Letter in the Juniata College Treasure Room
John Cadwallader to Andrew Henderson
Birmingham 26 June 1804
Sir
It is my task to inform you that Mrs. Procter is no more. We find it necessary to inter the corpse on Thursday next — to leave this place in the morning and arrive at Huntingdon at 4 oclock in the afternoon, to stop at the House of Mr. John McConnell and rest a short time, before we go to the Grave.
Your politeness and friendship towards her, and her high regard for you, Mrs. Henderson, and the whole of the Henderson families, induces, and I shall venture to say, authorizes me to ask your friendly aid; to have her corpse interred in the Burial ground of your Borough, in the presence of all her Connections and all our old neighbors and friends.
You will please order her death announced by having the Bell toll’d 30 minutes immediately on your receipt of this note, and then you will please direct suitable persons to invite the inhabitants of the Town and all her former neighbors below it, to attend at Mr. McConnell’s at the time of our arrival. (The whole I will compensate.)
I have written to Mr. McConnell to prepare his large room for our reception — say 30 minutes to rest before the interment — and he is instructed to consult you as to his arrangements.
I have also written to the Major — your Brother — to furnish Crape and every other article which you may deem necessary upon this solemn occasion — so that the corpse of the old Lady may be interrd according to her wish and your good judgment.
I shall rely upon you to chuse a suitable part of the Burial ground — bearing in mind that we are a large Family, and I wish you to fix upon Space sufficient to be considered appropriate for the whole of us. You will please order the grave dug in such form as to admit Boards laid above the Coffin.
Let all persons who you may employ in this business understand that I will honorable pay them.
I am in haste —
yrs. very respectfully
J. Cadwallader
Andrew Henderson Esq.
P.S.
Be so good as to wait upon Mr. Johnston, and request him to attend. Your attention in this case will supercede my writing to him.