1860-61

Lincoln-Look Letters

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

Letter 55

laura writes

Laura Look (age 11) to Mrs. Laura Lincoln

Abbs Valley, May 21st, 1860

My dear grandmother,

I was waiting for Pa to write but I am afraid he will not write soon enough. I am going to school yet. It will not be out till June. I think that I am learning very well. Sarah Bell (age 7) can read a little and has been through the spelling book twice and can spell very well. Mr. Dillon thinks she will make a reader in a little while. Pa is going to take Sarah and myself to Wyoming to live with Grandma and Granpa Look. Uncle Charles Lincoln is looking for Aunt Susan and Uncle Benjamin Avery and his family out to Smyth this summer and if they come we will go with them to Wyoming, if not Pa will take us. Pa went with Uncle Charles to Louisville and stayed with Uncle Benjamin a week this spring. Pa and Uncle Charles bought a place at Marion and if they go there I will hate to leave them. We had a fine rain a few days ago and it has been quite cool ever since but today the sun shines pleasantly. When we get to Wyoming I hope you will come to see us, won’t you? Pa says he and Uncle Charles are looking for Uncle Willard and Aunt Ellen to come to Va. If they come I hope they will get here before I go to New York.

Give my love to all of the family and some for yourself. Tell Ellen that she must write soon. From your affectionate

Laura L. Look

(Grandfather Look brought the girls to Saltville, with their baggage in a wagon, where they took the cars to Lynchburg and met the Averys. The trip from Saltville to Glade Spring was made in a box car with benches for seats and was spoiled, and made very memorable to Mama [Sarah Bell], by some young men who insisted on leaning out the doors.)

Letter 56

CHILDREN SAFE IN wYOMING, ny

Mrs. P. L. Look to Mrs. Ellen Stone. Wyoming, Wyoming Co., N.Y., Dec. 14, 1861

My dear Mrs. Stone,

Our children left here the 10th. That is Samuel and his wife Susan and her family. Mr. Avery left some weeks ago. Julia and her family left here the 1st Oct. We all attended Sam’l’s wedding near Utica and Julia went from there to Brooklyn. Susan had concluded to stay here during the winter, but Mr. Avery wrote that he thought it safe for them there. We have not heard from Loomis since you were here. We wrote to Loomis and Josiah by Mr. Bradley. He thought he could send to them, he lives in Va., Rockbridge Co. They are good Union people, though their only son was killed in the Rebel army. They got a passport to come to Syracuse to take home their idiotic child who has been in the asylum for two years. They were detained some but finally got on they wrote us just as they were ready to cross the river, the Potomac.

Dec. 23rd

Mrs. Stone,
I am very sorry to keep you waiting so long, but I know you would excuse me if you had seen me day after day. Susan and her family left here the 10th. Dec. I was obliged to change girls about that time. I think I have a good one, though she is a stranger.

We have decided to have Laura and Sarah study, read and write at home this winter, learn to sew and many things that are necessary, though we do not think they will make the proficiency in books they would in school. But Laura is growing so fast and is quite premature in some things. Her throat is better, but not quite well, we think with particular care she will entirely out-grow it. Laura is a very nice girl quite out-growing her childish habits and I wish you could see how becoming her long dresses are, in short she is a nice young lady-like appearing girl. Sarah is the same good quiet child she has always been, everybody who knows her loves her.

We have not heard from Loomis and Josiah since we saw you, our anxiety is very great. I think you have never been sorry that you left when you did. I wish all our friends had left then, I am sure they could have lived some way. I wish you would write us as soon as you can conveniently. I should be very happy to hear from you and it would delight the girls so much, please write often. We will surely write promptly if we are well. Please remember me affectionately to your mother and your family.

Yours truly,

P. L. Look

Wyoming, Hillside, Friday Dec. 13, 1861

My dear Auntie,

I received your letter of the 16 of Oct. but neglected to answer it, but excuse me this time and I will try to be more punctual and I will try to answer your questions. We have not heard from Father since you were here, but Oh, how I wish I could see him. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley were here a few weeks ago from Va., but they had not heard from him. They lost their only son in the Battle of Bull Run in the Cassion Army. They gave a great account of the battle field and how the bodies were buried.

Uncle Avery’s family went away Tuesday. Samuel Avery remains this winter. He studies with the Presbyterian minister and boards in his family most of the time. You inquired if we went to school this winter, we do not. Auntie, I will tell you the reason that we do not go to school, it is because Grandpa is not able to carry us to school. On the whole Grandma and Auntie Susan Avery thought it would be better for us to read and write and spell at home and learn to sew. Auntie, I suppose you would like to know what clothes we have for the winter. I have two new dresses and Sarah one. One of mine is calico and the other is plaid and one Silk

hat Auntie Susan gave me. Sarah’s dress is like mine. My bonnet is black straw trimmed with blue. My cloak is black beaver. Sarah has the same over dress she had last winter. She has a black beaver hat trimmed with black ribbon. I will send you some pieces of our dresses. I think Ellen’s and Ida’s dresses are very pretty.

We are all well. Sarah says tell Auntie she doesn’t know how she wants to see Maria. When Mr. Bradley was here we all wrote to Pa but we do not know whether he got the letter or not. Give my love to all and good bye from your affectionate niece.