[Mr Joshua Thomas Horton to Lieut. Thomas Waters, husband of Elizabeth née Butterworth. Joshua Horton was a friend of the Butterworth family.]
Addressed to Thomas Waters Esq., March Wood, Southampton, Hants.
Rochdale January 21st 1823
My dear Sir,
I have the painful Duty of informing you that Mr Butterworth departed this life yesterday evening of a quarter before eight o clock. He had been declining, as you already know, during some months; but had grown rapidly worse since Wednesday last. It will be consoling to you and his Daughter to know that his last moments were calm and peaceful, and that he resigned his breath with composure, as an Infant sinking into undisturbed sleep. – I have taken the liberty of writing to you, that you might break the melancholy tidings to Mrs Waters; and that her Brothers and Sister might be spared the office of so sad a communication. The funeral is fixed for Friday next, as they have all desired, and I have ventured to engage that the attendance either of you or yours was all but impracticable, at so great a distance and in so inclement a Season.
Mrs Standing and all the Family bear their loss, at present, as well as could be expected – and I venture to hope that Mrs Waters will seek and find her consolation in the consideration that her Father is himself a gainer by her own loss – . The kindest regards of all the Family attend this letter, and I beg
you to
Believe me,
very truly your
Joshua Thomas Horton
Alice or Ben will write in a few days.
(the following answer is pencilled in)
Dear Sir Marchwood nr Southampton 25 Jan 1823
I have communicated to my Wife the melancholy tidings of her father’s decease. it affects her much but I hope and trust the Almighty will support her under her affliction. it is a great consolation that Mr. Butterworth departed this life so resigned and happy. we wish much to have attended his remains to his last Home but my Wife is not well the distance is great and the internment must have taken place the day on which I received your letter, yesterday – My Wife joins me in kind regards to Aunt Sister and Brothers I am Dear Sir Your most Obliged T Waters