Letter from Elven Henry of Durhamville, Oneida County, NY to his sister Mary H. Harwood in Barre, Massachusetts. Dated March 5, 1843, Henry's letter describes his six-month-old daughter Mary Amelia Henry, discusses various family visits, his intentions to visit Barre, the cost of railroad travel, and the state of business in his area. He describes "the subjects which excite the public mind this winter" as "protracted meetings, Animal Magnetism and Millerism," reporting recent debates between Baptists and Methodists. He notes that "animal magnetism "has gained a great many believes since Mr Murdock commenced the practice since then there is some half a dozen who pretend to magnetize in this place."

Henry reports that he has "not heard a Lecture on Millerism yet but reports are in circulation that in Floyd in this county the people have dismissed their schools given up their business and collected together in masses to prepare for the destruction of the world. In other places also there is considerable excitement."