Letter 38
all about babies
Christiansburg, Dec. 20, 1855
My dear Sisters, Ellen and Janette,
I received your letter last night and was indeed surprised. I must congratulate you, Janette, on your good luck, for you were much more fortunate than the most of your sisters. We were somewhat divided in opinion about the weight of that baby, as we read the figures 2 3/4 but think that can’t be what you meant. That would be but a small pattern of a baby. You didn’t tell us either whether it was born with teeth, or whether Grandmother Holmes’ fears had any foundation. I am writing you this little scrawl in great haste to send with the miniature Charles and Martha have had taken for you. He says when you have seen it enough you must send it to Petersham. Martha went home on Sunday with Alice. The little thing grows like everything. Charles says he thinks that baby was a mightly small one for them to make so much fuss about in Boston. Do tell us again what it did weigh. I am sure I shouldn’t think you could see it or handle it.
We are beginning to make preparations for moving. They will take the girls and babies home tomorrow. Sarah and Amy have looked quite sober for several days. I don’t know whether it is because they don’t want to leave us or don’t want to leave Issac. Mary Crockett said that Sarah said Isaac cried most every day because he don’t want to leave Mary. He thinks she is the smartest baby in the world, and she is real pretty for a black one.
We shall load the waggons Monday morning and Charles and Mr. Woodward and John will start with them. The rest of the things we shall pack up and put on the cars. Martha and I will go over to Mr. Pepper’s Tuesday, and visit there and about town until Friday when we shall take the cars and go, and Charles will come back to Marion with the carryall to meet us and take us to our new home.
Write us soon and tell us more about the baby. The children are well. Sarah Bell does not talk yet. I visited at Mr. Price’s on Monday. The old man wanted I should give his respects to you, “Aunt Cicily”, too.
Much love to you all,
Sarah.
The original transcriber of the letters added the following:
(Since Grandmother accounted for everyone but “Loomis” during this migration I append his account, briefly, of the part he took - as given to me in one of our sessions when I was a small boy and rode around to open gates for him etc. on his inspection trips to some of the sawmills.
It seems that they had some fifty head of assorted cattle which he drove to the new site. Whether the big snow caught them all or not, I don’t remember. Anyway, he built himself what he called a “Yankee-jumper” sleigh out of poles to ride on instead of on horseback and would go on ahead during the afternoon to be sure of getting a place to buy hay and stay overnight. Don’t remember how many days he was on the road, but, to a small boy, it seemed quite an adventure. Have always hoped that the women and children got there before it snowed.)
(There is a very handsome, cherry card table, which used to be in the parlor at Grandfather’s and now belongs to my brother, Burt. Cousin Willard Lincoln, Sr., I believe, told the story of where and how it was bought.
During the sojourn at Summer Hill Grandfather brought home a premium list of the State Fair. There was a grand prize of $50. for the dozen best brooms made in Virginia. Grandfather told Uncle Charles that they made as good brooms as anybody, and likely there would not be any other entry, so why not enter some. So they made up a dozen with hand-made walnut handles - instead of the N.Y.-made ones - and extra heavy “brush”. There was no other entry, but the management refused to pay because of that. Captain Breckenridge was a director of the fair association and they appealed to him. He went around in all his dignity and his high hat and told them that if they didn’t give the “boys” their money that he would expose the association for living up to its contract. The money was paid over and Grandfather bought the card table with his part, and it traveled from Richmond by boat, canal-boat and wagon to Fincastle and finally to Marion.) The card table was (1996) in the possession of great granddaughter Frances Ackerly in Cambridge, MA.
Letter 40
whooping cough & cheese startup
Broad Ford, Smyth Co., April 7, 1856
My dear Sisters,
I have no doubt you are thinking it is time you had heard from us again - well, it is so I sit down this Monday morning to write this huge sheet full, that is if I can think of enough to fill it.
We are all well except Laura and Sarah Bell, who have just taken the whooping cough, They are coughing pretty hard. Several of the black people have it. They ran right into it and brought it on the place when there was no need of it. It would have been just the same had it been small pox or yellow fever. One little girl a little younger than Sarah Bell died. It was always a very delicate, puny child and subject to a cough, and as soon as she commenced coughing it settled on her lungs producing inflamation of the lungs. I never saw the corpse of a black person before, but have heard say they changed much less in their looks than white people and I should think it must be true for there was not the least perceptible change from what I had often seen her when asleep, and she was not buried until the third day after death. She was as nicely laid out and buried as white people, excepting that the coffin was not stained nor the shroud made of as fine material. The coffin was placed in a box which was fitted into the vault of the grave and covered with a tightly fitting lid and that again covered with boards, and as much care taken that not a particle of dirt should fall on it as though the little body itself was never expected to crumble to dust.
Mr. Taylor’s family has not moved yet, though they sent away two loads of their things two or three weeks ago. They are going to another place he owns in Tazewell Co. some thirty miles from here. They are detained here now on account of “Aunt Betsey”, Mrs. Taylor’s maiden aunt, an old lady some seventy-five years old who at the urgent solicitation of her sister and other friends in Missouri has determined to go there to spend the remainder of her days. She is expecting her brother-in-law every day now. She is getting sorry she concluded to go, she hates so to leave Mrs. Taylor and her children. She has lived here the last twenty years. Her sister, Mrs. Taylor’s mother, died about a year ago. I shall hate to have them all go away, though we need their room so much.
We commenced making cheese this morning, under difficulties for our cheese things are none of them here. We didn’t move them with the other things, preferring to wait till the cars got to Marion so as not to haul them so far. Loomis wrote to Mr. Montague some three weeks ago to send them and the cars got to Marion week before last I believe, but we haven’t heard from them. Loomis, thinking they might have come, went to Marion on Thursday but had to come back without them. As we couldn’t set so much milk to any advantage for butter I told them we must contrive some way to make cheese. So they got Uncle Joe (Aunt Betsey’s black man) to make a couple of hoops and as we had the screws Loomis and Charles set to work and made a press and I had Mary scour up our big blue tub and borrow a kettle from Mrs. Taylor, and this morning, as I told you, commenced.
Now, Janette, I am going to brag a little about our baby. You needn’t think you have got one so much prettier than we have. Alice is just as pretty and just as handsome as any baby in the world, I know. She is a great laugher, it doesn’t matter who looks at her her little face is wreathed in smiles. She hasn’t taken the whooping cough, but I presume she will now from Laura and Sarah Bell. I do wish she could be spared from it until she is older. Sarah Bell coughs and strangles very badly sometimes. She is learning to talk a good deal now, she can say “Laura” as plain as anybody. Herself she calls “Baby”. When I tell her to say Sarah Bell she says, “No, Baby”. When she has done anything she wants to tell us about she says, “Ma, Baby - Pa, Baby”. Just now she came and said, “Ma ginky” (drink).
Mother Look has been very sick with inflamation of the lungs. They were so much alarmed about her, and thinking she could not live but a few hours, they telegraphed to Julia and Mr. Capwell who started in less than two hours, leaving their children, house and servants in the care of Mr. and Mrs. George Capwell. Mr. Capwell staid two days and Julia four weeks. She hoped to take her mother with her, but the physicians told her she must not step out of the house until after March. She is taking cod liver oil. We received a letter from her day before yesterday. She says she is now able to go about the house some. Father is determined to sell his place, as they fear Mother will never be able to attend to so much business again.
By a letter from Cousin Emily, we hear that Olivia has another daughter and was getting along very well. I am very anxious to hear again how they all are. Ellen, I don’t know whether this will find you in West Boylston or not, but I shall address it there, and, Janette, after you read it you must enclose it in another envelope and send it to P. (Petersham)
I went to church, and heard a sermon preached, for the second time since we came here. The congregation numbered 22, that beautiful, pleasant day. The minister said it was very discouraging to come there and preach to empty benches. We have made one or two visits in the neighborhood in company with Mrs. Taylor and her daughter. Mrs. Taylor is a good horsewoman and acquainted with the roads, so she drives me in the buggy and I carry Alice while Martha goes on horseback. And such roads for a buggy. I can not think of any abandoned road in Mass that begins to be as bad as they are through these valleys and ridges, though I drove Aunt Betsey myself Sunday.
Ellen, you thought they got big dinners in Montgomery, but they beat the “Dutch” here. I don’t know what we shall do if any of them take a fancy to visit us, as we invited them to do. They have turkey, broiled beef, ham, eggs, potatoes, beans, coffee, one or two kinds of pickle, two or three of jelly and preserves, honey, maple molasses, corn bread and biscuits, butter and the last place we went they made a pound cake and ice cream for dessert. There you have the bill of fare, and I presume I have left out something.
I wish I could see your little Georgy, you must kiss him a great many times for me. Love to you all from your affectionate sister,
Sarah A. B. Look
Loomis Charles and Martha send love.
Letter 42
death, sleigh rides & debt,
Monday, April 8th 1856
Dear Sister Ellen (Ellen Maria Lincoln)
I suppose Sarah has written all that would be interesting to you about us. I thought I would answer a few questions you wrote in your letter; also some of the Montgomery news. I get a letter from there most every two weeks. I received a letter from Angeline Pepper last week. She wrote me that Mrs Whitfield Snider died week before last. You recollect what a large healthy looking woman she was. She died in childbirth. I have not heard the particulars yet. She left three little children and a little brother. The widow Crockett is dead too. I suppose she died pretty much in the same situation. You wanted to know if Lizzie Wade and Mr. McCorkle were married. They are not, and I guess never will be. I don't know as there is any one in particular waiting upon her. Mr. Stone is still paying a good deal of attention to Mary. I believe it is thought that will be married. The Dr has bought Auburn and is merchandizing. He still attends to his profession. Mr. Aldridge is going to move to Missouri. I believe I wrote you that Mr. Moody has gone to Mass for a wife. I suppose he has returned sometime ago.
The last letter I received from home, Ma wrote that Dr. Eavens was broken entirely up. This indebtedness is said to be 18,000 dollars He owed a good deal for goods, he bought at the North. All they have is Mrs Eavens interest in the Farm. They have gone to Alexandria to live. His health is very poor indeed. Mr. Thelon will lose considerable by the Dr’s failure. Crockett Pierce is no nearer married than he was last summer when we were over at Mr. Millers. Angeline wrote me that they had fine sleighing some of the time this winter. She was going out that day to take her farewell sleigh ride. Dr. Stone had a 20 dollar sleigh made. I have to finish this in a hurry as Mr Taylor is waiting for it; he is going to the office. Alice is sitting in the cradle playing the button hole scissors. She can jump and laugh and play so pretty I wish you could see her. She seldom ever cries without something is the matter. Give my best love to George and Janette and many kisses for little George. We hope to hear from you before long. I must stop now. Accept the best wishes and love of your affectionate sister,
Martha (Woodward) and Lincoln
Farewell
TO: 1857
