Ovid Mich
Nov 14 1866
Friend Kate
Oh Dear! How time flies away with one since you wrote a whole month has run around lacking a day and still your letter's unanswered. Am afraid that disinterested advice from you has been sadly neglected, however here goes. Tho' to begin with, I wish I had answered immediately for then by this time should have had the pleasure of again perusing one of the letters penned by you, and therefore at he risk being called selfish by you, I promise in the future to answer your letters within one week after I receive them. There do you mind that now Kate be good and go and do likewise.

I haven't yet decided to come East. This winter. Can come one time as well as another so far as that is concerned - if I come at all. Should come more to see you than any one else. Now Kate do you think it will pay? How I should feel, you know, to come out to Yatesville and find you playing your distractions to some "other feller" Boo Hoo Hoo! The thought is awful to contemplate for one moment. - but if you with disinterested advice tell me to come why then at the risk of breaking my neck on the confounded railroads, I'll sacrifice myself for you and appear before you --- What a martyr I'd make of myself wouldn't I? So courageous __ as "e-----" as Hasby says.

There now Kate, I've thrown myself at you. You can "catch on the fly" if you choose and I won't bound away from you unless the collision makes my elasticity so great as to render me powerful to help myself. I didn't intend to throw myself at you very hard. But enough of this shall look with some anxiety for a reply soon.

I send our card to you thinking you may want to buy something of our house sometime.

My Respects to Miss Gardner of Torrey (or Milo) and to all of your family. Do you hear from Mrs Angell? I have not since she left us.

Hope your enjoyment this writer may be all you anticipate with interest.

This will not start till tomorrow so you will probably get it Saturday. Shall look for a reply as soon as a week from that time. Kindly,
Good Night,
Your friend Potter

New York, April 1st 1867

My Own Dear Kate
I wrote to your father last Saturday and told him all about it. And have waited to write to you all the time since but this is the first opportunity. Should have wrote to Nible's Garden. But would rather write to you. This is my first visit to the great city and while here have made up my mind to one thing - that if we both live we will visit it together, if it will please you. I think we would enjoy it together don't you? Shall look for a letter from you tomorrow or next day. Answer this to Ovid. I expect to be at home by next Saturday afternoon. I cannot bear the idea of waiting till next fall before we are married and I wrote so to your father. When the warm rays have brought the trees and flowers to bloom and earth looks beautiful and nature looks pleasant and lovely then let us be one then let us enjoy each other's society and commence life together. Shall it be so? Tell me all about what you think in your next and I shall abide by it. There is no bar now to entire confidence in each other. I should have been very, very glad to have seen you again before going home but I could not do so without interfering with my business trip materially, but I shall send you something before I go home. Will send by express. Twill not be much, but it will be for you from me. I shall commence making arrangements to build a house as soon as I get home. Maybe we may have to board awhile but we can commence keeping house by fall. And by that time we will know what we want better than we do now. It seems to me that I am now but just for to commence living for something. I never felt better in all my life than the last week.
Well, today we have been busy as can be buying Dry Goods, have bot a fine stock of dress goods for our market. Yesterday we walked the whole length of 5th Ave and as it was pleasant - the street was filled with the wealth and beauty of the great metropolis. Here one sees the stately palaces of the Stuarts, the Astors, the Vanderbuilts and a thousand others. Churches and chapels, Hotels and houses. All are rich. All Luxurious. All Stylish. The splendid carriages, fine horses, liveried servants, all the pomp and show of a great city. But when we think of the care and anxiety, the ceaseless turmoil and trouble, we know they are but human after all. They only have what they eat, drink and wear - and we have that! Think of Stuart and his family - his wife (you have read of their unhappy life.) I do not envy them ---
Yesterday went over and heard Beecher in A.M. Church was crowded jam full. In eve went to St Pauls church. Good sermon but nothing to Beecher. Saturday visited Trinity Church and went to the top of the steeple. Up, up far above the city with a splendid view Brooklyn, Jersey City, the Hudson and East Rivers, the sound called William, Governor's Island, and Broadway stretching away to the North -- At last ending at Grace church all spread out before us. Can tell you writing about it. Write me a long letter and tell me lots of something. - I must go to bed - retire I meant.
I am yours, ever, Albert

 Sunday Eve
Oct 13th 1867
My Own Dear Kate;

I have looked for a letter from you for the past four days, and every day have been disappointed. Yesterday, tho't certainly would bring me tidings of you and today -well, I have been uneasy like a fish out of water for why should I conceal my feeling from you --- have conjured up all sorts of imaginary evils which came to befall me.
John Potter came home yesterday. He said he was at the Fair at Penn Yan one day - saw your father a few minutes - and that you were coming down the next day - and that was all.
I wrote your Father from N.Y. City last spring in relation to our proposed plans for the future, but he never answered pro or con so I am in the dark as regards his feelings on the subject. If there is anything in the way you must be aware of it ere this and it would satisfy me very much to be informed of his wishes regarding us.

You must excuse me for my plain way of getting at what I wish to say. I never was noted for my eloquence in speaking or for clothing my ideas in as flowery garb as some.

Our house is progressing finely. The carpenters will finish their work the coming week. I have bot my sash doors and blinds. They will be here this week. Everyone speaks of it as pleasant and convenient and the work on itis as good, if not better than any house in town. It will cost me more than I expected it would, probably between $1200 and $1500 but that is the experience of all who build, I believe.

Aunt Nep. writes me that miss Angell is married but does not mention the gentleman's name.

I shall be both proud and happy to introduce you to my friends here and think you will enjoy yourself.

Shall be ready to come to your place the first week in Nov. but shall await your pleasure of course as regards the exact time.

Shall look for a letter from you every day until one comes and will write you soon again. Am looking forward with many pleasurable anticipations to the time when we shall be together and I can come home to my own cheerful fireside. For I am tired living with strangers.

Write me a long letter of hood things. Tell me what you are doing and how you get along with it.

Yours ever - with a kiss goodnight,
Albert

 Monday Morn
July 19th 1869

Dearest

I tho't I would not write to you until I got a letter from you. But cannot wait. It seems more than a week since you went away and I was so lonesome all day yesterday. George staid with me last night for the first. Geo Gibbs staid with me on Friday night - It is a good boarding place at Fulkerson's. I hope you had a pleasant journey but I know you must have been so tired when you got home. How is our baby? Did the journey or the change of milk make him sick? I hope not. My prayer is for you and the baby daily. That you may not get sick or meet with any accident. I know you will enjoy your visit at home so much. And I am glad you went. But I am so lonesome sometimes, it seems as if I wanted to come to you so bad I can hardly wait. You are the dearest and truest of all and I know now how much I love you. Did you think of me last night?! I sat in the window about half-past nine waiting for Geo and looked out at the moon and the stars and wondered if you were thinking of me! And I tho't of our wedded life and how you had given up home and friends and all the ties which bound you to your native place and for my sake had come away in this new country to live with me, almost a stranger. And I wondered if I had not sometimes been wicked and whether I had not forgotten how much you had sacrificed and wished I had not treated you so coldly and my heart was full of sadness when I thot of these things and I thot how imperfect and how far I had fallen short of your ideal of manhood and I felt sorry and repented and prayed to God that I might always remember how good and kind and true you had always been to me and my heart was filled with love for you and I believe he blessed us as I sat there for I felt that He was near me and that I should always love and serve Him.

I is going to be a hot day. Wheat is nearly ripe enough to harvest and so we shall have a dull week of it. Love to all. Kiss the baby for me and remember that I love you darling wife better than all the world beside. Don't get sick. I embrace you. I kiss you. Good Bye
Your Albert

[Note: "the baby" is Monroe Potter who died 23 December 1874 at 5 years]

 Thursday 4pm
July 29th 1869

My Love

Your dear good letter came this day and Oh, how my heart beat and thrilled with pleasure as I read those lines of true affection and tenderness. From you my dearest, my beloved wife.

How I miss you God only knows and how I long to see you cannot be expressed in this poor way. If I could only fold you to my heart. Oh! So close and so long and press those lips to mine in a long, long embrace. My joy would be complete. It seems to me sometimes that we have not improved all of our time in lovein each other as we should. I have thought since you were away that if our separation instead of being but a few short weeks had been forever, that how easy and not an uncommon thing if one of us had been stricken sown and called away to that unknown world by our maker, how different would be our emotions. How every thought and action would come to our heart knocking dolefully and would either acquit or condemn. Oh Kate, let us be thankful that it is as it is. Let us remember what a frail hold we have on the shores of time and that soon we may indeed be called upon to part. Oh the thought, no more to see, no more to caress, no more to love each other on the world. And let us live and love each other as though each day was the lastg and then we will have nothing to regret. My Love, the tears will come unbidden when I think of these things. My God bless you and keep you from harm and the baby, our little bud. God shield him and protect his pathway and may your influence, dearest, mould his little heart to love and serve his maker. Even as your example first awakened in his father's heart a desire heaven-ward and brought him a stubborn and willful man to the mercy (?) of Jesus our Savior who saves to the uttermost. I shall be a star in your crown.

Friday July 30

I have ordered a new Hat, pr. of boots and suit of clothes. Think I will start East about the 10th of August but will not say positive in this letter. Do not know as either of us will go to the city this fall, but will decide by the time I leave home. Went to a prayer meeting but did not enjoy myself very well. Are growing stout and healthy again? Are the roses blooming again in your cheeks? You must get as tough as a -, as a-, well as a tough as you can be. I don't care how fat you get. The fatter, the better, so you will be a big armful. You haven't been to Ben Potter yet I suppose. I rec'd a letter from Rogers but nothing from Brundage. I cannot enjoy a visit with Rogers while you are away. Give my love to Hiram, Johnnie and all. Hope uncle Smith will stay until I get there. I kissed you last night in my dreams, Oh, how sweet,
Albert

[the two days were written on one letter -mr]