Friday, November 14, 2008

Lizzie Strauseight, 9 January 1876






January 9th 1876

Dear Anna,

Mama says I can write to you and thank for my nice present of nuts that you sent me and the two little apples that was my first Christmas present. Now I will tell you the rest mama got me A new dress and four pictures fraimed And two of the I got with a little magazine I took and A some candy and Aunt Bella gave me a glass cup and uncle Benj gave me a pen and pen holder and A bottle of hair oil and uncle phin gave me A candy cow and A picture and Harry gave me A little dolly what they call little Red riding hood now I would like to know what you got we had examination this week and I was so Afaraid I should miss but I did not and the teacher told me to keep up good courage and I would get through I was sick for three weeks the doctor said I came very

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near having the typhoid fever in the worst form but i am better now and my mouth all broke out with cold sores so I could not laugh or cry and ma said that they had quite A peaceable time wouldent you like to have been here or would you rather hear me laugh and cut up once more I should like to see your place where you live and I should like to go down to the water and count the little turtles that you spoke of

now I must bid you good by please write soon.
from your friend
Lizzie Strauseight

ps give my love to uncle and Auntie and yourself



Strauseight, Lizzie. (Buchanan, MI) to “Dear Anna” [Anna Camfield]. Letter.
9 January 1876. Digital Images 1-2. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1875 - 1876, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

2 comments:

Jasia said...

I think this must be my favorite of all the letters you've posted so far. I'm always fascinated by what gift giving was like in days of old. It doesn't get better than Lizzie's descriptions does it? Clearly she was quite pleased with her gifts!

How old was Lizzie when she wrote this?

Charley "Apple" Grabowski said...

Hi Jasia,

I really enjoyed this one too. According to census records Lizzie was born about 1867 so she must have been 8 or 9 when she wrote this. I doubt very much that I could have written such a nice letter at that age.

I haven't yet found what became of Lizzie after the 1880 census. Funny how one letter has me wanting to know all about her even though there is no direct relationship between us.