Lennep, A. Van Lennep), G. [Porsers] (Cleveland, 21 Jan), A.R. [Allan] Forsythe (Greensbrough, 26 Jan.), another Forsythe of Greensbrough, G.D. [Georgia] Spaulding, C.R. [Caroline] Allen, M.D. Pelopotheks (Athens, 1 Feb), C.H. [Charlotte] Ladd, Lydia Dodd, A.B. Cooke, “Copy of a letter sent to Mrs. Anderson soon after the death of a daughter, eighteen years of age,” Sarah Davis, E.H. Watson.

A packet of 32 condolence letters from friends and family members to Elias and Martha Riggs on the death of their daughter, Elizabeth. Several of the letters are written in ink on very thin, nearly-transparent paper, compromising the legibility of the text as writing has bled from both sides of the paper. Most are in good preservation and legible.

1858-11-29
1860-05-25

English
French
Greek

Smyrna (İzmir, Turkey), Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey), Bebek (Istanbul, Turkey), Athens, Greensbrough, New York (N.Y.)

Missions, Missionaries

SALT Research

https://archives.saltresearch.org/handle/123456789/46783

Correspondence

Letter

Print, Handwriting

120 (32 letters)

ABARPC001

Open Access

United Church of Christ (UCC), American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT), SALT Research

On deposit at SALT Research from UCC and ARIT