Amanda Melissa Cossitt, dressmaker

United States # 148, 6c rose on September 2, 1873 international cover from Danvers Centre, Massachusetts to Digby, Nova Scotia. Addressed to Mrs Byron Cossett, Digby, N.S. Cancellation DANVERS CENTRE MASS, SEP 2, Backstamps from H(alifax) SP 3 1873, DIGBY, SE _____.

Amanda Melissa Purdy Cossett was the 27-year-old wife of Byron Cossett, a printer in Digby, when she received this letter from Danvers Centre, Massachusetts. Her husband Byron would die of consumption eight months later. Amanda never re-married. A possible sender of this letter was Amanda's brother Jeremial Ditmars Purdy, a carpenter, who immigrated to Massachusetts in 1868. In the 1870 census, he was living in Boston, Ward 9.

Amanda was born 4 Mar 1845 in Digby, Nova Scotia, the daughter of Henry Purdy (1807-1891) and Letitia Elizabeth Ditmars (1812-1900).

On June 26, 1867, in Digby Anglican Church, John Byron Cossett, 20, printer, of John and Sarah A. Cosset, married Amanda Melissa Purdy, 21 of Henry Purdy.

1871 census Cosset, John, 50, carpenter, Cosset, Sarah, 50, Cosset Byron, 24, printer, Cosset, Amanda, 25

Lovell's Nova Scotia Directory for 1871 lists Cossitt, John, hotelkeeper. Byron Cossitt is not listed.

J Byron Cossitt died of consumption 4 May 1874, aged 27 years, and is buried in Woodman Cemetery, Joggin Bridge, Digby.

1881 census for Smith's Cove, Digby, shows Amanda continued to live with her in-laws. Amanda AM Cossitt, 35, seamstress, is living with John A Cossitt, 62, and Sarah A Cossitt 60.

By 1901, Amanda Cossitt, 66, dressmaker, is living alone at Joggin Bridge.

Amanda M. Cossett of Windsor, lived at Joggin Bridge, aged 82 years, died 2 Apr 1927 at the Masonic Home in Windsor, buried 4 Apr 1927 in St. John's Church Yard (St. Clements Parish Register Vol. 3, p.89, no.706)

Amanda's Nova Scotia immigrant ancestor, her great-grandfather Gabriel Purdy (1721-1803) was a loyalist from Rye, New York. He was a descendent of Francis Purdy, a 1632 immigrant to Connecticut from Yorkshire. Amanda's grandfather, Samuel Purdy had been born in New York in 1765, removed with his family to Nova Scotia after the Revolution and married Sarah Elizabeth Ditmars on 3 Jan 1797 in Digby, Nova Scotia.