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It was common in the eighteenth century for a young man to ask the parents or guardian of the girl he wished to marry for permission to continue his courtship. Samuel Field (1743-1800) of Deerfield, Massachusetts, was the uncle and guardian of Hannah Taylor (born 1722). The letter answers the request by Elihu Hoyt (1771-1833) to marry Hannah. Field admits that he does not pretend to control Hannah, but he feels the match would be a good one and he gives to Mr. Hoyt his best wishes for success in courting her.