Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Sarah Ann Camfield, 29 Oct 1884










letter no 2 Noble Centre Oct 29th 1884

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love to all write soon

wel I will begin again weare gathering Apples there is a small crop and no sale hardly Mr Bogardus has gone to Coldwater with a load he was here and Father got him to go down with aload he knew better where to sel them Father hates to take any thing to market the worst of anything I believe we sold 4 head of Cattle last week for 85 dollars and 4 hogs for 44 dollars and 50 cts now I have 8 hundred laid up for the payment on the farm we have to pay 1 thousand the first of march I dont know the rent on this place is not half paid yet we have stock enough if we can sel it for what it is worth but there seems to be nothing

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doing in that line there dont seem to be much business any way that is not much buying and selling you would think there was something doing if you could see how they are building up Bronson since the fire
we went to Burr Oak two weeks ago last sunday we went to Geries the Irishman the old woman and man both are looking better than they used to they was so pleased to see us she the old woman hugged me almost in to she shook Father all most to pieces she said give me both hands to shake I thought she was going to kiss him he said she squeezed his hands til they was sore for 2 days
Old Boyles wife has left him the Plants have gone to Decota except Will and his family

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Billy Davison and all Will lives north of Burr Oak he put in apiece of corn there by geries this summer Rob and Morrice has bought twenty acres of the plant farm astrip on the north side rite through to the Boil rad so they have 30 acres there in one piece and you know Rob had 40 so now they have 70 acres I guess hey are doing first rate the girls was all at home the one that married that Simpson had only been home from cansas 2 weeks they had been gone 2 year Emma Grave has gone back to the asylum they say there is no hope for her
O I must tel you we saw Old Harvey and his wife and daughter but he did not have on his smock or he had it poked in side

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now Franky Grandma wants to know how you are getting along then she wants you to give three times three cheers for Blain and Logan loud enough so we can hearit

S A Camfield

PS Mr Seaver family are in Burr Oak yet Julia is teaching in the Brick school house in that town and Bev is clerking in the hardware and the rest go to school they live across the creek some where they say they dress terrible fine but he dont work I guess they must have got Aunt lucys money

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am alone yet have had no girl for more than a month

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We have not heard from South bend since june I think I am hinders to write to morrow if nothing


Gerie the Irishman may have referred to Jerry Donahue, born about 1814, Ireland. The reason that I am not sure is that he would have been only three years older than Sarah. Jerry's wife, Maragaret, would have been younger than Sarah, Margaret having been born about 1830, Ireland.

The Boyle's, Plant's and Seaver's have been mentioned in earlier letters, as had Emma Graves. I'm not sure how Billy Davison fits in. Rob, Morrice and Harvey are mysteries.

Three cheers for Blain and and Logan refers to a political song of the time. The sheet music can be found here. Also see: Lives of Blaine and Logan (1884)


For more see:
Camfield Family Letters
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner
Michael Camfield
Henry Bogardus, Shirt-tail Cousin


Camfield, Sarah Ann Wisner. (Noble Center, MI) “letter no 2” [Anna Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 29 October 1884. Digital Images 1-4. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1884 - 1886, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

2 comments:

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

It's always interesting to read these, I just wish I had something like these... they're such an insight into life back then.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful and festive time. Merry Christmas!

my Heritage Happens said...

Hi Apple!

I have nominated you for the Proximidate Award! Please go to http://heritagehappens.blogspot.com/2008/12/proximidade-award.html to find out more!

Merry Christmas!