1866

Lincoln-Look Letters

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

Letter 71

anticipating a plough business and fed up with rebels

Marion Apr 9 1866

Dear Brother & Sisters

Yours of the 1st came to hand yesterday and the one of ... today. I am sorry that it is not convenient for Mother to let you have the money for I don't see much chance for you to do any better here than you are doing where you are unless you had some money to start on. Money is a good deal harder to get here than it was 3 months ago. They have been collecting the U.S. taxes for the last month and now the State taxes have to be paid by the last of May. More than one half the people have not a cent to pay them with. Mrs. Avery is very confident about the plough business but I am most afraid to borrow the money for fear it will turn out like the cattle speculation.

The Country that Mr. A supplies with ploughs has been in the Federal Times for a year or two before the surrender of the Confederate Army and of course money is more plenty than it is here or in general where everything was torn up. My judgment found to be right about the cattle and I am most afraid that if we go on and borrow money and put into ploughs that it will turn out so again. It is impossible for the people in the south to have much money until they make something to sell that will bring money. Last winter I wanted to have you come here and I was willing to go to Gov? or let Mr. Look go and commence the business on a small scale as we did here but Mr. Look was not willing to let me go ... was not willing to go himself without having a good deal of money and I think his wife did not want to go at all. I do not know what we shall do about it yet, but am going on and get all the lumber ready that I can so you see that theirs is no hurry for you to come here now and sometimes I doubt this property of your coming at all unless I can see some chance for you better than I see now. I would have more faith in the cheese business than any thing else if I could get anyone engage in it on a large scale enough to take a partner without much capital so it would pay you better than the business you are in. I think it would be well for you to learn all you can about the business before coming here. I will see Mrs. Snapp again and try to get him to say what chance He will give you and will write you as soon as I can after seeing him. Do you think you will all be satisfied off in the country that is 20 miles from the RR. Merchants and farm hands are seeking work at all most any price here now. Our rebel friends are every much enraged at the Radicals for keeping the Civil Rights bill over the Presidents Veto. Some of them are going to fight and some say that the colored people have to leave the country. I think that the President and Congress made a great mistake by letting this thing go on so long before pushing some such a bill for I tell you some such legislation is necessary. If it had been done last Spring it would have been all right for the Rebs were glad to get off with there necks all f but now I am afraid it is going to make trouble although the South is in no fix to help themselves; but then we.. I wish they were all hung. The war would have ended 2 years before it did if it have not been for them. It was to make me mend everytime I see one extract from a Northern about them. I wish again that about 50 of them had been hung during the war. We are all well. Yours C. Lincoln.

Letter 72

Laura in Virginia

Marion, May 5th, 1866 Saturday Evening

Laura L. Look to Mrs. Ellen Stone.

My very dear Auntie,

Your long-looked-for letter was gladly received a short time since, and pardon for not answering it sooner. But as I am in school my time is all occupied and especially at this time as we are trying to get up some charades and tableaux for the benefit of the Baptist church, which are to come off the 15th of the month, so you see we have not much time to prepare in. I am appointed to act in one charade and several tableaux. We meet tonight to rehearse our parts. We are to have ice-cream and cake in connection with other performances. I think they will be very interesting. I wish you were here to attend.

I believe you asked in your letter “how I liked living here”? I reply, very much indeed. I have made very many pleasant acquaintances since I came. Everybody appears very kind. Mollie and Sue Sexton are boarding here and going to school. Sarah and I intend going home with them in July. I anticipate a very pleasant time. We have not been to either the Rich Valley or Abbs Valley since we came back. I am very anxious to see Mrs. Taylor. Mr. Tate, her father, died a few weeks ago with pneumonia. Mr. Woodward moved with his family to East Tennessee a few weeks since. Uncle Jo Look has just returned from a visit to New York. He intends going back there to live soon, I believe. He will go into business with Uncle Sam Look.

Sarah and I are taking music lessons of Mrs. Gilliam from Amherst Court House. She is a very lovely lady. We have a monthly soiree. We are both getting along very nicely with our music. Sarah grows very fast. She rode out this evening for the first time since we came home. She rides very well. I have not heard from Nellie Taylor since August.

I am very obliged to you for your photographs. I think yours and Uncle’s are very good indeed. I have never seen Sarah and have almost forgotten how Anna looks. I think of nothing more to write at present. Give my love to Uncle and kiss the children. All join me in sending love. Write soon, From your affectionate niece,

Laura L. Look

Letter 73

laura in danger and does not recover

Marion July 8, 1866

Dear Mother Brothers & Sisters

I take my pen in hand this morning to inform you that Laura is very sick with fever and is not expected to recover. She was taken with a very violent attack about 10 days ago, but they did not think she was in danger until yesterday morning. She took a and is very much worse and the Dr thinks there is not much chance for her to recover. I fear that she would have a very hard time when she first took sick as she was so stout and hearty and just such a case as most always proves fatal when they have such a violent attack at her age. Sarah Bell was taken with the same disease a day or two after Laura was but not near as bad and isn't considered dangerous sick and they all think she is better this morning. Poor girl she will take it very hard if Laura is taken from us for she has been about like a mother to her all the time that they were separated from their father. They have a kind mother now that is doing everything in her power for them and is at most out taking care of them. She has a sister that came from Memphis last week sick, but is better now. She has been very feeble for some time and has come to the mountains for her health as to see her Brothers and sisters that all live here. Laura is conscious of everything around her but can hardly speak aloud. I hope she may yet be spared but I fear there is not a chance for her. I will go and see how she is this evening before I send this.

Our family is all well. The children are all at home now for a vacation of 2 or 3 months in the warmest of the Season. Charly grows like a pig. He weighs 22 lbs and is not quite 5 months old yet. He is a bouncing baby and I think he will walk at 8 months old.

I suppose Willard and Ellen will not come to Va at present. We had a letter from W a few days ago. He was undecided then what to do. We cannot give him much encouragement to come here yet as business of all kinds is very dull on account of money being so scarce and not much here to bring money. Last Spring everybody went to work for the RR to get money and no cash have they got yet. I hope the Co will pay up or break up before long. They do not owe us anything but they owe about 50,000 in this Co which if sued would help all kinds of businesses in the Co.

Sunday we . They think Laura is a little better but I fear it is only the stimulant that they are giving her that makes her appear better for a time and will write again as soon as there is any change. I hope and trust there will be a change for better soon, but am very fearful that she will not recover. Write soon and let us know how you all are. Yours and A C. F. Lincoln

Mrs. Harriet Lincoln to Mrs. Laura L. Lincoln. Marion, July 11, 1866

Dear Mother,

Mr. Lincoln wrote to you a few days ago informing you of the illness of Laura and Sarah Look. It now becomes my painful duty to inform you of Laura’s death. She died at 8 o’clock last Sabbath evening. We mourn her early departure from our midst but not as those who have no hope, for she expressed perfect resignation to the will of God when she was told that there was no hope for her recovery. Said that she was prepared and willing to die at any time. She was buried on Monday afternoon at 4 o’clock in the cemetery at this place. Mr. Look thought it best as he expected to remain here. Will have the remains of his wife and other children brought over here.

Laura was in perfect health two weeks before her death. Was attending school. The weather was extremely warm and the school room close. She was taken with a severe headache. Sarah was taken two days afterward with the same disease (fever), though in a milder form. Her case is not considered at all dangerous. Her father told me this morning that he thought her better. She was in the room with Laura but was taken to another one, two or three days before Laura’s death. She does not know that Laura is dead. Her father and physician both feared the shock be too great for her. Poor Sarah, I do feel so sorry for her. She looked up to Laura for council and help for everything. She will miss her so much.

Our family are in pretty good health. The children are from school now, this being vacation. they love to play and are out now enjoying themselves. Charlie is quite fretful, is cutting his teeth. I will have to be brief as he is fretting now.

I would like very much to see you and some of the rest of our friends out here. Mr. L. and myself have written several letters but have received but one from Sister Ellen and yourself. We would like to hear from you often. From your affectionate daughter,

Harriet Lincoln.

TO: 1867-74