Mary Van Nostrand letters to Elizabeth Smyth

1797-1818

Mary Van Nostrand was a daughter of John Van Nostrand and Helena Lefferts. Both the Van Nostrands and Lefferts were prominent families in Brooklyn and Long Island with roots dating back to the 17th century Dutch settlements. Elizabeth Stuart Smyth (1780-1818) was the daughter of Captain John Ferdinand Stuart Smyth, a Loyalist who returned to England before her birth, and whom she did not meet until his return to American during her adolescence. Mary Van Nostrand married Walter Titus in 1801; Elizabeth Smyth married Gideon Nichols in 1802. The collection is comprised of letters written by Mary Van Nostrand (1782-1818) to her cousin Elizabeth Smyth (1780-1858) beginning in adolescence and ending with Mary's death. Topics include family news, social activities, and other mundane matters