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DOCUMENT REF : A/4
Is reporting the birth of Florence Caroline, so this letter is probably 18th May 1863 by reference to Carrie Bimson junior’s birth.
See also Margaret Clarke’s letter of 20 May 1863
The writer will be 18 next birthday i.e. born circa 1846, Ann isoldest daughter of William Bimsonand Caroline (Clarke) Bimson.
First page very indistinct, seems to be about likenesses and farm reporting, continues more legibly secondpage;
BeverlyIll.
AnnieBimson to Cousins.
DearUncle, Aunt and cousins,
…summerthan they were last summer, chickens is selling at one dollar and a half thissummer and last summer they were only five cents apiece, potatoes have beenselling at 8(?)5 cent a bushel this winter we shore our sheep this year and havegot 10 lambs, we sold two lambs for $5, sheep is selling from 5-7 dollars perhead we have got about 50 pound of wool to spin up this year we have got startedof it. I guess I will send down south for a darkie for I dont like to do to muchwork for there is a bone in my legs and back. Mother is going to learn to spinflax, father has set in half a acre of flax and she says if factory dont comedown she is going to make us shirt and dresses of flax we have got about 9 acresof wheat in, the wheat in general dont look very well we have got about 9 acresof oat an they look very well, the summer wheat looks so bad it has been so coldand dry nothing could grow but we had a big rain last night we have got about 20acre of corn in this year. Aunt Julia we have got a great big baby and we callit Florence Caroline, father wanted to call it Florence Nightingale but we did not like that so we called it Caroline after Mrs. Banning. I’ll bet there is not a better baby in all England than itis, it is six weeks old today, tell Ellen and Willy that theyhave not got no grandmother Clarke now but have got a grandmother Gee for she is married to an old man by the name of David Gee and thebest old man ever for he is a little bit of a fellow, I could pick him up andshake him and not half try. Mother thinks lots of the old man they have beentwice to see us. My grandmother isgoing to send you her likeness to you, she has got it taken, if she has notalready sent it Mother says if she had of been there as long as you have shewould of seen friend(?)
Shewants to know if you know anything about the children and to give her love tothem and Aunt Ann give my love to Aunt Mary and Uncle Hibbert and tell them to write and to Dorothy Ann tell if she willwrite. I will give our love to Aunt and Uncle Spenser and tell them to write, Ido wish I could see her and all my little cousins, if father ever gets rich I amcoming to see all my Uncles, aunts and cousins. I wish you and Uncle Richard andthe children could get your likeness to look at. Well, now for the war, AuntJulia I am a Union girl from the crown of my head to the end of my big toe,there is no copperhead about me I tell you I have pretty hard time some time when some of the copperheads begin to curse AbeLincoln. I tell you it makes me most awful mad. We heard the other day thatPittsburg was taken by seven hard battles and our men beat them all to piecesthe rebel general Johnston is dead and Stonewall Jackson is dead and Stuart tookhis place. It came in the paper that Jeff Davis was about to lose his other eyeby a abcess but there is no suchgood luck as that is a pity but what he had lost it just wish I had hold of him.I could cut him up in inch pieces and throw them to the chickens if I was notafraid it would poison . There is a great many calling their dogs after Abe Lincoln, I would not call my dog after JeffDavis for it would be a disgrace to the dog. Ellen Laing (?) is deaddont you remember from old Laing
9?).Billy Carlyle has been in a battle and they took four thousand prisoners fromthe rebels and they took four hundred of ours.
Wegot a letter from Uncle Charley Bimson he is five mile below Memphis at Buntgy (?)Station (?)Lentner, in the 118 Regiment Illinois Volunteer Company A.John Bimson is in Nashville, Tennessee 16 Regiment Illinois Vol. Company K in Rosecrans army. Ben Bimson is in the Second Illinois Cavalry, Delancy(?) Company, Columbus, Kentucky. George is in the 50th regt of the Vols Company Illinois, in the Mississippi. I will now bring this to a close so no moreat present but I remain your affectionate niece, Annie Bimson
Weall send our love to our cousins, Uncle and Aunt and reserve a large share foryourself. Please write soon and dont forget give Ellen and Willy and the othertwo I dont know their names, a thousand kisses from me, give my love to UncleRichard and tell him I want to see him very much do you think I would know him if I should see him. i know he wouldnot know me for I am taller than mother and lots thicker I am almost like AuntBetsy, I will be 18 in my nextbirthday ,we are very sorry to hear Ellen are get no better. Poor Ellen, goodbye, write soon, tell Dorothy to write and send me her likeness and I will sendher mine in return.
DOCUMENT REF : A/5
Margaret Clark-Richard and Julia 20 May 1863
KingstonMay 20 1863
Mydear Son and Daughter, I take this opportunity of writing to you hoping you bothand the children is well as thisleaves us all at presant thank God for it.We was over at Carolins on Sunday, they are all well Carolin has got anotherlittle girl a month old her name is Loranora Carolin. We have bene over threetimes since she had the baby
( again referencing Julia Bimson’s letter this agrees, the ‘we’ referredto may be her husband David Gee).
Iwent to Quincy and had my likenes taken one for you, one for Mary and one forCarolyn and one for John if ever I can find out how to direct to him. I wish youwould wright to Mary and tell her to wright to me and give me the proper placeto wright to them and I will send her one ask Ellen if she knows who that is andse if she knows me, god Bless her poar girl
Ifell quit unhappy to know how you are getting along those war times I never go to my diner but I wonder wether you have any or not with thempoar little children. I wish you had not left, you would have got something hearto eat wich makes me think you have not thear. I have plenty to eat if i had gonBack with you how should I have bene now Things is very high here but we haveplenty to eat we paid 1 dollar a bushel for weat, butter about a bit (1/8thdollar) pound eggs 9cents sugar about 6 or 7 pound thedollar coffee 2(?) for a dollar, we roast rye and wheat for coffee, we paid 5 cents a poundfor bacon, I have got lots of chitins and 7 hogs near 2 years old and the oldsow and 6 shoots and Nelly and Rosy wehave rented 10 askers of land of Mr. Likens and got our corn in my lot I havecorn and potatoes and squash and pumpkins and beans and other odds and ends
AndI shall have plenty of perches and cherries, tell Ellyn I wish she was hear shecould put her little hands up and reach them Julia Allis and Mary Ellen comes and they do Ann and Elizabeth is bothfine young woman They will have to stop with their mother for a long time if thewar continues for nearly all the boys and men is nearly goon for solders and ismay be that William (Bimson) may have to go yet in Illinois but if the war dontget over they will have to do to kill then cursed rabbles that has brought allthis trouble on both our countries. If we had old of Jeff Davie and a pike ofcoward round his neck and had him tide to one of my cherry limes I would givehim a twitch We dont hear of one ofthe boys or men from about here been killed yet only Mat Nelson and they dontknow watt has become of him
Theysay that they are sending pepel from England to America, if it be trugh do yourbest to get back. You know whear to come to look after it if you get this letter and have no mony to pay for one to anser this beg an old newspaper of somebody and just scratch a pen across it andsend it then I shall know you have got it you may expect a letter from Carolin suon she said she wasgoin to wright to you some of thos days owerMary never wrights to us ?? is 4 years sinc she send me a letter she has sentone or two newspapers I dont know I have anything more to tell you only we are very comfortabl i wish you was the same and as well off if you was hear you would not betroubled with niyther silver nor goold for hear is nothing but goverment papermony and it will go no wears else giveWilli a kiss for me I have not forgot him and Ellen (indistinguishable conclusion of farewells)
DOCUMENT REF : A/6
Corner light blue lined page app.95mm x 115mm cut/torn two sides.
These are the notes referred toand as they are six weeks after Carrie Junior’s birth date are approx. May/June1862 and are from Mary Ellen Bimson and Elizabeth (Libby) Bimson
First note
“BeverlyAdams co ill
DearCousin Ellen
withpleasure I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at peasant and Ihope that went this few lines will find you well as they leave us at present wehave
other side headed
tomiss Ellen Potter
littlebaby 6 weeks old it is a little girl the ?????? letter this big you ?? saw in????saw in my big good boy Ask big yourselves saw in my big good boor
Elen
givmy love i am going now greettns to all of the family
eBimson
Written up side
Toour aunt julia
Similar paper torn two sidescissored one side about 100 x 115mm written on both sides;
BeverlyAdams Co Ill.
DearCousin I thought I would write to you if only you knew(?) how we would like to see you and Willie and the rest of you and Mary Ellen wants to knowwhether you are ever coming back any (?) and she says that she has got herlittle chair yet we have got a little baby and we call it Florence Caroline
DearAunt I wish you would send some Gooseberry seeds and some Rambling sailor seed Mary E says that going to School and is nearly through the first Reader Mary Ellen says say she hopes that are better by this time So Good By toMiss Ellen Potter
sinElizabeth Bimson.From her cousin
DOCUMENT REF : A/7
Letter from W.C. Marshall on printed letterhead to Julia Potter. Theguarded sentence ‘As regards any thing you owe here rest perfectly contented,it has never been spoken of that I know of”., evidently in reply to a delicatesubject raised by Julia. Possibly when they set out for America they arrivedinitially in New York where the Marshalls provided some financial assistanceequally possible is that they sought assistance while in transit through NewYork on their return to England. It is interesting to note that eitherparticularly in my ancestors’ case or in a general 19th century usage‘sober, steady, willing, and industrious’ are required qualities, andindeed, why not? The Clarkerelationship is confirmed in the separate note following this letter though notnecessarily written at the same time.
W. C. Marshall
Provisions
Nos. 10,12 and 14 Second Avenue
New York
May 29 1863
MyDear Cousin,
Yourletter has just reached me and I am very sorry to hear that you are doing sopoorly. As regards any thing you owe ushere you may rest perfectlycontented, it has never been spoken of that I know of. If you think you could dobetter out here why cannot you come? It appears as though your nearest relativesmight help you in this – at the same time you know something of the difficultiesof supporting a family like yours here. I think however steady employment can befound for your husband if he prove the steady, industrious man you say heis – if not much better for you to stay at home. Again – easy and steadyemployment can be found for your children as they come up, they can be educatedtoo, without cost so that they at any rate may find better times.
Again,if Richard desires, he could enlist for three years and obtain about $300.00bounty which money would suffice properly handled to place you in some lightbusiness by means of which youcould well support your family while he was away – if that does not suit him – Iwill promise him constant employment always supposing him sober willing and industrious – besides doing what I can as yourchildren grow up to push them forward.
Readthis over very carefully and dont imagine that I recommend you to come – make upyour own mind about that, but if you should come – bring nothing with you butthe meerest neccessaries of the voyage and write me the name of the vessel inwhich you take passage,
Yourstruly,
W.C.Marshall.
The separate note is a draft for an advertisement vis;
Informationwanted of Samuel Clarke, he was born in St James Street, Nottingham, aNeedlemaker by trade. Enlisted in the 13th Hussars about 1810, was in the Battleof Waterloo and when last heard of was stationed in Ireland in the year 1825.Any information of him whether living or dead will be gratefully received by hissister, Mrs. Marshall, no 14 Second Avenue, New York, NY.
DOCUMENT REF : A/8
Margaret Clark- Richard and Julia
Kingston July 12 1865
Mydear son and daughter, I resived your wellcom letter was glad to hear you are all well as this leaves us all atthe presant thank the Lord. My hand feels rather stedery this morning so I thinkI will answer your letter. Yesterday, Sunday, William and Caroline was down in the Botams fixing fencis all day foron Saturday we had one of the dredfulest rains I ever saw in all my life Downthe creke it took all before it fensis weat and everything before it insted of Williams having to work in is gras he has had to go splitingfence rails his wheat is all inshuck up at home, his corn has sufred badly it is in the Botoms.
Itas rained all this sumer we have never had 2 days fare wether together. ??????has sufferred. what some poar pepl has cows, chikins and everything washnd downthe creek.
Nowabout John Bimson, I dont know but he is at the Bottom of the see. I ham sorryfor Ellin thou she is left prety well of sheas lost two girls but she lives at Quincy and the roads with being so much rainis so bad that folks canot get
thay salidd from New York about the middl of aprill in the steamer UnitedKingdom and she has never been herd of sinc
nowabout the flower seds dont send any more wall flowers for we have as many aswould plant an acker of land and London bulbs(?) we have plenty Caroline has not time to wright today she is very near workid to death Ithink she will send a news paper Caryis down hear now playing with my little kittin, she is down hearmost all thetime. She brings me a sup of milk.I have got some chikins, about 40 owerpotatos is all roting in the ground with the wet wether. I have not heardanything of ower John Lasttime I here he was in the hospitl walkin on crutches. Give our kind love to Annand the girls tell her shenever answered Carolins letter. Jain Salthous will catch it when Carolin seesher Carolin is busy picking cherys.
thearis no pechis this year on acount of the sevear winter I give my kind love to Richard and tell him to kepe stedy orels he will never get back to America
Godbless you all and be good children to your father and mother, I am your affecnatgranmother and Mother,
M.C.
DOCUMENT REF : A/9
Margaret Clark to Julia and Richard October 30 18 (faded)
KingstonOctober 18??
Mydear Chldren I take up my pen hoping you are all well as this leaves us all atprisant thank the Lord. I ham at a loss to know the reason neither you nor Marywrights to us as you must both be very poor or something if you canot pay foryour letters send them without and I will pay for them it is near 2 years sinceI got one from Mary and it is near one since I had one from you. I always answeryours as soon after I get them You said Mary was mad at something I cannot thinkwhat she could be mad at, the last letter they sent to me they had filled itfull of Vallintines and it cost me above a dollar to get it it was such a wight.So I told them when i answered it not to put so many things in thare letters ifshe is mad at that I cannot help it you know thay weige the letters sometimes. Ithink thay maybee was mad Smith did not bring them somethin I never saw Smithafter he left aunt Betsy nor we did not know he was goin home for thay said hethout of working at Boston or we would have sent something for all the children.When he worked for Aunt Betsy I gave him derectons if ever he whent back to calland tell Mary he had seen me I thought she would be glad to hear from me. Didyou see him I told him whear you livid that is all. Them wallflower seed yousent me is come up butifull if I can kepe them alife this winter thay willflower this next summer and we will take some up and put them on John James andMargrat grave. I will send you a paper when I get answer to this and send ousome fall flowers and some Morning glorys I ham gathering the prettyest coulers.I think I will put you a few of the fall flowers in this letter and send Morningglorys in the paper. Sow thos seds in pots and plant them out in the spring. Youknow the glorys is vinis grow up the house and up the cherry tree. Carolin andall send thear kind love to you all, Ann is in Mesura (Missouri) shewill be hear this Christmas if all is well.
OldJosaph Beck makes great inquiring about you every time I see him. I do believehe would have sent you mony to have come back so bad a year or 2 since. Williamand Carolin and the girls has become very busy making thear mallasas (molasses) the last week thay maid abought 40 gallons she still isweaving she will kill herself yet. O I never told you when I sold my plais howold Cunningham strove to stop me thinking it was is at my death. Mr Kendal isthe squiar (squire?) he told him hehad nothing to do with it no more then he had. You should have seen how mad bothhim and her was thay went to stop it, so no more at prisant from your affecnatMother Margt Clarke.
DOCUMENT REF : A/10
Letters from Julia Bimson and Libbie Bimson to Julia Potter
DearAunt, with peasure I now take mypen in hand to let you know that we are all well and hoping these few lines come to hand they will find you well. Mothersays that she asks why you wright once a year, she says that she has got workenough for 10 women, no more at presant from your ever and affectonate JuliaBimson.
DearAunt
Ihope you are well as it leaves me at present I would like to see you all, Ann came home from Missouri in July and MaryEllen went back with her. Father istalking of building a house in the spring he has commenced to get out the rocks.That likeness that you got of mine Elijah Lentener took, he is taking picturesnow and Ellen I think you might send me yours for it, give my love to all,
sono more at prersent,
writesoon,
goodby
DOCUMENT REF: A/11
Letter from Margaret Clarke to daughter Julia Potter and Richard Potterand Ellen, spelled as written.
KingstonFairwether June 10
DearSon and daughter I take up my pen to wright to you hopin you are all well asthis leaves us all at presant excepting Carolin’s little girl named Carolin shehas got the spine in her back she is humpBackind she is a pretty littl girl only for that what in this world is the matter with you that makes younever wright to us, it is 2 years sinc you wrote to us. I wrot to you when Isold my plase and you never answered it. I think if you put it by one sent in aweke it would have payed for a letter before now in your last letter to me you wanted to know if I had herd anything ofower John then I did not know butnow I do he is in America I havehad 3 letters from him, he is in Masachusatas I think he will be coming up hear soon I ham sending him a letter today, your huncal Joseph nobody knows whathas become of him, I am afraid he as been murdred for I had a letter from youruncal John (Clarke?) from Canada he says 5 years ago Joseph was up with them andstoppid with them all winter. His wife was dead and he left them 5 years lastMarch with upwards of 300 hundred dollars all gould with him and he has neverbeen herd of since.
Ihave sent you many News Papers, the last I sent you I put a ring in it to wearfor your mother’s sake, send me word wether you got it and in one paper I sentyou Morning Glorys and sifras(? )
Wegot 2 papers from you last weke but we want a letter, allways wright to Kingstonfor we never go to Beverly.
Ifower John comes hear I dont think I shall stop hear for I don’t like hear I amburyed alive down in this orchard. William (Bimson) may take this old hows for astabl
Carolinsays she has not time to wright I wanted her to send a note in this.
Theyare goin to build a large rock house and pull the old one down
NowEllin how are you getting along I wish you was hear to kepe me company have you forgot how you and meused to sing in bed I hope you arebetter now Willi are you a good boy the otherI dont know them but I am your granmother givethem a kiss for me. I wish you was all hear I think you would not all of you feel above your poar old granmother.
NowRichard, I hope you are stedy mayGod bless you all is the sinsear wish of your mother,Wright soon,
M.Clarke.
DOCUMENT REF : A/12
Margaret Clark-Richard and Julia 23 Feb 1865
Kingstonfebury 23 1865
DearSon and Daughter we resivid your kind and welcom letter and I was glad to hearyou was all well as this leves us all at prisant thank God the next letter youwright to me direct to Kingston Fairwether Post ofic as the letter you sent hadbene all over the country as you know thearis 2 or 3 plasis in America both Kingston and Beverly.
nowWilliam I am glad to see you wright so well if you was here I would give you adollar and you Ellen 2 dollars if you wright as well as William. I would be gladto se you all again but I never must in this world I ham got very nervy I canhardly old my pen to write thes few lines. We cannot wright much as Ann is goingto send her liknes with this and we expectd them over last Sunday but thay didnot come.
Julianever mind none of thare skits thay cannot harme me I ham independant of themall. Mrs Lighton said she gave you some mony to buy one them children some shoosand you never did so you know the reason that Martha did not thank you. I nevergo near Lightons now Ellin i wish you was with me to slepe at my back and sing them pretty littelsongs Julya Alicc has bene here two difrant times this winter and MaryEllen once to kepe me company.
Iham very lonly hear by myself ower John wrote to me he said he would come if hehad the money ower Mary talks of coming but I dont think thay will. I wishsome off you would before I die MrsBanin is dead 6 or 7 months sinc EligaLentner (thephotographer referred to in other letters) hascome home sick from bing a solger, he has got a penshan for life he is better I wasthere last Sunday. Mrs (Merrys?) sendsthear kind love from your afecnat Mother,
M.Clarke
Akiss for you all God bless you
DOCUMENT REF : A/13
This letter is probably accompanying the several other notes which aredated Feb 1865, the William referred to inthis letter who may have to go to war (Civil) is William Bimson.
Willy is William Potter , Richard and Julia’s eldest son and born inAmerica, with Ellen (born inPreston) his older sister, remembered by the family in the US.
This letter refers to visiting a grave where John James and ‘Carolin… her little Maggy’ are buried side byside, probably John James is the son of Richard and Julia Potter who died whilstthey were in America, also the child referred to in Richard’s mother’sletter to them in 1858 sent from Preston.. Maggy was possibly a daughter ofWilliam and Caroline Bimson. John is a Christian name used in both families,James probably for James Clarke, Mechanic of Preston who was Margaret’shusband.
The growing and making of ‘Malasas’ is probably molasses, in England‘sugar syrup’ or ‘treacle’ and probably referring to that extracted fromsugar beet.
Margaret Clarke to Julia and Richard
Feb23 Pancake Tuesday.(prob 1865)
deardaughter you will se by this that Carolin letter as only just come to me for theRoads has bene so bad thay could not so thay sent it by Thomas and when it didcome it was too hevy so I tooke out the picture and wrote this and put in thisso Instead of getting one letter you have got 2 I dont know wether you can make out to reed thear letter ornot for I cannot for my life foe se William has wrote A Bit Anna a bit elisabetha bit and Julia Alic a bit I think William will have to go to the war this time for the (y) will Lott now in a few days of he is Lotid we are wiping the Rebbles grand nearly all the men is gone from abouthear if thay are Lotid( lotted, ordrawn from a list) thay only get 16 dolars a month and if the volantear thay ger16 dolars a month and 4 hundred dolars Bounty some has got as much as onethousand dolars if thay go as substuts
WilliamBairing (?) is Brekin up howskepin today Ihave given him 6 dolars for his safe (possiblyan ice box or meat safe ) when Tom youngdied I Bought thear cubert it is as good a cubert as that of yours was for 4dollars safes is Better to kepe milk in I sold Rosy and Bought a heffer of afine Bred I dont know whether I shall live to milk her or not I have Nelly butno Piggs I ham goin to have Red clover and timithe (?) in my plais year lastyear I had corn and about 10 rows of Malasa Plant I had about 3 galans of MalasaBetter than we ever used to have when you was hear I have sent you a few sedesyou must put about 4 in a hill same as corn work them same as corn put thenwhear they will get as much sun as you can Carolin and me went to se John James and her little Magy theday Will Banin was buried JohnJames has a silver tree at is headand flowers thay lay side by side Carolin will be goin to look after then soon
goddbles you all
Willyyou Beat them all 2 or 3 kisses for you all
DOCUMENT REF : A/15
Caroline (Clarke) Bimson to J & R and young Ellen and William Potter,probably 1871, the 1871 Census records William 14 as being an Under Gardener,Ellen 18 a Cotton Heel Knitter. Despite the reference number in context it maynot be in correct sequence, follow the circumstances with brother John.
Jan31
Dearsister and brother and childran we got your welcome letter and was sorrey tohear that your childran had been sick weare all well at present thank God for it onley Carrie she is not so well as sheas been but she is very delicat and i dont know whether we shall raise her ornot She has so much sence for heryears she says she wishes she had sum thing to send Ellen they rest of the girls is at home and has been going to school they are going to singin school and i dont know what next they will getat they are too smart for me Annhas not been home yet they had so much truble in there county with the reblesthat they could not leave so i dont know wether they will come before next fallor not they are all well and thinks there baby is so smart it can just walk Ithink she has got a kind little man shewrits home every week or two wewent to Quincy at New Years and i went to the hospitle to see our Jhon he was nobetter he cride like child when hesaw me i did feel sorrey forhim to think he had nobodey to look to he did look lonsome but i think it a judgment he said he did not hewhould every get better and if he did he whould never walk anymore so i dont know what is to become of him one side was all sweld and had no feling in it i have not heard anythingsince she went away to percy (?) and to live with sum man and we have not heard anything from her sencebut she is no good but i think shewill not see much peace for the ways of the transgresser is hard Mother is well and much the same and will write to you and Ann when shecomes home
wehave had a very open winter and wheat looks tolarbl it is prettey hard on wheat pork is very high at present at 14 dollors ahundred pound we got 9 dollors hunderd wheat is low at present chicken is 4dollars a dosen Carrie says tell Ellen that her old chair fell to peaces thiswinter and she think if she had another and a big doll from England she whoulddo very well have you gotquite better Ellen are you working at home i one word for Willie, i want you to be a good boy and keep good compnaynow that you have gone to work you will see a good meny bad boys that who mayentice you but shun as you would a serpant and seek the paths of vertue and goodand above all read your Bible and it will make a man of you do you know anything about cousn Jhonathen uncel jhon said that he wasright steadey and sober himand his brother is both sober men give my love to them if you ever see them wehave not heard anything of them for a long time give my love to aunt Ann and the girls i have rought to her she will have got it before this be kind to her imust conclud now for i have a letter to write to Ann Jhon i would like it if you was hear now if you think thatyou could shuck corn for we have got a good deel to shuck and the girls dontlike to help me (xxxxxx ) you will write …
fromyour sister and brother CWB
DOCUMENT REF : A/16
Letter from Margaret Clarke to Julia and Richard, James had been a Potterbaby who was born and died inIllinois apparently named John James (namedafter James Clarke her husband) but the son she is trying to remember is Johnborn in 1860, she refers to the ‘other two’apart from Ellen , the girl inthe pettycoat with her head hanging down is probably Mary Elizabeth or ‘Polly’ born in March 1866 so this letter is circa1866-7
April8
Mydear son and daughter I take up my pen to wright to you hoping to find you allwell as this leaves us all at prisant Thank the Lord I dont know Julia wetheryou can make this wrighting out or nor but Carolin keps Bothering me to wrightto you she says it is time for a letter to come from you. She thinks your letteris lost they got some Books from the children thay was glad of them John Bimsonis come to england but we did not know or we would have sent some thing I dontknow how ower John is or wether he is dead or not for the Roads has bene so badthat no body could go to Quincy
Nowthat I have got home I will try to get to Quincy and se how he is getting a longbut he will never be able to pay me it is 25 dollars and that would kepe mealong time you allways say you will come but I shall never se you any of youmore
Ioften look at the likeness then I can se you all but that little thing she is inthe pett (pettycoat?) with her heed hungdown I have got 6 hens and a cock I dont think I can walk to Kingston but I willtry
Poarlittle carolin as just gone up home she often comes she she tells me all sheknows
Thehump on her back keps getting larger I have not bene at home this last 4 months.Carolin wants some flower seds ower wallflower is all in Bloom thay look pretty,send some stock gillivers and thou knows what a Peddlars Baskett is
whateverthou does send her some of thatsede for thou should se her windows with all sorts of rubish hung up in cokanutt shels any thing she can get that hang down. You must excus me not wrightingfor my hand trembls so bad
OwerMary as not answered my letter so I dont know wear they are give my love to Annand the girls when you se them Tell her I will get her card and your liknessframed if I can. Carolin said she answered ann letter but she has not answeredit excuse this dirty paper for itwas all I had. Now William, wright to me and be a good boy, James (John)too and you Ellen and them 2 girls, I haveforgot thear names and age and you Richard, god Bless you all from your AfecnatMother MC
DOCUMENT REF : A/16a
This is a part letter, possibly one side of a letter written both sides,similar paper to Doc A 26a but not in same context or by ref. to Carrie Jnr’sage.
…..exposedhim to everybody and he was in such a condition and helpless he is paralise onone side and suffers oh dear and she handls him like she was going to …..achikken i could not tell you the hole but the boss and the doctor has got him tothe hospital we got home ther on sattrday and it was a job but Robett and Janehas been so kind and Thomas lajosice (?) took the teem and i have notheard how he is but the doctter said ther would be a change yesterday to day it is the 9 day and it would be a good thing for him if he dide heis in the Callick hospetle and is better of but i cant tell you all this timeher and me had a realel fling she tould me that she was as good as i was andthat i was as mean to him as i could be so i could like to kik her and if everyshe bothers me i said i would do it before i leave quincy if it was not for thename but enuff My famley was all well when i left home the girls is all at homeat present Carrie is with me and has got her pothagraf and sends you one she isa great deel better then she has been you will see how she is it is a very goodlikeness she will be seven years old next April 16 i will send you ours beforelong if nothing hapnes it has cost us a good deel to get our house finshed butwe have got a good house and i shall…….
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