1858

Lincoln-Look Letters

The Correspondence of & about Sarah Ann Burt (Lincoln) Look 1844-1874

Letter 50

DAILY NEWS AND MORE GRIM TIDINGS

BROADFORD, Feb 8th 1858

Dear Sister Ellen (Ellen Maria Lincoln)

Your letter reached us in due time, and I have set apart several times to write to you, but first one thing and another prevented me from doing so. My mind and hands are most of the time busily engaged and besides I am a poor letter writer.

Mother says it would be well for us if we have some of your husbands tact for writing, as he had nineteen letters mailed at once. Mr. Look received a letter from him yesterday: saying that Cousin Emily Goddard was dead. Who would have thought lieing there a year ago that her life would be lengthened out four months longer than dear Sarahs who was then in the vigor of health. May that dispensation of God's providence be impressed upon each heart that is acquainted with it. "God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform" "His ways are past finding out."

Pa made us a visit about two weeks ago. He brought Virginia with him. I had been looking for them a long time. She is a great deal of help and company both for me. She will stay three or four months and then I want to go home with her. I believe nearly all of the young ladies you knew in Montgomery are married except Martha Montague; Wil Montague has moved back where we lived. Virginia says that Crockett Pierce has as fashionable a wife as Mrs Doct Brown was. The little brushes come to land safe; they are the very thing for Eddys little head; you would laugh to see him when I brush it. He shuts both eyes up tight and lays as still as if he was dead. I weighted him a few days ago. Guess how much he weighs. (Only 11 lbs) He is a little fellow certain. I don't know what is the reason he don't take a start to grow, he has no teeth yet; his gums begin to look a little swollen; he can cry as strong and loud as any baby of his age. Sometimes I am afraid he can be raised; I hope he will take a start to grow before long.

Mr. Look anticipates visiting N. Y. after corn planting. Mr. Avery and Mc. Capwell have brought a place in Wyoming for their Father and Mother to live. Mr. Look wants to make them a visit. Mr. Lincoln wrote to Lucius to day. He says that if L and your husband were here and use half the industry they do there; they would soon be rich men. Mr. Lincoln would like very much to go into the lumber business if he could. He had a good offer. If he could accept it he says he could make more than he can at renting land. We have had a delightful winter so far. There has been only two or three snow storms; the snow soon disappears. The ground has not been frozen enough to prevent them from ploughing at any time. I would much rather it had of been colder. I seldom ever fail to be sickly after such a winter as this Mr. Lincoln has made over 3,000 brooms this winter. We have sent off between 8 and 800 lbs lard; you may know that was some work for us. I have maybe 260 lbs of Butter. I must stop awhile the children trouble me so. I will try and finish this if I can. They are talking and the children laying around me so I can't think of what I do want to write. Mr. Look is looking for his brother Josiah every day. He is coming to look for a place to live. Sarah Bell says "they send Eddy and Alice everything and don't send me nothing. Sarah is a good little girl. I don't have much trouble with her; she looks very much like her mother. Alice can say anything, and is as fat as she can be; She looks exactly like you. This morning she says "Ma I called you Martha". Virginia sends her love to you and says; tell you that Ellen Shelton is married. She married a Doctor. They are having revivals of religion all around but none in this neighborhood. Mr. Lincoln sends his respects to you and Mr. Stone. I should like very much to see you in your new home. I have most filled my sheet. But I fear there is but little in it that will interest you. I hope you will write soon again. I close with much for you and kind regards for Mr. Stone

Farewell for the present

From your affectionate sister

Martha J Lincoln (Woodward)

Letter 51

grimmer tidings - Eddie succumbs

Broadford, Va July 20th 1858

Dear Mother

Mr. Lincoln and I have been intending for some time past to write to you; although I think that I wrote to you last. But still I felt a thought we ought to write again, as it had been some time since we heard from any of you. I am now called upon to write at once without any further delay; and inform you of the death of dear little Eddie. He took sick last Friday night, and died Saturday at noon. Friday evening he was as well as he ever was in his life. I played with him for half an hour or more; he would put his little hands up in my face and laugh and kick. I then fed him his supper of bread and milk as usual; and put him in the cradle and rocked him to sleep in a few minutes. About 10 O'clock he commenced vomiting and kept at it every little while all through the night. He stopped vomiting the nest morning. I had no thought in the world that he was dangerously ill. After breakfast I gave him a few drops Paregoric and took him in my lap to rock him to sleep. He would have drank freely of milk them if I would have given it to him. But I thought that a little ginger on peppermint tea with a little light break in it was better than milk. Mr. Look came in after breakfast and asked if he was sick; he saw that I had him wrapped up and was rocking him; I told him that he had been quite sick through the night but He seemed easy then, and I thought he would go to sleep after rocking a little. He looked at him, and said he looked rite pale and went off to work; not thinking that he was seriously ill. About 11 o'clock there was such a change in his looks that I became alarmed, and sent for one of the neighbors. Mr. Look came in after little and in half an hour from then he drew his last breath.

I have seen him several times before when he appeared to be sicker and suffered more than he did then. He didn't seem to suffer to any till the last. He appeared to be perfectly easy. He had a relax from a week or two caused by the thing I thought. But was no worse than he had been, until he commenced vomiting and then it increased and I suppose that both together were more than he was able to bear. He had two lower teeth, and was just cutting his eye teeth. He had been growing nicely and had got to looking so much better within the last few months. He was getting so interesting and playful. He liked to lay on the floor and roll about; better than anywhere else. He was always ready for a play the minute I would look at him he would laugh and kick up his heels and roll about. If we had ever had an opportunity to have had his picture taken I would have had it done long ago. I have wished many a time that I could have it taken to send to you; so you could see what a handsome little fellow he was. I miss him so much, especially, mornings and evenings; I feel at such a loss I don't know what to do. This morning Alice took me by the hand and asked me to go upstairs and see little Eddie. I told her he was not there; then she wanted me to go to the grave yard with her. I asked her what for, she said to take Eddie up and bring him to the house. Laura is boarding at Mr. Taylors in Tazwell about 30 miles from home going to school. She is very well satisfied; and is trying to learn all she can; we heard from her last week; and will hear again this week. We sent the paper to her that Ellen sent her.

Received Mr. Williams letter and was very glad indeed to hear from you all once more. Mr. Lincoln says he will write to him the first opportunity. Mr. Look speaks of going North sometimes next month. The weather for a few weeks past has been exceptionally warm; and has caused a good deal of sickness about here but not imm? in the neighborhood. About 20 miles from here one man buried his wife and five children. Two of them died within ten minutes of each other. The disease is something like cholera. The Mortality in that neighborhood has been very great from a few weeks past. Ellen I think you owe me a letter. But I will be willing to wait a little longer; as your husband has written I should like very much to step in and see how nicely you are fixed. I guess you enjoy yourself as well As ever any one did and I believed I have about filled my sheet. Sarah Bell is well and as full of play as can be. She took it very hard when Eddie died. She says he has gone to her Ma and where little Grace is. I believe it was their mothers wish to have them with her. This leaves us well but we know not whose turn it will be next. That is the third death in the family in less than a year. Write soon. I close with our best love for all of you. Affectionately M. J. Lincoln

Letter 52

minnesota fever? or not

(A letter to Ellen Maria Lincoln, sister of Charles Lincoln) Broadford Apr 3rd 1859

Dear Sister Ellen

Your kind letter was received in due time, and I should have replied to it sooner, but Mr. Look spoke of writing to some of you, and I thought I would wait awhile. He was here about three weeks ago. This leaves us all enjoying our usual health, but at the same time, we all have the Minnesota fever which seems to be an epidemic. The climate is colder than I like, but it is said to be a very healthy place. Mr. Terrell from Red Wing Minn came this winter for a visit. He thinks that Minn is the New England of the West. There are several families speaking of going there as soon as they can dispose of their farms.

My Fathers family came here in Feb expecting then to go on in June. But at present he thinks it would be better for him, to go on and sell his place in Missouri and buy in Minn, and fix up some before he takes the rest of them there. They are all anxious to go, they think they can stand the cold. Mr. Lincoln says he shall go there as soon as our time expires here. He always has thoughts he should like to go there, although it is a little farther north than he cares to go. He says that a year from next winter we will go to Mass and from there on to the Great West. Virginia and Maria (Woodwards) have learned to make cheese; without Mr. Lincolns assistance. They have been making a week. The peach and apple trees are in bloom..We planted the garden last week. It does not seen as though we have had winter. There were but a few days of cold weather and no snow scarcely; there was but one snow that covered the ground and that did not last but a few hours.

Mr. Lincoln says he will be ready to commence planting corn in a week or two. I have one brood of young chickens. I was to raise a good many to sell this summer. I have now over a hundred hens. I could have sold a great many last fall, but Mr. Lincoln wanted me to keep them to eat through the winter. We cooked five or six every week most all winter. If I was living nearer to a town I know that I could make a good deal of money selling fowls and eggs. The common price about here for eggs is from five to eight cents per dz.

Alanson grows very fast; he can sit on the floor alone, if they would let him there is always some one ready to pick him up. He teases a good deal lately to be carried out door. He seldom cries unless something is the matter with him. Alice is afraid to go about him much, he catches her hair with both hands and hangs on until he chooses to let go.

The Rev. Mr. Chevalier preached for us not long ago. When he left Christiansburg he went to Mississippi and from there to Wisconsin; when he was here he was on his way to Texas. His wife's health has been poor ever since he left VA. He inquired a good deal about you. Virginia found some old palm leaf of Sarahs and got Mr. Lincoln to start two or three small hats to learn on. She can do all that. Mr. Lincoln can except start a button, and he can’t do that exactly right. They made one large hat, it looks very well. I wrote to Lucius to send some leaf. They are very anxious to try it. I am afraid they will not make much after taking off the price of the leaf and the cost of getting it here. My sheet is full, but with nothing very interesting. All join in sending much love to you. I hope to hear from you soon. With much love to you and Willard; from Charles and Martha (Martha Jane Woodward).

Letter 53

about the girls

Broadford May the 19th 1859

Dear Mother

I have been thinking for a long time that I would write to you; and I have no excuse for not doing so long before now, only that I have put it off from one time to another. I have a great many times tried to get Mr. Lincoln to write. But he writes so little, that he thinks it quite a job to undertake to write a letter.

Sarah received Olivia’s (Olivia Kendall Lincoln m. Samuel Taylor) letter, and we were pleased to read such a long and interesting letter. She spoke of writing this morning, but said she didn't feel much like writing. She is teaching school yet, and expects to teach four or five weeks longer. Laura is learning very fast. We have two little girls boarding with us. They are a little older than Laura. Sarah Bell stayed in school a good deal at first, but she is getting so she likes to play out of doors most of the time. Her mother doesn't try to keep her in . Alice runs about after the little young chickens a good part of her time I have to keep close watch on her. She catches them up every chance she has and holds them by the neck. We have over a hundred young chickens. Alice is beginning to talk, some words she can speak very plain. I think she must look something like little Laura Jane, from the description that Olivia gave of her. Sarah has said several times that Alice reminded her of Luan, excepting that she had blue eyes. She has very large blue yes and a high full forehead. She is all Lincoln, doesn't look anything like me.

We have had rather an unusually cold spring. Vegetation is more backward than it was at this time last year. There has been a good deal of rain this spring: but it turned so cold afterwards that it doesn't seem to do much good. Our corn is coming up, but the cut worms are eating a good deal of it off. We received a letter from Ellen not long ago. We were very glad indeed to hear that cousin Emilys health was improving. I hope that she may yet restored to health and I may have the pleasure of seeing her again. I should be delighted to make any other visit to Mass. I should enjoy another visit more than I did when I was there last, because I am better acquainted; although I enjoyed that visit very much indeed. I guess we shall have to content ourselves with staying at home until our rent here expires. Mr Lincoln says he wants to go then. Remember me kindly to Lucius and Ellen, Aunt Pruda also I will leave the rest for Mr. Lincoln to write. Alice is troubling me so I must stop. Perhaps Sarah will write a few lines. She is not very well today. I close with much to the Dr and Olivia and many hopes of the little ones. And accept a goodby portion from your own dear self. Most affectionately yours. Martha J. Lincoln (Martha Jane Woodward ) Write Soon.

Letter 54

Living with the taylors

Abba Valley, Tazewell Co., Dec. 12, 1859

Dear Mother,

If any one had told me when I left Petersham it would be more than fourteen months before I wrote one of my friends there a line I should certainly have contradicted them. But so it is and what is worse I have no apology satisfactory even to myself. A knowledge that you could occasionally hear from us by Charles and Martha, a habit of procrastination and an awful distaste for letter writing is all I have to offer. If I can be pardoned for past neglect I’ll promise to try and do better in future. But if I had time and money to spare I had certainly rather go to Mass, and see you all than write one page.

We have all enjoyed uninterrupted good health since I saw you. And are as comfortably and pleasantly situated as any lone person with two motherless little girls can be in a small house with a large family. For I presume you know we are living in Mr. Taylor’s family. They are as kind as people can be. They have six children, two girls a little older than Laura and one a little younger. Mrs. Taylor pays the same attention to Laura and Sarah she does to her own children, and I think a stranger might be here a month and not suspect they were not all one family. I sent to N.Y. last spring for goods for ourselves and Mrs. Taylor and she attends to the making them. She says they are good children and have lived together nearly twelve months without having the first word of difficulty among them all. They love Mrs. T. dearly and do all they can to please her. She has just made them some good homemade flannel dresses and quite as comfortable. They both went to school three months last summer and we are expecting to have a school commence in a few days close by us, that I hope will be a permanent one. Laura says, “Tell Grandma I’ll write to her just as soon as I can write a little better”. She has knitted herself and Sarah Bell some thick yarn stockings so they are well prepared for winter. The fear that I shan’t be able to give them such an education as I should like for them to have gives me more uneasiness than everything else together.

I went to Pa. this fall and bought 246 Marino sheep and if I meet with no bad luck I think from them I can raise a flock in a few years that will be worth attending to. My stock now consists of 450 sheep, two horses and six colts. We haven’t had to feed anything yet and won’t have to for a long time if the winter continues open. I heard with sorrow of Brother Willard’s misfortune and a few days ago I received a paper from Caredo containing his advertisement. I shall certainly improve the first opportunity to go and see them.

I am going to Smyth Co. tomorrow and hope there to hear from all of you. I don’t know that I am indebted to any of the brothers or sisters for a letter, but mean to write to them before long and to Mother too and not wait until driven to it by a guilty conscience again. Kind regards and love to all, with Benjamin’s Mass for yourself, and believe I remain your affectionate son,

N. L. Look

TO: 1860-61