Hannah Fisher leter to Thomas and Charity Rotch, Philadelphia 9th mo 29th 1816

              B-56-5
page 1

      Philadelphia 9th mo 29th 1816
My dear Sister and brother
   Your very acceptable letter came to hand day before yesterday. the few articles sister sent for, I hope will reach safe, we contend to procure them, I have not written to you very lately for I really hoped a personal interview would render it unnecesseary. I did think that you might have come on from the Y meeting which I suppose was 70 miles on your way - but now, A Coates tells me, brother thinks you will come next Spring. but whether we all, & your aged Parents, may reach that season we have no certain Evidence, a fresh instance of the uncertainty of life, has recently occurred in our neighbourhood. John Pardon ages 78, who had enjoy'd remarkable health, I understood ate his dinner as Usual last sixth day & was in his Shop, a few minutes, before he was siezed, while sitting in his Chair, with a fainty Fit and expired in about twenty minutes, the news paper says "his death was sudden, without a sigh, or a struggle