Nancy Swearingen Letter to Elizabeth Bedinger

              Chillicothe November 10th 1818 
Dear Sister 
I find that the older I grow the more averse I am 
to writing-I once took great pleasure in writing letters; every 
day for the last two weeks I intended to write to you but put it 
off from day to day-King, Sarah Ann & Miss Eliza Claypool 
returned last Wednesday week-Miss Claypool left this sum= 
=mer with an intention to spend the Winter in New York & Phila. 
but her Mama (step-Mother) had been in bad health since last 
spring and grew worse daily-Eliza just returned in time to witness 
the last sad scene; Mrs. Claypoole died last Wednesday, a more dis= 
=tressed family I never saw, this event has cast a gloom over the 
whole town of course we shall have a dull Winter. 
Sarah Ann from the seat of elegance luxury & fashion [carrot mark] (New York) [written above carrot mark] has 
returned greatly improved in looks and manners she brings some 
entire new and beautiful fashions-dresses open before are much 
worn, and no seam on the shoulders, trimmed down in front and 
round the bottom with work of various kinds, inserting and very 
small tucks, the petticoats worked, a great variety of kuffs (sic) for the 
sleeves-Sarah Ann has the greatest quantity of the most elegant 
cloathes that I ever saw, presants from old Mr. King & Kings brother,