A Lengthy Letter Detailing Family in New Orleans and a Nearby Plantation and Discussing The Insurance Business and Current Affairs, 1854

New Orleans, 1854. Fine. A lengthy description of life in New Orleans written by Samuel Sumner (1824-1866), the son of Michael and Mary Sumner of Newburyport, Massachusetts, describing life as an insurance salesman in New Orleans. He talks about his brother Richard (Richard Bartlet Sumner, 1816-1868). Sumner describes his life in New Orleans and alludes to previous difficulties, presumably in his travels from Newburyport and establishing his family in the New Orleans. He talks about the difficulty in establishing business relationships, stating "It has been most unfortunate for me (& I presume there is not one young man in a hundred that has suffered as much as I have from its causes) that I have never been placed in a position suitable to my taste or character, that is, I have had partners for whom I lost all respect & confidence because they had no respect for themselves & therefore it was impossible to succeed under such circumstances; but now I am in a very respectable position and am constantly thrown among a class of men whose influence is good, whom I can respect, and between whom there is some congeniality of feeling." He discusses sending his family to a plantation two-hundred miles north of the city, where they are doing "tolerably well." An interesting letter overall that gives a detailed account of an emigrant familly from the east in New Orleans during the period.

Full transcription follows:

New Orleans, Augt. 21st 1854

Dear Father & Mother,

It is a long, long time since I availed myself of the opportunity of addressing you, but allow me to assure you that it was not for a want of inclination to do so, but because I have met with so many misfortunes & reverses in one way and another that I could not spur myself to write in that buoyant & happy spirit I desired & moreover I was aware that you occasionally heard of me through Richard.

The changes & vicissitudes of this life have been many during the past few years and more than ever I anticipated to experience during my whole life, but I trust it has not been thrown away upon me, but has added much to my experience and judgement; however, through the kindness and assistance of Richard I have been enabled to get through thus far & now am feeling quite content, having forgotten the past with all its troubles & trials and entered upon a new sphere of action with the hope of some day in future to reach the head. I presume you have heard that I am now engaged in the Office of the Home Mutual Ins. Co., which was something of an undertaking for me at the time, as I knew nothing of the system they pursued; but it took me but a short time to learn the traces & now I would not yield to anyone in the same line of business for quickness in figures or correctness in calculations tho I am but three months in service.

It has been most unfortunate for me (& I presume there is not one young man in a hundred that has suffered as much as I have from its causes) that I have never been placed in a position suitable to my taste or character, that is, I have had partners for whom I lost all respect & confidence because they had no respect for themselves & therefore it was impossible to succeed under such circumstances; but now I am in a very respectable position and am constantly thrown among a class of men whose influence is good, whom I can respect, and between whom there is some congeniality of feeling. My salary is also tolerably fair, $2000 to the 1st of Jany, after which $2400, which will enable me to get along quite comfortably, so you may expect to hear from me more frequently hereafter.

Richard is now rich and well. He deserves it, for no one ever paid closer attention to his business than he, or worked harder to gain it, & it certainly must be a great source of gratification to you to know of his success, as I know it is, to him, that it is in his power to lend us aid.

I was in hopes to have visited you long ere this, but fortune did not smile upon me & therefore I must be content and await the day when good luck will again take me back to my old home, the place of my birth, the days of my childhood, where I have enjoyed so many happy, happy scenes, many of which are now in my mind's eye; even the old house on Merrill St. & the grassy lot in front with the old pump & the old School house, seem but yesterday & then comes the present house, the garden, the trees, the fruit & the old Russell Apple Tree with its overhanging branches in the rear, the cow, the milking, going to pasture, the pigeon house & pigeons, all, all rise before me and often do I wish myself a boy again; but to these scenes I cherish a hope, altho vague, that I will one of these days return; but ere that time, changes may take place that will only render it sad & melancholy; but to this I trust to a higher power & hope that we may all be submissive to will.

A few days since, I gave Mr. Breaux (a friend of mine) a letter of introduction to you, & I presume he will call upon you during the summer - he visits the north in search of health. In him you will find a real true Southerner & gentleman, intelligent & interesting, born in this State but educated in Cambridge; he has been a good friend of ours & has taken a great fancy to our little 'Jennie', which is equally returned on her part, for I don't believe she would ever forget him. Mr. Breaux can tell you all about us & give you a better description of us than anyone else. I hope you will welcome him & that his short call may prove interesting to all - if Hannah or Abby would like to talk French, they will now have a chance - his parents both being French.

My Wife & little ones were all tolerably well when last I heard of them - for the past 6 weeks they have been on a visit to the country, about 200 miles above the City, and will remain until they get tired of plantation life. It is the first time Mary ever visited a plantation & if you could read some of her letters to me, you would find them truly interesting & instructive. Mary went up altogether on a/c of the ill health of our little girl, who has always been delicate & becomes much reduced as warm weather approaches, so much so, that we are fearful at times that her constitution will fail her beyond all hope - but Mary writes me now that she thinks the country air is producing a good effect upon her & that they are having fine times. Mary rides horseback from 6 to 10 miles every fair morning before breakfast; the little ones ride the pony nearly all day & after dinner they all take their carriage drive. These amusements, together with the calls of friends, all tend to pass away the time most pleasantly.

Since Richard left, we have experienced one of the heaviest losses by fire the City ever felt, but the Offices are all sound & you can say to Richard that we settled up (all but 2 small losses, which the parties have not brot in) in 15 days after the fire took place - our loss about $65,000, which we paid without going into bank for discount. I will not inflict a longer letter upon you this time, but you may expect to hear from me more often than heretofore. If Mary was here, she would send much love to you all. Give my love to all & believe me truly your aff. Son, Sam.