To James Madison from Mary Fowler, 6 November 1815
From Mary Fowler
Raymond November 6th. 1815.
Much Honoured Sir
I flatter myself that your humain benevelince will grant my pertision on behalf of my Son a Minor, who left his parrents 8 years gone, whent on to Boston entered as Maron for 5 years without the Consent or knowledg of his parrents went on board the US ⟨ship⟩ Frolick was Capturd & sent to Dartmore prison were he remain’d untill the peace was settled: when he was sent on to Newyork & put into the Navy yard to be kept during his 5 years inlistment & we understand that he has desertid ⟨&⟩ is willing to return to the assistance of his Aged parrents provided I Can get a Discharg from under your hand that He may be safe: the Lads Name is Isaac Fowler he was born in Augst 1795 his father is Subject to voilent fits of derangment & I have no other Child with me which makes my Cause very distressing we have never Receved one Cent of his wages duering his absence from home & we are very poor if you will send his realease by post direct to Raymond Near Chester in the state of Newhamptshier Rockinham County it will greatly Contrubot to the releaf of a distresd Mother
Mary Fowler
P S I Cannot say But that he has receved his wages & spent it But his parrents never receved any the whole Time of his absen⟨ce⟩ if you will soon grant my request & send it as aforesaid directed in m⟨y⟩ Name I shall be sure to get it if I d⟨o⟩ I Can with sincerity Take God to Wittness to the Truth of what I have Wrote.1
Mary Fowler
RC (DNA: RG 45, Misc. Letters Received). Postmarked Chester, New Hampshire, 11 Nov.
1. Not receiving any answer, Mary Fowler wrote again on 26 Mar. 1816 to James Monroe, repeating her plea for a discharge for her son. She had been told that “it Was not so proper to write to [JM] in this affair As to [Monroe]” and she asked to be forgiven for the error. Monroe forwarded the letter to the Navy Department, where it was decided that if Fowler would “give himself up to Comt Macdonaugh at Portsmouth NHampr he shall be treated lightly, & perhaps pardoned” (DNA: RG 45, Misc. Letters Received). On 13 Apr. 1816 Navy Secretary Crowninshield conveyed this news to Mary Fowler, stating that her son, if he gave himself up, would be treated “with all the lenity that may be deemed compatible with public duty” (DNA: RG 45, Misc. Letters Sent).