Friday, February 20, 2009

AnnaBelle [Mabel] Camfield, 15 April 1892









South Bend
April 15 92

Dearest Beloved Cousin

Your kind and loving letter was received and read with much pleasure.

I am so glad you want to see me again "dearest" I am just dying to see you honey. Well you ____. I am glad you are

page 2

in good health I cant write because there is a boil on my thumb or something of the kind aint you sorry dearest. I will have to close

Your affectianate
AnnaBelle

I am coming over this summer. This is Good Friday I have

page 3

to go to church at 12 o'clock noon and stay till 3 I cant eat a thing all day

Belle Carlisle is clerking in the new Dry good store here

annabell

Frank bell did not tell you why she observes good friday and goes to church well she Joined the Episcopal church last faul and they keep lent

page 4

and dont eat on certain days, but I dont see be what she eats just as much as ever she has gone to church now and dont know I am writing in her letter, but I explain what she has left out

aunt Rose


Upside down, top of page in Annabelle's hand

Master Frank


I am still perplexed as to why Aunt Mabel went by AnnaBelle for her entire youth but switched to Mabel as an adult. She was writing to her cousin, Frank (Francis) Carlisle. Belle Carlisle was Frank's cousin and AnnaBelle was acquainted with her through her relationship to Frank's family.

This letter also has me thinking about the religious affiliations of my family. Rose does not seem pleased that AnnaBelle has joined the Episcopal church. I really don't know what church Rose was affiliated with. I know in later years AnnaBelle's sisters, Ruby and Pearl, would follow Christian Science teachings. It was Aunt Ruby that gave me my copy of Science & Health and encouraged me to attended youth services in Syracuse when I was about 12.

For more see:
Camfield Family Letters
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner
Michael Camfield


Camfield, AnnaBelle [Mabel]. (South Bend, IN) to “Dearest Beloved Cousin”
[Francis Ashley Carlisle]. Letter. 15 April 1892. Digital Images 1-4.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1891 - 1893,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

3 comments:

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

Very interesting :) Is that red ink splattered on the letters?

Taylorstales-Genealogy said...

Greetings Apple,
Wow, I just love these letters and always look forward to when you post them!
I have nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger award. You can pick it up at my blog..
http://taylorstales-genealogy.blogspot.com
Your blog is wonderful friend!

Charley "Apple" Grabowski said...

Nikki-ann, I'm not sure what the red glop is but it soaked onto several of the letters.

Taylors tales, Thank you very much!