Shedd Family Letters
These letters were between George, Abigail, Martha & Mary Shedd from 1869 - 1879. In many of the letters Mary Shedd was teaching in Ottumwa, Iowa. The later letters were written after her marriage to William C. Scott Jr. while she was living in Ashland, Nebraska. The last letter, written in October, 1879, was written after the death of Abigail and before George Shedd moved to Nebraska to live with his daughter and son.
Denmark, July 10, 1869
Dear Daughters,
I do not expect to send this letter out today, but as I am waiting for breakfast I commence to write. We had a splendid trip home, found a little mud to make it slippery a little as we reached the Wappels road, but only for a little distance. Then nice roads, a nice breeze & mostly a clouded sun till we reached near to Long Co. when we had a light shower & slippery roads for 20 miles or so. Then all right again till we reached the Smith corner, when it began to grow wet & finally muddy & quite muddy before we reached home.
Your mother says Mr. Bell thought perhaps Mr. Kephart might send his daughter to school this fall or before long, if he could find the right family to care for her as for their own child. We have thought that we would take her perhaps, if Mr. K. should wish it. We suppose she is a choice girl & would make a pet for us. If necessary she could sleep on the parlor lounge at the foot of the bed in the young ladies room & you occupy the room if necessary & take care of her. We are not anxious to do so, but perhaps might for the sake of starting scholars from Kossuth to our school. Uncle B. may talk with Mr. K. if he thinks best & learn his feelings & wishes.
We have agreed together to hire the washing done perhaps for the next year, at least for next term, that you may have Saturdays for your student work. In that way you may possibly be able to continue your Greek, or if not your Greek, may take some other simpler extra that will be important.
Tuesday a.m. Have nothing special to write. Yesterday, about noon, we had quite a shower in the evening. From 8 to 10 a very heavy shower with much thunder & lightning passed north of us. I judge in the region of Kossuth more or less it must have been intense. I was out till about midnight then up & out about 3 & found heavy clouds all along the N. west & north on horizon. From about 7 1/2 to 9 one of the heaviest rains of the year came upon us & another heavy but shorter one later. How was it with you?
It seemed odd to be so alone in our great house, but manage to get along. How does Aunt Z. do? Does her head ache as much as heretofore? Do the meds. I left her have any affect? & if so, what? Write particulars. Mr. Ingalls is planning to go up with his family & bring you home, perhaps in a week or two.
I feel very lazy today. Have not slept over 3 & 4 hours a night for 5 or 4 nights for a bad case on my hands.
Aunty is not quite as well as usual. All send love.
Yours truly,
Father
Letter to Mary & Martha Shedd, Kossuth, Iowa
Care of Peter Bell
Denmark, July 20, 1869
Dear Daughters,
Yours written the Friday after our return was rec'd the Wed. After Tuesday of last week we had no mail east or west. On that day I put a letter into the office. It could not go out till Thurs. & then the mail could not pass from the bridge to terra firma in Augusta & so came back that night. The heavy rains of last week deranged all our mails - none have been received from west of Ottumwa for several days. Eva Croy went to Keokuk on Monday to go up the valley but has not left the city yet. The road is impassable so many bridges were swept away. If you get the H. Eye you have learned something of the extent of the rains & the floods from Arkansas to Min. & clear on east. I don't know how far. It is impossible to tell when we can come for you. Mr. Ingalls has intended to go up with his family & bring you home.
I have sent you a double letter from Quincy & one from Molton to Mary care of Mattie. With care I enclose one from Lizzie Adams.
Dr. Jewett of Dayton, my old medical preceptor, is in town now. Is sorry he cannot see the "girls." He is 70 years old & quite feeble. Eliza Kimball of Rindge is married, & Cousin Sarah French is now with Charles Kimball at Minneapolis & will visit us before she returns east, so says Mr. E. K. Hale of Rindge. I shall write her to come & won't we be glad to see her?
Mother & I are trying to save our nice cherries, bushels & bushels of them. Those on the lower limbs are poor, cracked open, mouldy & rotting, but those on the tops of the trees are very fair & nice but not quite so sweet. Last week it was so wet & I had so much to do, we could not do much at the fruit. Jim Hampton, colored, who worked for us, is dead. He was at work a week ago last Friday & experienced new trouble from an old "breach," was taken home sent, for Aloord, or perhaps A. was met by messenger while after he was badly misused & injured. Sat. I was sent for. Finding the case as I did I demanded counsel, called a Dr. from Madison town, & 2 from Burlington to perform an operation but all to no purpose, we could not save him. I spent much time with him for a week. Poor fellow, how he suffered.
Anna hears frequently from Mary "the Dutch girl." Anna told Geo. Epps if he wanted she should play the melodion in church she would do so, but could not play 2d fiddle to Emma Epps. If she played any she must play all & so understand it. For the two last Sabbaths she played & Emma sat at the head of the Soprano. Well, if Geo. has a mind to place her at the head of his wife, I am willing.
Uncle C. has heard from Adda. She got home well.
I do not understand why the meds. left for Aunt Z. should affect her so. If it be the meds. that do it, I wish she could be here for a while.
Uncle Curtis is expecting a family of boarders soon, two young ladies among them. They wrote to us to board them. They come now from Keokuk. Be ready to come home any time when the roads are passible.
Yours with love,
Father
Letter to Miss Mary Shedd, Ottumwa, Iowa
Denmark, Sept. 12, 1871
My dear Daughter,
I did not expect to write you so soon, but the spirit moves & how can I help it? Mattie said she should write last evening, but perhaps she had something else to do & so did not write.
Well, you have had three days of new experiences, "how do you like it as far as you have got?" - your new home, your new charge & responsibility? We expect to hear from you on all these subjects tomorrow, What for a ride with Miss Cooper? How did she seem towards you & how did she seem to take it that you go into that school? Tell us everything.
Mr. Swift got home Sat. p.m. & I never saw a man more pleased to get home & yet he had a trip & a visit of the most pleasant character. He called yesterday for an hour & gave us an account of his rich experiences - rare, rare indeed. He left warm friends behind when he came to Denmark.
P.M. Mat. sent out a letter to you by this p.m. mail & so I will write mine along as I feel like it. I worked too hard yesterday gathering & barreling apples. I was troubled some in the night with my cough & breathing & feel lazy today.
Hibbard has not returned yet but may come in this evening. Folks ask where has he gone? I am so glad I can't tell them.
Wed. morn. No H.H. yet. Is he lost or is something else the matter? Have just been picking the peaches in the strawberry bed, over 2 bush. We had over 4 bush. of pears form the one tree of larger pears such as you took. We thought we would let H. take them to Ashland. If he don't stay too long we will do so. I shall take some peaches to your uncles John & Joseph - they have none & we can't use them all. I don't think of any news to write this morning & my brain is too stupid to think an original thought. Will wait a while till your letter comes in & perhaps Hibbard also.
Yours recd. Glad to hear from you. Your board is no higher than I expected, though higher than Miss Cooper pays. It is the best you can do for this term. If hereafter you find you can do better you can find a good excuse in the distance perhaps. But let that rest at present. We "are so glad" A.F. is with you. H. has not come yet.
Linda sung in the choir last Sab. & sung so loud she drowned out the whole choir. I never heard so loud & strong singing by one voice before in our church. It is her habit at home from leading her part & perhaps the whole choir. But she is a good singer, better than when she was here before.
Your mother & Mat. are very busy on your dress & on H's things. We all keep pretty well. My face & lungs trouble me a little but not so much as sometimes.
The sick in my charge are generally getting better & I have but little to do. All our friends are well. I know not of one sick or poorly.
Write often. We will send you two letters a week generally.
All send love. As ever,
Father
Denmark, Sept. 15, 1871
Dear darling Dr. Mary,
Yours of yesterday is at hand & we have laughed over it "muchly." Never mind - keep a stiff lip & go ahead. I knew you were going away from home - Home is home after all. When I was your age I had no home. I know how to prize my home & the dear ones that have always helped to make home pleasant. Ottumwa will seem more like home as you become better acquainted & your acquaintances will seem more like friends as you become more accustomed to their ways. It does one good to go away from home & see & buffet the world along.
Now I don't believe you are homesick, not a bit of it, only your new scenes seem odd & you are a little lonely. I suppose you had a glad & good visit from Hibbard last evening. He left us unexpectedly & suddenly, but it was best. I took him to Danville as I did you & had the freest & best chat & visit with him I have had for years. He told me of his late journey, where he went, who & what he had seen & what a very pleasant time he had ?
Some time next week we shall send you a box of things, with fruit & goodies but the goodies you must not expose. H. felt some sober to leave home, not knowing when he would return. How I hope he will succeed in business & be a good & honorable man. Money is convenient but a poor object to live solely for. I shall write to Mr. Farwell to encourage help H. to go forward & take a stand for every good cause & work.
Mr. & Mrs. Norris from Ottumwa spent last night in town at Mrs. S. I met them in the road & asked them to find you out & get acquainted with you. She is a jolly lady I guess & will make you laugh.
I want you should be careful of your throat. If it feels tired after the day's work take the potassae freely - gargle & swallow some.
F'suman is at work this pm, cutting out some of the apple trees east of the office - has cut down & trimmed up the Famuse (?), The R. I. Greening & Y.B. Flowers & E. of the office & you can't guess what a change it makes. When I get it all cleaned up & put into grass, it will look fine. Enough are left and will answer for shade. It will extend the front yard all around the office - will in fact make a yard east, or an eastern prospect that will look about as nice as the present southern one does. The raspberries I will set across the north end & the flowering shrubs that are worth cultivating. I will plan in an open space south of the raspberries & thus separate the small front from the lawn by a row of flowering shrubs. It will make a splendid play ground & capstan for drying clothes.
I supposed Mattie would write a few lines for this letter but she says she won't have time today. All send love.
Now take care of yourself & don't be homesick nor discouraged. All are well.
As ever your dear
Father
This includes a letter written by her sister, Martha, in which she talks about socializing with Charlie Swift, who she would marry in March, 1872.
Denmark, Oct. 2, 1871
Dear Daughter,
I did not write you but over last week was too busy & got too tired to write. You must not think your father has forgotten you or grown cold. Am trying to get my apples picked & shipped off to Hibbard - hope to get nearly done this week. Have written a business letter to H. every day for 5 days. Mattie must write you the news if there by any. I can't stop to write anything more than to say how do you do & that we are as ever your loving parents,
Father
Oct. 5th
Dear Sister,
Your last letter to me came Friday afternoon. We were very glad to hear that you got your box all right and were pleased with your things. I am glad they fit so well for we were afraid they would not. Aunty rec'd your letter yesterday. She has been down to Uncle John's for nearly a week and come home today for something but is going back to stay a few days.
I guess Hattie Sturges will stay with me tonight but do not know certain.
I went to the picnic Saturday. Went with Charlie & Mr. Swift down there and coming home Mr. Swift rode with Mrs. Brackett and Alice & Lett Mills rode home with us. We had lots of fun coming home. We came home (& went too) round by Mr. Swift's house for the road is better, and instead of coming right home we went through Mr. Swift's timber and Mr. Enton's and through Mr. Lockwood's across the field up to Anna's and round home that way. Had a very pleasant ride.
I want to go up and see Anna tomorrow if I can but cannot tell sure. I have scarcely seen her since you went away. She is up at her home. She was coming to see me one afternoon but she did not feel able to. She is very poorly. They do not know exactly how severe. They may go to Montrose perhaps in a month and perhaps not as soon.
There was a sociable Friday but I did not go. I was so tired for I went after the cow for Father was too tired and I had to walk up to Mr. Stephen P. Loomis' before I found her and when I came home I did not feel like going. There were not many there but scholars.
We had a letter from H. yesterday & he had not rec'd the pears & peaches that we had sent him a week ago last Saturday. I am afraid he will not get them & they will do him no good if he does.
So you went to the fair one day - I did not go any day for Father could not leave. He is very busy getting his apples picked. Your plants are doing finely. The running plant is more than halfway across the top of the window.
Charlie Swift said he wrote you a few days ago but he kept forgetting to bring it up to me to put one in, but he thought he would this morning. He has not so I cannot mail, but he will send it himself. Do you have many letters from here? I have written to Frank Henderson & Mrs. Townsend & Addie & Aunt Sarah Henderson. Dea. Brook inquired about you yesterday. He said he thought you would make a good teacher for you interested the scholars so much.
Perhaps you had better let both of the plaits of your overshirt down. Ada Turner had one like that except the front and it was as much longer than the front as yours will be without the plaits. I will send you some velvet. I hope to begin my dresses pretty soon. I shall wear my wrapper when I want to this winter but probably shall not wear it out before spring.
Give my love to Anna. All well & send love. Excuse haste for I am in a great hurry.
Mary James has got home but is very pooly. All send love.
As ever, your sister,
Mattie Shedd
Denmark, Oct. 17, 1871
Dear Daughter,
I have been so busy for a few days that I have written you less than I desired. I helped uncle C. Sat. & Mon. paper a chamber & yesterday & today he has helped me dig my potatoes on the Tuttle block. And by the way my potatoes are quite a failure. Those north of the barns will not yield one bush. where they yielded 8 or more last year. I do not think I shall try to dig half of them. In front of the house have done much better, yet are only about half a crop. I have now about 20 bush. of good potatoes, eatable. A good crop would have given me 60 to 80 bush. The long drought at the time when potatoes needed rain I suppose is the main cause. Uncle Curtis got a circular today from his agent in Chicago saying that in time, if he will be patient & lenient, he will probably get every dollar of his money which includes Mr. Swift's, also.
We rec'd our semi-weekly letter today from H. He seems in fine spirits. Said last week that he would have to take charge of a S.S. for their church - he dreads it but supposed he must do it. Wants the organ for the S.S. & the church choir to borrow it for a while till they could get one. We shall send it soon, but shall miss it, as we would a child. We suppose it is best to send it. It will greatly encourage H. to work for the church & Hibbard says Mr. Farwell has arrived with his family & are all at present living in the courthouse. Says Mr. F.'s new house will be large & comfortable. One of the best in those respects in town. H. is very anxious the people should build a new meetinghouse. I don't know where he can keep the organ safely as it is now.
I suppose you have seen the accounts of the terrible fires on the prairies. Since writing the above I have read the account in the Tribune. It is awful beyond any other fires of the kind in our land, whole towns burned up in many places & 1500 lives lost in 3 or 4 states. And yet some persons won't give a cent to send relief. Dr. Holland won't give, says people are fools to make such an ado over the Chicago fire. Poor selfish man!! Our people took up a contribution last Sab. for the Chicago sufferers - got about $90. to $100. & the ladies have had a meeting this p.m. to get clothing together &c. From late accounts there is as much real suffering from fires upon the prairies & in the forests of Mich., Wis. & Minn. as in Chicago. H. James at Ann Arbor says the smoke from the fires north was almost suffocating at Ann Arbor. By the way, James boards with C. K. Adams. Perhaps Mattie has told you that Mrs. Sturgess was in Chicago during the fire - has been heard from all safe but probably has lost all she & her little girl had. Aunt Laurie is sick & mother is there today. I go for her this evening. Wm. Hornby has a "crystal" wedding party this eve. We are invited but don't want to go.
Our folks all well & all send love.
Father
Denmark, Nov. 10 - 5 a.m.
Dear Daughter,
Well I have called up the folks & sat down to chat with you for a while. We here have had a great rain - probably you have had the same. The wind is changing & blowing cooler. Cold weather must be near at hand.
Last evening we had a wonderful musing & talk on the verse "Bear ye one anothers burdens" &c. A good many remarks were made on the dispositions of some to add to the burdens of some, when in the nature of the case, they had enough already. Mr. Edson said some keep a light artillery which they use on all occasions & which may be amusement to them, but hurts those it hits. The minister, he said, the Dr. or Teacher have their influence, as well as their peace, destroyed largely by such fusillades. I remarked that I had felt such shafts a good many times & there seemed to be periods or special occasions when some folks seemed disposed to hurl them. I thought there were two passages of scripture which it would do us all good [to] meditate & act upon. Keep they heart with all diligence &c. & thy tongue as with a bridle while the wicked are before thee - guard ourselves at all times in our feelings & remarks towards others, at our tables, at our firesides, everywhere. Mr. Swift said, coming home, he thought the talk would do good. I had a long talk yesterday with Geo. E. about his father. He is sinking rapidly - also he himself, I am told, have given it up that he must soon die. They took specimens of his urine to Keokuk for analysis, which showed almost absolutely what my analysis some time ago did. And they stated in regard to the nature of his difficulty, exactly & what I have often & for a long time done - Nothing in his disease at present that would need to take him off if he had age & constitution on his side - but neither of those has he got. It is very gratifying to me that my ideas & statements are so fully confirmed & I intend to proclaim the facts.
Mrs. Spaulding told me last evening that she has rec'd a letter from Mr. Bross & that he has spoken in a pleasing manner of you, of your success in school & your influence in his family. Mrs. S. & we all are greatly pleased. It is well that you should know that your efforts are not in vain.
Noon. Since writing the above I have called at Mr. Epp's. They were much pleased to see me & when I bid Mr. E. good bye he & all, myself, were much affected. Mr. E. presents some very bad symptoms - can't stand it long.
Your long letter rec'd. Thank you. I know the kind sympathy of my family. Perhaps I make too much of these "light afflictions" - perhaps I need them & deserve them, perhaps Providence has a design in them all for I believe in our ruling & superintending Providence.
H's letter came on Wed., he says "you do not know how glad he is to have the organ, says the S.S. & congregation increase every Sabbath. The lady teacher in the public school is a teacher in his S.S. & a member of their church.
Mat. is writing. As ever, with love,
Father
Denmark, Nov. 21st, 1871
My dear Sister,
Your letter was rec'd yesterday & I am glad to hear from you. It is ironing day today, and we have got the ironing nearly done. I try not to think very much about your coming home next week for I am afraid something may happen. The girls Linda and Jennie are going home over Thanksgiving. Take the seven oclock train in the morning and be at home for dinner. They thought by doing that way they could have almost two weeks vacation instead of one and the last three days of school do not amount to much. I have not written very much about the girls for to tell the truth I do not see much of them, only at the table and before study house a few minutes. They study very hard and I do not go up to disturb them in study time. But for all that we have a good deal of fun. The girls all of them and Myra are going to make some more pictures and have painted the sky &c. in it. Myra came over Saturday and staid all day and she & Hattie painted there's and they are all going to make them together. I am almost sorry we did not send you some things by Miss Cooper but we were afraid it would get out some way and then Mrs. Bross would hear of it and be displeased. I believe Mrs. Spaulding is going up to Ottumwa before Thanksgiving. Wed. I believe.
You asked me if Charlie has a gold pen. I do not think he has for I heard him say once he did not like one to write with but I guess he would like it from me, but I do not know certain whether he has one but am sure he has not.
I presume Anna & Herbert will be at home Christmas. I believe there have none of the scholars come in a Friday night this term. Last Friday evening Linda, Jennie, Hattie, Myra, Lettie Mills & Zervia went over to Aunt Jane's & spent the evening. They said they had a splendid time. I did not go for I went down to the Swifts just before night to see Anna a few minutes and Charlie & Herbert had just come home from Montrose where they had been all the week so when I came home C. came with me and staid a little while. I should like to see you in your school. I expect you are a good teacher. No one takes Mr. Edson's place while he is gone. He is coming home tomorrow. Ada Turner is going home Thanksgiving. Says she will be in Ottumwa on the train that gets there for dinner & stop a few minutes so if you do not come home by going to the depot you may see her a short time. We shall be very glad to see you next week if you can come and the weather is good.
Linda does get the blues sometimes a good deal but we try to laugh her out of them. I think she has not had them as much since Hattie came here or before. Hattie says she does love to stay here it is so much like home and she does not want to go away, but I believe Aunt Ph wants her next term & I am afraid she will have to go. I shall be sorry to have her for I love her so very much. She is very full of fun and so good. We all like her.
I think too how lonesome Father and Mother will [be] when I am gone and they would like to have Hattie stay with them as their girl after I am gone especially if Mother takes boarders and you are gone.
It would be very nice if you could be at home when I am away but then perhaps you would not stay long. Have you answered an "occasional note" yet? I must plague you a little if I can to pay back you know. I have not seen Aunt Sarah Houston for a long time but guess they are all well or we should hear. Aunt Laura is sick again, how sick I do not know. Guess she is better for they have not been up to tell us & they were to have come if she did not get better. Mr. Epps died this morning. We are to meet this evening at Mrs. Bracketts to practice for the funeral tomorrow, at one o'clock. Mr. Swift is coming up to meet with us for Henry does not want the care alone. I had a letter from Addie today which I will send to you. She is very happy she says and hope I will [be] as happy as her when I get into my new home. I must close this now. We are all well and send love.
As ever, your loving sister,
Mattie Shedd
Denmark, Dec. 8, 1871
Dear Daughter,
It is cold & I have bothered half an hour to make the fire burn & behold the damper was turned in the pipe. The fire burns now but I am cold. I now usually write all my letters mornings before breakfast. Making 3 fires & doing the other things necessary, with a long letter usually takes the morning. I get up about 4 1/2, go to bed usually by 8. Yesterday I cut up my pork, salted it & prepared the lard & sausage meat, & stood on my feet, in the cellar, about 8 hours, & my feet & legs ached so in the evening, with the standing & rheumatism, that I went to bed still earlier. Am all right this morning. I have got quite well now, have not as much strength & endurance as years ago, but feel pretty well if I keep within proper bounds. Uncle Curtis is quite well again. As far as I know it is very healthy now, at least I have no patients & don't know of any. Mary Ingalls begins to walk about the house.
Two weeks from tonight & we hope to see you. If it is sleighing Mattie will go over with Charlie, with the sled & can bring all the "galls" & trunks that want passage. If we are obliged to go on wheels, it will be more difficult to put so many, with a trunk or two, into any buggy. By taking a large wagon & putting in a large lot of straw, & sitting on that, we can bring a "lot" & this will be the warm way to ride, just as in a great sled, but not so easy if the roads are rough. We will fix it some way. If Charlie & Mat. don't go over I can get Mr. Tuttle's buggy perhaps & one seat & put the ladies on that & I ride on the trunk. If it is very rough & not too cold that may be the best way. We count the days. If there is any danger of your forgetting the time, all of you I mean, it is 2 weeks & one day from this morning. Perhaps you can remember it from this, or keep this letter, & occasionally look at the date.
Aunt Porter is going to Aunt Laurie's this winter but is waiting for you to come first. Auntie is very well, wonderfully so for so old a person. Is hearty to eat. Give her something that she is particularly fond of & can eat such as a boiled dinner or baked sparerib, & she will eat like a man. It does us good to see her so hearty, but we sometimes almost tremble at the sight.
Mat. has come down stairs & says 2 weeks from tonight & Mary is to be at home - she don't want you should forget it. Well I guess I have mixed nonsense enough in his letter & make a "hash." It may not be so palatable, but a change of diet is good sometimes. I have no news to write or anything else. Mat. is going to write & may have something to say. Probably some of your correspondents, at least writers of "occasional notes," may take more pains than I do. Well so be it.
As ever,
Father
Denmark, Dec. 19, 1871
Dear Daughter,
This is my last till we shall see you at home as we all expect. I do not know as I have much to write this morning. I have been very busy for a few days. Went to Madison on Friday & got a new robe made of 6 nice sheepskins, the largest & warmest robe I ever had. Wrote a long article of 8 pages, this paper for the Hawk Eye on Sat. on the former history & condition of the Penitentiary to meet some vile slanders by a correspondent & help the present Warden to a re-election. Took it to Burlington yesterday in person & got the promise of having it published tomorrow & today I am full of letters to you, to H. & to the Keokuk paper, asking it to publish my article.
I am making preparations to go for you on Frid. Eve. At Danville, you & Hannah. If a snow should so as to make good sleighing Charley will go over with a sled & that, but otherwise I expect to go in person. If the roads remain as good as at present, I can bring you & your trunk with my horse & save much trouble.
Mr. Darwin & Miss Smith from Danville came over just at night yesterday, she to begin on several hard studies for graduating next commencement. She is going home Friday for Christmas. I think the Com. must have a word to day about such qualifications & farces, for such is a farce. We expect a letter today or tomorrow from you with particulars.
Got a long letter from H. Friday saying the church in his absence had appointed him collector & treasurer, with something of the idea, he fears, that they expect him to go round & beg & collect & perhaps make up any deficiency in the salary. I wrote him to do no such thing (I mean as the last thing) - collect & take charge of it if they wish, but not till each & every one puts down a definite sum, which he or she will pay & be responsible for. I tell him to take charge of the S.S. if they wish, play & sing & so on the Sab. & do his full share & duty in the matter of the salary, & nothing more. He had no part in the original responsibility of organizing & calling a minister. He owes some duty to himself for the present & the future & owes many duties to his creditors.
But enough. All well. The folks are ironing & are busy. All send love. Mat can't write.
Father
Denmark, Mar. 5, 1872
Dear Daughter,
Yours of Sat. came to hand yesterday at 5 p.m. All letters come in the p.m. now. You learned by ours of last Thurs. that you draft was recd. I expect the money this week from m land & then we shall go to Burlington. Yesterday the folks washed up all Mattie's things, a great wash, & I worked as hard at the wood pile, to gain time for play, when the children come home, if both come. I say if, for I hardly expect Hibbard to come. In his last he said he could not stay more than two days if he comes, cannot leave. When one is absent for a day, the other can eat nothing after breakfast till they close up at night. This he says they can stand for one day, but it is not a diet they can stand for a week at a time. It would be worse than "hash." And worse still he might get into trouble with his partner. I wrote him yesterday that it would not pay for two days of visiting to be divided among so many. We don't know how to give up the idea, but guess it is best. Money is hard, & business he says is dull, & I know he cannot afford the expense. He must be careful of his dimes for the present.
It is cold this morning, or else it is my fault. I can't get warm. Yesterday was a raw day. I see from a Des Moines paper that snow fell in St. Louis last Thursday 5 inches deep & still deeper further south. Well my leg & side are hot now but my back & hands are cold. I have turned round to warm my back & will give my hands a try soon. You must be interested in this.
Henry James has got home, made me a call yesterday & brought a letter from Mr. Adams. Mr. Adams seems to be well posted in the affairs of Denmark, says he understands Hibbard is in Nebraska doing business for himself, you are in Ottumwa teaching, & Mattie, if stories are true will soon have a home of her own. Says he & wife often talk over about you & Mat, & don't know how you will manage to be separate.
Three weeks from tonight Mattie must go according to the arrangement. I hate to think of it. But our family has been together so many years an unbroken family, is already broken & separate & must be more so. Well, though separate, we are one still, as much so I think as most families. How would we parents endure to have our children think so little of home as to go away, glad to go away, & never write as some do? Well, the room is feeling warm, if I don't. Another church meeting tonight on the subject of repairs. Don't know whether the $2,000. is yet all raised.
As ever,
Father
In this and the next letter, George Shedd discusses plans for Mary and Hibbard coming home for their sister Martha's wedding to Charles Swift.
Denmark Mar. 8, 1872
Dear Daughter,
Yours written Tues. eve. was received at 5 p.m. yesterday. Sorry for your headache. Do not let your examination trouble you. Do as well as you can & try & influence your pupils to do so & let it all go then. Two weeks more after today & we hope to see you home again. We received H's letter on Wed. saying he should try to come but could not leave home till Frid. p.m. & be in Burlington Sat. Morn. I wish you & he could come together, but you can't do that unless he stays one whole day in Ottumwa, or you sit up for the 3 a.m. train. I wrote him on Mon. that if he could not stay but two days, as he had suggested, it would hardly pay to attempt the visit. I wrote him yesterday that if he could leave on Frid. & be here on Sat., all right, I would find a way to get him out.
We are having disagreeable weather now. Wed. night it rained a little & froze & everything yesterday was covered with a little ice. It was one of the most disagreeable days to be out in that we have had for a long time. I guess it rained more last night & froze also. Yesterday in the fore noon it thundered west of us, heavy. It rolled long & good.
Our church Com. have got about $1900. & on Tues. eve. were instructed to go ahead & do up the work of repairs as their best judgment should direct. Mr. Brown was not present & has not signed anything. Last Sab. he made a fervent talk to his class about giving to the Lord & generosity in general. I wonder if he is blind. Some one told Ed. Brown that his father would not give because Mr. Boyt is one of the Com. Ed. Waited a moment & said " Boyt is a first rate fellow. I like him." That shows Ed's view of his father's course. It has always been so with Mr. Brown. Do just as I say & like, or do alone, & he is seldom suited.
The young people, I don't know how many, were invited to Mr. James' Tues. eve. Tonight, the Tuttle girls have an exclusive "gals" party. Geo. Wright is in Ill - do you see?
One week from tonight is the exhibition of the Academy. Mr. Edson has left out the Ex. Com. from the catalogue, of course has abolished it, for which I am glad & takes some other course. Well, The Com. has been a humbug for some time. Mr. E. lets pupils graduate without completing the course & without certificates from the Com. He had better do the whole & have the credit or the blame for it. I guess there is not much news to write & I am full. As ever,
Father
Denmark, Apr. 1, 1872
Dear Daughter,
The mornings are so short now that I cannot depend upon the morning for writing my letters. I must do the chores at the barn now before breakfast in order to have milk for breakfast. So of course, hereafter, I must write more as I can catch up the time usually the day before the letters are mailed. I wrote H. [Hibbard] this morning but it was sunrise before I got done. Did you get out of going to D.? Did you get to the depot comfortably from Mr. Stiles? It rained very hard here after about 4 pm till we went to bed & thunder & lightning quite like mid summer. The darkness was fearful. So much so that little birds would fly against the windows where there was light for fear & for shelter. Their little ones lit upon the sash where I was reading & I opened the window & two flew right into the room. I caught them & mother got a box & we put them into it till morning then I let them go. The snow was about 2 inches deep in the morning. Was there snow in Ottumwa & did you get home safely & comfortably. Was there a bus at the depot? Yesterday I felt poorly & did not go to meeting. Feel very well today. I can work some this morn. Mat & Charlie went to Montrose yesterday p.m. We had planned to go over & see her auntie & mother if they had been at home. I took auntie to Mr. Davis' in the pm so now we are all alone except our boarders. We have not heard from H. yet, expect a letter today. I shall expect one from you tomorrow. Mat is so near that she can all see the letters you write either of us. This a beautiful morning. Spring like. The birds sing very merrily. I heard a lark yesterday. I guess Spring has come at last. For all there was so much rain one Sat., so much that it filled an empty cistern brim full. There is almost no water to be seen on the surface now. The frost must be out & the roads will soon be good again. Mrs. Boark is much better, so that I did not see her yesterday. If Holland had attended her & some of his friends had been nurses, there would be a thundering effort to make it appear a marvel of a cure - she would have been rescued literally from the jaws of death. What a pity I have not got the faculty of blowing my own horn. I have not a big lot of friends to blow horns before me & behind me & everywhere, in my praise. If I should show myself a fool no matter blow the louder. I have no news to write. All well I guess & send love. Darwin has come & boards at Platts'. Alice Smith asked Darwin yesterday where he was going to board. He said, at home. She asked if Mr. Platts' was his home? & it got such a big laugh, for several heard it. One great fool, & not one alone.
Father
Denmark Apr. 9, 1872
Dear Daughter,
Yours of Sat. rec'd. yesterday & also one from H. It was a very rainy day here on Sat. as well as at your place. I saw in a paper yesterday that it was a general rain extending from Chicago to Omaha. Yesterday was a warm day & drying. It threatened showers for a while, but blew over & grew cooler. We had a new boarder come yesterday from Keokuk. A pleasant young gentleman, so we are now 6, just a small table full. I went over to see Mat. Yesterday. She is well & seems happy. Uncle J. & aunt Sarah came in just at supper time last eve. & I pulled 2 teeth for S. Just then Mr. Swift stopped in & told Sarah that he would thrash me for hurting her so, but she said, no, I was one of the best men living.
Old man Fox, towards West Point, died Sab. morn. He has for a long time been paralised, much like Mr. Barstow. Mr. Hart in our village died yesterday morn.
We are very glad you have got so pleasant a school this term & are enjoying yourself so well. Your mother & I have spoken of your going north this summer with Mrs. Edson if she goes & invites you. You probably will never have a better time.
H. in his letter described their concert; said it was on the whole one of the most enjoyable concerts he ever attended. Said there was in the place a young man from Boston, a son of a Congregational minister, all full of music. He & their jeweler played a guitar duet that brought down the house in a perfect furor. The jeweler he says is the best guitar player he ever heard play. He also plays the horn & is the leader of their Band. He played the horn & the Boston man the piano to great effect. The Scott family played 4 instruments at a time & the Boston man sang comic songs that made him laugh more than he has done for a long time before. It was to be repeated on Thurs. eve. last, the night he wrote. Mother will write a letter & so I stop.
As ever,
Father
Dear Daughter,
I suppose your father has written news there is of interest but as M. is not here to finish I will write a line. We are very glad you have such a pleasant school. Think the time will pass very quickly. You wrote about your wrapper. I looked almost everywhere & found it in Auntie's closet, also your cotton under skirt. Your sleeves buttons one pair I found in your cuffs, the other on the shelf by the clock. I suppose you can buy a new wrapper about as cheap as to send it by express.
I am nearly through putting things to rights although have not commenced house cleaning. Mrs. Spaulding seems very happy in her new home, says it seems more like being in her own house. Says you owe her a letter. Mattie looks quite rested. Mrs. Edson does not go into school in the afternoon.
Mother
I put you up a piece of blotting paper with your paper & forgot to speak of it. Have you said anything to Mr. Bross about exchanging with Mr. Swift? Mr. Brown thinks we had better get a new minister when we get the church fitted up. I did not know that he felt so bad as that. I think his influence to get a change will be about equal to the money his is giving to repair the house. The course he is taking is destroying all his influence and all the respect people ever had for him.
Denmark, Apr. 12, 1872
Dear Daughter,
It was a very windy day yesterday but warm & the wind blew hard all night. It is getting round into the west now & is cooler. Yesterday it threatened rain, but this morning no cloud is to be seen. I presume this is all just so with you. H. writes that it was a very rainy day with him last Sat. just as it was here & farther east. We rec'd a letter yesterday from br. Charles written Sat. but he said nothing about rain that day. Said people were putting in spring wheat very busily. The frost was only in part out, but it was dry, just as is was here some time ago when you were at home.
Br. Charles was in good spirits, is making his preparations to visit us this season with his wife & probably will go to Miss. to see his son there. Wants I should find out what I can about his best route to take. Says the fare by rail from Owatonna to Burlington is $12.00 & $1.00 to Owatonna. It will cost him from $15.30 to $18. by way of Winona & the river as the fare is now. He has seen N. H. Bell, says he is a young man of talent & promise. Says he has worked very hard this winter & has received quite a number to the church.
Br. Charles has an easier time than formerly, works hard on the Sab. & works or plays, rests & reads, at other times as he pleases. I never knew him to write in better spirits. Nothing new or special going on here. Oh! Yes there is. Night before last the Cunningham & Boxley girls & two "sprigs" took a pleasure walk to Gamage's, contrary to the rules of the school & were out an hour after study hours. Yesterday morning they, by notes, were all suspended from school & forbidden to go to school yesterday, but required to meet the teachers at 4 o'clock. Notice of the whole things was published to the school in the morning. This morning they will have to make public satisfaction or go home probably. The teachers backs are up. Our girls are greatly pleased, they love them as they do snakes. Emma Fisher & Mrs. Brooks have gone to Chicago to attend some meeting there. Our new boarder is a "very pleasant fellow" & has got sense besides. Darwin comes & goes with his dulcissima night & morning. He lives in tall clover now & sleeps on down I presume. I think of nothing more to write & mother is calling for water for breakfast.
All well. As ever,
Father
Denmark, Apr. 15, 1872, Mon. p.m.
Dear Daughter,
I thought this morning, at sunrise, was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, not a cloud upon the whole sky & the earth though wet still looked clean & green. Yesterday about 5 o'clock p.m., it began to rain with thunder & lightning & continued with short intervals till into the dead of night. This morn, the ground was full of water, parts of its surface being covered. We sat down to breakfast & remarked freely upon the clear sky & the beautiful morning. Very soon the heavens were overcast with clouds, the wind blew cold, & soon it began to rain. I drove stakes a while & got very tired. This p.m. I dug up a few currant bushes & quit & went to the bed. It is cold & I am too lazy to work & so I sit down to write my daughter. And what shall I say? I think of no news to write. But for this rain I could have plowed my garden & planted it. I have a great deal that wants to be done - currants, raspberries, & flower shrubs to take up & put out in another place, besides the ordinary plowing & planting. I cannot do it all myself. Still I feel much better to work what I am able, believe I shall live longer for so doing. I cannot loaf.
Dr. Wright came over yesterday p.m. to see Allie. He says he does not believe Mr. & Mrs. Stile would believe any person living or any number of them in any statement against Darwin, if Darwin should contradict it. Said that if the parents shall ever be compelled to believe Darwin in the wrong while here at school, it will all be blamed upon Mr. Edson. Says he should not dare to tell them any of the facts he knows. I have been mixing some black & thick ink with pale & thin to see how it will work. It is about time to go to barn for my chores. We are waiting a moment for supper & so I write again. I forgot to send you your photographs by the last letter. Will try to think of it in this. Mother says she will write some tomorrow morning. I rec'd a letter from br. Charles last Thurs. He is planning to come down with his wife & perhaps go down to Miss. to visit their son there. He writes in fine spirits. Says they board, & work or play, read or rest, as they please, & get some spending money. I have written to him to be here at our anniversary.
Folks are at work upon the church, painting the outside. The Baptists commenced their house today. I mean the plastering. Your letter of Sat. has just come in. Our new boarder is one of the very best we ever had, quiet, nice, clean, & respectful.
A robin is building a nest in the spruce east of the house between it & the office. I can see it at work as I write & look out. Folks all come now for supper. Good night.
As ever,
Father
Thurs morn. Mother can't find time to write this morn, will try to do it in the next.
Thermo. this morning 22 degrees. Ground frozen considerable. I guess warm weather will come sometime.
Denmark, Apr. 23, 1872
Dear Daughter,
Yours came to hand last eve, as was due. Glad you are in such good spirits.
Mr. Segner was at our house on Frid. last & wants you should teach their school next year for his daughters. This schoolhouse is on West Hill, the one we pass going to town & a mile so this side of Maine St. He will inquire the salary paid, the price of board &c. & write. He will also be in Ottumwa now soon & will see you. It would be better to be in B. in many respects. You can talk with Mr. Segner.
Charlie left yesterday, will go straight to Wasioja. I wrote br. Charles some days ago to know when he would come down. Should he come about anniversary time, you cannot go up very well. Should he defer his visit till the latter part of vacation, you might go up & then return with them. We will find out about it. Yesterday we dug up the bushes east of the office & plowed the ground. Today we shall set out some things as the new arrangement. It will look much better. Mr. Fisher has been quite sick for two days & has taken some of my time. He is feeble much of the time, won't do much more work for the present.
Last Sat. morn. was very pleasant here but in the a.m. the wind rose & blew a gale. It was warm & sultry. A very faint day. Towards night it clouded up & began to thunder & lighten with spits of rain, but about 7 oclock it set in for an all night rain & it was a heavy rain. In the morning it cleared off with a high wind. Farmers can't get into their fields at all yet. It is too late now to sow wheat & soon will be too late for oats.
I shall set over about one half of the ground east of the office with raspberries & flowers, the north part with raspberries & some currants. Shall get some new & better kinds of raspberries of Brackett, shall set a row of flowering shrubs south of the rows of berries & then a row of Mrs. Fisher's nice roses, with some of our own. South of these will be the lawn, when completed.
There were some other things I wanted to say, but they are out of mind & breakfast is ready. Folks all well. As ever your loving
Father
Denmark, Apr. 26, 1872
Dear Daughter,
A beautiful morning. We have had all beautiful mornings & days since the Sab. Freeman has worked for now 2 days & is to work today. We are making quite a change in the planning appearance of things about the premises. The thicket east of the office is now all cleared away & plowed. All north of the north end of the office will be covered over with some new kinds of raspberries, about 200 hills to begin with. South of the south end of the office will be put into grass by & by as an extension of our front yard into a lawn. A strip east of the office & as wide as the same will be devoted to flowers. About 1/2 of it is already set out with our various flowering shrubs & a few roots & bulbs. I am to have a large variety of Mrs. Fisher. I shall get the ground all plowed today about the house & much of it planted. I had Freeman take home some of all my flowering shrubs to set about his home & his wife said it did not make her mad one bit. Well this will do I guess for gardening matters.
Mother & I & aunt J. & Joseph went over & took tea with Mat. Tues. eve. She got a new ?. She is a good cook & a good house keeper as well as a good girl. Mrs. Carlton, mother & sister and all Mr. Senft's folks are expected here to dinner and to spend the day.
The mechanics, I believe every carpenter in town, are at work on the church. Have taken possession of the large lecture room & filled it with lumber & work benches. So when you come to D. again, you may expect to see the meeting house somewhat changed. The painters are putting on the last outside coat of paint.
Asa Fisher has been very sick since Sab. morn, but is now getting better. Mr. Edson did not expel those students he suspended. They "confessed" & "promised" & were put on "probation" stay.
We got a letter from H. the other day but he said he had nothing to write. Have you seen Mr. Signer yet? I have not heard from him about prices. If uncle Charles does not come down till fall you had better think of going up the river with Mrs. Edson only she must start the next Monday morn. after your school closes. That fact is badly against you. The girls are as noisy as ever & the birds sing merrily in our trees. I think of nothing more & what I have thought of can't be worth much.
As ever your aff.
Father
Denmark, May 3, 1872
Dear Daughter,
After 5 successive days of rain with water & mud everywhere we have had one beautiful & fair day with a good prospect for another & I guess for a good spell of weather. It is now full time that corn was being planted & yet I do not know of a field that is plowed. But there is time enough yet to do the work & raise crops if we shall have good weather hereafter. Mr. Swift called in yesterday morning & told us of his conclusion about changing with Mr. Booss. It seems that his ride to Ottumwa must inevitable be in the night & Mr. Booss' ride from Danville here in the night unless two trips are made with the team to D. which now can't be thought of. For the rest of it, if we should now have good weather & the roads becoming good, I told Mr. Swift that a Delegate must be appointed here who has one horse & buggy, who would go on Tuesday through Mt. Pleasant with Mr. Booss & return on Thursday with himself Mr. Swift. Were I going to Mt. Pleasant in good going, I would go with my own conveyance anyhow & then I could go & come as I please. He supposed there would of necessity have to be 3 night trips made which would be bad if the roads are wet as now & badder if men can plow, I told him further that there are mixed trains in the daytime, one leaving Danville about 2 1/2 pm for the west & an eastern train in the am, which could be taken if the rains should continue so that farmers could not work in the fields & one horse would not be sufficient to take 2 in a buggy through. Well he said if this is so, we will consider it an open question still & wait for developments. There is another thing in this connection. Mrs. Swift is going as she can to Montrose to stay perhaps weeks with Anna & Mr. Swift in his delicate sensibility hates to put Mr. B. onto us or Mattie for entertainment. Taking all things into consideration, this is not a convenient time for Mr. Swift to make an exchange & yet I am sure he would like to make an exchange.
Today I hope to get some seeds into the garden & lots of things done. The workmen will be ready to raise the steeple next week. Five or 6 carpenters are at work on it. Mother will write.
Father
Dear Daughter,
You expect you will think I take my housework very cool to leave everything in the morning to write but it is of not much consequence if the work waits a little. We are very glad that you are doing so well in school & that you are happier than before. You must be careful & not take cold or get overdone. If your school is not out until the Friday after our Academy will you be able to go with Mrs. Edson the Monday following. She thinks she must go on account of Mitchell. His mother is anxious to have her up with him. Mrs. E. is quite poorly, hardly able to go in school but feels obliged to do it. Mrs. E. & sister & mother spent last Friday with us - had a nice visit.
Uncle James & Aunt C. called yesterday & stopped an hour. They miss Charlie very much. Then Aunt C. said C. was not content to stay at home & farm. He wanted to see more of the world & she thinks it will better for C. in the end if he would be willing to stay at home for he will have the place when they are done with it. Probably C. thinks differently. Aunt C. says they have sold everything off of the farm & I think paid all their debts. They will now have one third of their farm rent to live on & do not intend to go in debt again. Mr. Tibbetts tends the farm.
I have nearly finished my dress & that one of Aunt L. Auntie has made us a call last week. She is very well. Aunt L. has ill turns often. I do not know what's the cause. She has a Miss Parker for hired help - the one she had last year. I intend to go over there.
Henry Wilson I heard cut his foot very badly yesterday much like Mr. Smith's - do not know particulars, only that they sent to Madison for a Surgeon.
E. Sherry was married in Madison by a justice.
My sheet is full & time to go the mail. Good bye.
Mother
Monday p.m. May 13, 1872
Dear Daughter,
I got up this morning with a headache but it wore off. I worked among the grape vines very comfortably. This p.m. the sun is bright & warm & my rash is out on my face & is so uncomfortable that I cannot stay out in the sun, so I begin you a letter. But I tell you at the start that it won't be very intellectual, for I never feel very bright when my face is troubling me.
I went to see Mr. Swift this morning to tell him that I could not well go to Mt. Pleasant - there were very many & too many difficulties standing square in the way. Mr. Swift has been about half sick for some days & wants to take a rest, said he did not feel much like going himself & did not know as he should try to go. We had from Thurs. night in the night to Frid. night in the night, the hardest rain, for the length of time of the season. The roads are nearly impassible again. Mr. Kephart from Cheyanne was here yesterday & preached once. I don't feel like writing & am going "down town" a while.
Well, I have been to the P.O. & seen Mr. Turner but I am no loafer. Our new boarder, Hambleton, is a perfect loafer - loafs easier & more than any boarder we have perhaps ever had. I have just learned that he has not been into the schoolroom all this p.m. As I close this sentence & look up, my eye is attracted by two robins flying from their nest in the evergreen between the house & office & feeding their young. One drops down its head & then the other with its food & in an instant they are gone for more. They are no loafers. As I was at work this a.m., among the grape vines, the robins were around me much of the time picking up the worms, as tame as chickens. They won't get sent home for neglect of duties, nor will they grieve their friends for their loafing habits & general good-for-nothingness. Hambleton says he never drinks, but he is making himself a ninny & half non compus by his smoking, but not in our house for that was a condition agreed upon before he began to board here.
The bell duct is uncovered today & the steeple architect is expected tomorrow morning. It will be a quick job now if the weather is good.
Yours of Sat. has just come in. We had a slight rain on Wed. On Thurs. a heavy shower passed S. of us. H. says it rained with them most of the week.
Mat. is here as I write. All well & send love.
As ever,
Father
Don't worry about a school for next year. If the Board in Ottumwa don't want you, let them go & let them "rip." But find out soon.
Tues. morn H's letter of last eve. says they have at last lost the P.O. The 4th effort succeeded. The Methodist minister who headed the movement believes in "importment" & I should think in "perseverance." H feels blue. Don't want it told of. Says we need not send the guitar at present. I feel sorry, but I have long expected it & wrote him so. He too has expected it. It will cramp him in paying for their new lot. Say nothing.
Denmark, May 17, 1872
Dear Daughter,
Do you know when it rains? Do you see any rain enough so that you have not forgotten what it is & how it looks? If so, then come home & renew your youth. Tues. the mechanics began to raise the steeple & we had 4 showers that day & night. It rained again yesterday & last night. Largely whatever has been planted has rotted, though my garden seeds have come up pretty well. My grape vines did badly last winter & grapes will not be a drug in my garden this year.
We got a letter from H. last eve. He is in fine spirits. They learned Thurs. eve. of the change in the P.O. Frid. & Sat. they circulated a Remonstrance & got 300 names, only about a doz. refused to sign. The Lawyers have all signed a letter to their Representative that if he does not get Young restored they will oppose his renomination for Congress next Fall & nearly all the business men in the place have sent a similar one. The Clergy are writing in another. H. says it is pretty hot for the Methodist minister who got the change. It made him much frightened. They sent on the first lot of Remonstrances & letters with the Bonds for the new P.O. H. does not much expect it will reverse the action of the Department but says it has developed an amount of sympathy & friendship that they did not dream of. Says they will have no fears now in getting a good trade & doing a good living business without the P.O. Still they would like the Office. I do not think of any news to write. Mr. Swift & I did not go to Mt. Pleasant & we were glad of it. As it was, it would have been rain going & coming.
Mat. came up yesterday & took tea & was caught in a shower. I don't think of anything more.
Good bye. All send love. As ever,
Father
Denmark May 24, 1872
Dear Daughter,
Will it be lawful for me to write you three letters in one week? Well, I hope you will be at home soon when we shan't have to write - only 4 or 5 weeks now at longest. I suppose you have rec'd my last in this. The more mother thinks of it, she "kinder" thinks it would be good to have one child at home till they all get homes for themselves. But here after is time enough to settle this. You are your own now & have a perfect right to teach or otherwise employ your time.
Mother got quite tired & took cold & had a "season" of rheumatic head ache, then it went into her arm & went off at the fingers. She is better & will probably come up here to day. Mrs. Brown has had a hard turn of colera morbus, & Mr. B. got kicked on the knee & had a bad leg.
Linda has just come down & says she is a "21 year old yearling" today. She gives a party tonight at our house to her particular friends & has invited about 40. She & the girls do the work & she pays the bills, though mother of course will give her lots of things. The scholars are getting her surprise presents. There is lots of preparation & fun in anticipation. Walter is to make the presentation speech, Stevenson & another have demonstrated that it won't rain tonight. It took 2 sheets of paper for the work. They did it some days ago. Yesterday it looked as if they might need to look over their calculations to find some mistake. It rained some here & near us were two very heavy showers. It looks this morning like sihted (?) weather for awhile. There has been so much rain for a week past, that farmers have not been able to do much towards planting. Our steeple looks up now about 90 or 100 feet from the ground - the frame work simply. The architect from Keokuk stayed about one day & went home, said the work was so nicely done & would be that he was not needed at all.
I do not think of any thing more to write. Mother is too busy. Now says she will write a line.
Father
Dear Daughter,
It is Friday & I have my cooking to do, so I will write a word just to inquire what ladies of my age have for bonnets & what trimmed with. Almost everything here for old & young are brimmed with black ribbon with some bright flower on the side.
As ever,
Mother
Denmark May 30, 1872
Dear Daughter.
Dr. Cochran, Dentist from Burlington, is spending 2 or 3 days in town doing up a little work in his line & I am waiting for him to make a call to examine your mother's mouth & ascertain whether she can have an "impression" taken & can also wear a "plate" in her mouth without causing trouble. If she can have an impression taken all right we shall expect she can wear the plate & the teeth & if she can we shall have a full set put in in vacation. She is not willing to run the risk while we have boarders & she has so much to do. Our plan will be to go to Kossuth & stop on the way up for our trip & on the way home for another trip & not cause much trouble.
Old man Montandon died yesterday pm & is being buried at this hour, 4 p.m. So there is another of our old citizens gone & another widow added to the already large number present among us. A very few years more must make a great change among the citizens of our little place, there are so many aged persons, or at least elderly ones as compared with those in younger years.
Mrs. Spaulding was in after I sent my last to you & your mother spoke to her about Mr. Booss' leaving home with his wife & leaving you girls alone in the house & she (Mrs. S.) said you ought not on any condition to stay alone at all in that house. According to Mrs. S's ideas I was none too positive about it in my last. Four weeks & one day more at the longest & you will be through & ready to come home. As there will be no moon at that time & it may be bad weather or bad going, it may be best for you to plan to start on Sat. morn. by the 7 oclock train. It might be difficult to see to all your luggage in the night & dark besides the risk of the traveling. We could be at home for dinner on Sat. This for a thought.
It seems to me that we have never missed you as much as now & have never been so anxious for the time to come for you to come home. It sometimes seems a little lonely. We miss Mattie - Mother often says she can hardly think of spending the rest of her life alone unless you should get married. Then of course, both of us should submit & without a murmur.
My face & eyes trouble me some today so that I cannot be out much in the sun. I will wait for the rest till morning, Morn. beautiful. The Dr. called in & the conclusion is to clean up the lower teeth & heal up the gums now & put in an upper set in vacation. We shall go to Kossuth & call each way & get the teeth. Nothing need touch the sensitive parts.
I will send you the H. Eye containing an account of the tornado in Danville & each way from there. At the same time there was on near Quincy, Ill. I saw Mrs. Cooper last eve. & she said Carrie & her boy & nurse will come home with Em, making thus, 4 passengers & their luggage from Danville. It will require the biggest kind of a wagon to hold the 3 persons & some 3 or 4 large trunks.
There is no news to write.
All send love,
Father
Denmark June 13, 1872
Mine Daughter,
Has it ever occurred to you that, while you have been in Ottumwa, I have written you about 75 letters? Enough for quite a volume. What an amount of labor, what wonderful effusions of humor & wit & wisdom!! When will these "labors have an end?" Well in about one week more, after one more mental effort. Have you appreciated the efforts? Have you gained wisdom by them? Doubtful, & for the best of reasons.
Well, I have been to work, plowing & hoing & I am tired & so have sat down to rest. I find the rain a week ago has baked down my garden so it required a good deal of hard work to loosen it up. But this must be done, or things won't grow well. In some respects I have a good garden, Mrs. Spaulding has been in today & spoke about her churn, she has in Ottumwa which we can have I you have a mind to bring it home. She says if you prop it up in paper or cloth, it won't cost much & perhaps nothing to bring it. If it is put into a box they will charge for it. You can pack lots of your things in it, if you need the room. Perhaps you can use it, & bring it instead of the box I sent you, or that you have, or do as you find it necessary or think best.
Frid. morn. Beautifiul, beautiful. One week more & I shall arrange to go for you at Danville, shall try to go myself. It has never before seemed so good to think of you coming home. Mr. Swift went to Montrose Monday & came back Wed. Says A's babe is remarkable, a perfect wonder. I told him that was all to be expected. Says it is the most quiet child he ever saw. I asked him if was not a "fule" as too much quietude was a bad symptom. Well, mother wants to write some & I will stop.
Father
Dear Daughter,
I received your Monday letter in due time & should like to write a long one in answer but I am making your Aunt Lara's dress & am expecting her here this morning to spend the day so that I am in a hurry to the work room.
You wrote about getting a Percale dress - I hardly know what to say. They are very common here - small to great have them. Mary I. has a very pretty one made Polinaise. Yesterday Linda bought one of the same pattern at 40 cts. per yard. I do not know what you had better do about it. If you stay at home, & do not visit much out of house it will not be of very much account, anyway, do just as you think best. Aunt L gave me a ten dollar bill for making her dress & if you think best to get a ? I would like to make M. a present of one like it but she hardly needs it. I though I would not let her know anything about it. I sent to B. by Mary Ingalls for a bonnet. She bought one but it is pretty large & I would let it be. Will you come home to trim it? I will get the ribbon at ??? which will ??.
If you can find some silk gloves dove color I would like them. Also Aunt L. wishes a pair. She wants hers very large or you need not get any. Mine will need to be a good size or not any. Mr. I. could not find them in B.
I cannot make this pen go very well this morning so I must stop.
Good bye,
Mother
Denmark, Oct. 31, 1872
Dear Daughter,
I sent you a letter from Mrs. Stevens on Monday with a note. I have just now come in from fixing up your flowers & feel tired enough to write a letter. Yesterday I went to Mrs. Fisher's & got 5 kinds of bulbs such as she gave me (I don't remember the names) & put them out as she directed. She told me to make a mound 6 or 7 feet in diameter, plant a lillie in the center & then in a circle 1/2 a yard from it a bunch of 4 kinds, & 1/2 a yard from this set a border of another kind. I made & planted two such mounds, one east & the other west of the apple tree. I took up all the lillie bulbs we planted & put them into higher mounds, have covered all the lilies with horse manure & have also covered them & all the other bulbs with "large mulch" of leaves from our abundant forest. I have got them all to suit me nicely only there is not sand enough mixed into the soil. That can be done in the spring. If I feel like it I may get a load or two of sand to day, or while the roads are so good. So much for flowers & so good.
No news to write that I know of. Gen. Warren spoke for Greely Mond. Night but I did not go out & have not seen any one who was present. McCrary is posted for a speech Frid. eve. & also there is expected a scientific lecture with experiments in the Academy Hall on that same evening. Which will win or whether both will or neither is to be seen.
Mr. Edson has sent me a new Physiology for examination, to compare with another one he sent me last term. I must spend some time along upon these books.
Week after next I shall try to go up to Kossuth if Mr. Bell can't go hunting conveniently & if the weather & the roads are good & there should be some danger if bad weather & roads. I may go up the last of next week, so as to come home on Sat. I don't want to be out in the weather on bad roads if I can help it.
I shall get my apples into the cellar now as fast as I am able & be ready for any change of weather.
Mrs. Sturgess is expected today. Mr. Swift made a talk about her on Sab. & told the people she would want provisions, fuel &c. & all who could spare articles, he said, he hoped would take such in, "today or tomorrow," says he will be in season. People laughed & he wondered what they were laughing at. Charlie asked his mother after meeting if her things were ready & they smelt the rat.
It is a little lonely in your absence. Mat. came over Mond. p.m. & stayed some hours. All well & send love. The other was a note. This is a letter.
Father
Addressed to Mrs. M. Z. Shedd in Ashland
Home Aug. 26, 1878
Dear Children,
Yours rec'd. Sat. eve. We have not rec'd. but one letter from H. & K. since H. left. What can be the reason. Last Frid. & Sat. were two terrible days for the oppressive heat. Everybody complains of the oppression of the heat. Sat. p.m. & eve we had a shower with some wind & much electricity & Sat. night the mercury fell over 30 degrees in 12 hours. Yesterday & today very comfortable.
Frid. night, about midnight, a tramp frightened Mrs. Brackett & the girls, trying to get into the house. He said he wanted to stay over night. They said no, go away. He begged & plead. They said no. He changed his voice & one of the girls cried out "Father" & jumped. He was let in. It was just one week sooner than he was expected.
Mr. Swift is expected home this week. Br. Charles will probably start two weeks from this eve. The school commences next Wed. Mr. Tibbets has moved into Mr. Edson's house. Mr. Bingham is expected today. John Trowbridge's wife died Sat. morn. & was buried yesterday. I never saw her but presume her trouble the same as carried off Ivers Taylor, Mr. Dale & Abby Hoar, ulceration of the throat & bronchial tubes from neglected catarrh. She gave birth to a premature babe 2 or 3 days before. She requested that all her 3 babes should be buried with her in the cemetery & it was done. Poor John is unfortunate.
Mother will write & I will leave the rest for her. I am tired from busy work & supper is now ready. I do not think of much news.
Love & kisses as ever,
Father
Dear Children,
Your father has left half of the sheet & so I will fill it with something.
In the first place the weather has been warm enough to heat me through this summer. I do not remember the time when my clothes were as wet with perspiration as last Sat.
I wish you could have some of our large yellow apples that are so nice, without worms.
Tell Harry about going to Grandmas & going out to get apples, peaches & grapes. The peach trees are so loaded that some reach to the ground & the pears, the sour ones are rotting on the ground. The others are not quite ripe but are very large & nice. Do you have any there? I am trying to sew some but didn't do much last week on my dress. I shall try to get everything ready so that we can start as soon as Uncle C. & E. finish their visit.
Hattie Houston expects to go to school & board with Zerviah. Bill H. has been out & made a visit. Ella is in town - have not seen her. Will Wright boards with them while in B. Mr. E. Wright has given back his place to Mrs. T. They will remain till next Mar. Mary E's still having a nice time, may remain till her father wants to go to Chicago. Aunt Jane is comfortable now. The weather has been very trying for her. She was quite poorly last week but kept up most of the time.
They have engaged a boy to room with Eddie & will take a roommate for Mary if there is a good one. Their girl Mary will try. I think H Day has no place.
Is Kate still without a girl? She must have her hands full. I think a great deal about seeing you all & the dear babies. Well, we must wait till the right time comes. I think your father anticipates a great deal of pleasure in the visit. I try not to think too much about it.
The sheet is full so with love to all & a mothers good night kiss for both.
Mother
Johnnie referred to in this letter is his grandson, John Adams Scott.
Denmark Aug. 14, 1879
Dear Children,
I intended to write you yesterday, but we all went over to Aunt L's for dinner & I was too busy or too lazy to write after we got home. Today Aunt P. & Ella have the horse & buggy & have gone to Madison. I feel rather too lazy to do much. The changes in the weather disturb my breathing & causes me to feel weak or better perhaps lazy. I went to the academy this a.m. & examined the enlargement of the music rooms & had quite a talk with Epps on matters pertaining to the academy. It cost $500.00 last year to take care of the academy & its grounds & the Epps house & cut the wood. This year they got it all done for $175. Some think it wrong that Mr. Flink was turned off.
It is very dry in this region now, no amount of rain for a long time. Many a time rain has been threatened but the clouds would all pass over or dissolved in air & the wind turn into the N.W. or N. & the air become quite cool. All such changes affect my breathing.
I have just been over to see Mr. Swift but found all gone. On coming back, found Mrs. Brackett present. News. Mrs. Edson arrived in town last eve. & went to Mrs. James. Quite a stir was observed about that house towards evening, but the cause was not know. McClelland went to B. & brought her out in Ed. James' carriage. It is a question on many tongues will Mr. E. come? Carrie Edson is here, staying at Mr. Flint's or Foxes. The Pyles, Bristows & some others as appears have planned to give Mr. Edson & wife a reception in Madison.
Have just been to the office & found a letter addressed in your handwriting to "Henry Shedd, Denmark." What could it mean. I opened it & found it indeed to Henry, but why at D.? The presumption is that you wrote Denmark instead of Clinton so I will write a letter, enclose yours & send both along. I have read the letter & find Johnnie has two teeth, crups all about & is a very sweet child. Glad to learn it all. The ladies here think Johnnie must be a fine boy from his picture, & I tell them all my grand children are grand boys. I would like to shake them all, but the least one, he is too small.
Mrs. Epps, the old, is quite poorly & Mrs. Cooper is partially paralysed & will not probably ever be much better. Wed. p.m. aunt J. had McClelland & Hattie Day, Ed. James & wife, & M.J. to tea & for the evening. I put on my best behavior, but not one of them said to me come & see us & so I will wait a while before I go. Perhaps it was because they expected Mrs. E. & did did not want me to call on her. If so, all right. Ingalls just stopped in for tea, & says he learns that Mr. E. is to be in Burlington next Sab. & here next week. Unless he is prepared to sign or has signed the papers sent him week after next will be the time probably for a church action on his case. That is the time too for the co. S.S. convention at Montrose & the Old Settler's convention at Ft. Madison. We will know what will come when it is come. Mrs. Brackett sends love & a kiss to the boy. So does aunt Jane. I want you & Kate should write what things you want taken to A. this fall. I shall not need them here unless I should be better than usual next spring.
Father
