Sarah Ann Camfield, 17 Dec 1889

Noble Dec 17th 1889

Dear Children

well we are ahving another of our drizly wet days that we have so many of late Father is plowing when it dont rain and some time when it does you mus have more snow than we there was not enough for sleighs to run it did not cover the mud I hope you was not afraid I would get the work all done so you would have nothing to do what I wanted to get done was to get the kitchen fixed so it would be more comfortable it is cold but that I dont mind so much but the roof leaks sobad and the snow blows in so bad but it not fixed nor wont be this winter our wheat was so poor and brought so little it left us verry short of money to do any thing with we had no hogs nor any thing

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else to sell only butter and eggs and that dont much more than pay for groceries we have no sown any wheat on shares we put out 18 acres last year and it paid 8 dollars for all our work and trouble after paying for cutting and thrashing and seed we had 8 dollars left
but dont you worry about we we live thrue it we had a pretty good crop of corn and we have 10 hogs to is for our meat and the 8 we are going to winter to fat next year we have 4 cows 2 give milk and our team and we raised 15 bushels of buckwheat so you see we can have pudding and milk and pancakes so we are provided for all the same we are in hopes better times next year Joseph sent Fred clothes so that helped considerable I guess Joseph is doing pretty well for these hard times

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we had baked turkey for thanks giving dinner if you and family and Joseys family could all been Bogardus house is empty yet he dot find any one to give 500 for it he bought me a Christmas presen of a big Rooser he fixed the house painted it outside so it hardly looks like the old house I think Diptheria is done I dont know of but one case thre had been so manyexposed before it was kown that they thought evey one was going to have it school has commenced again and all seems going smoothly
we got that little girls picture and dont want to flatter you nor her but do think it is just as pretty as it can be I think she more like you than the boy does
Father is going to Bronson so I will close with wishing you all a merry Christmas and happy newyear S A Camfield



This is one of the letters that just tugs at my heart. They finally have a farm of their own but they can't afford it.

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


Camfield, Sarah Ann. (Noble, MI) to “Dear Children”
[Anna Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 25 November 1889. Digital Images 1-3.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1887 - 1889,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Sarah Ann Camfield, 25 Nov 1889

Noble Nov 25th 1889

well Anna I suppose you think I am not going to write any more wel I had a sore thumb for awhile and I have got so I hate to write we are as well as usual but that is not verry well

wel you talked of comeing to see us and I have been waiting to get ready for you but I cannot so you must come when you can Father finished husking corn to day we have 12 good loads

I thought I would write to Mary E Hall before now but have not I have not written to Rosy in more than a year

the Dipthera is about here one school is closed an the acount of it I dont know whether it is

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much or not in haste

S A Camfield

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


Camfield, Sarah Ann. (Noble, MI) “well Anna”
[Anna Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 25 November 1889. Digital Image.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1887 - 1889,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Sarah Ann Camfield, 19 Sept 1889

Noble Sept 19th 1889

we received your letter and paper I think if you see us this fall you will have to come here for we cannot come there we are so poor we cannot get any thing to come with our wheat was very lite and thenit dont fetch any thing only 63 cts per bushel at Bronson we will get verry little if any thing more than we had to pay out without getting any thing for all our work if you can come we will be glad to see you all if you come come before cold weather as we have not verry much room we are having quite a cold rain just about thes times
let us know when you are coming and we will meet you at the Depo

S A Camfield


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


Camfield, Sarah Ann. (Noble, MI) “we received your letter”
[Anna Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 18 September 1889. Digital Image.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1887 - 1889,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Isaac Ashley Carlisle, 4 May 1889

South Bend May the 4th 1889
Well I told Orville when he was here if I did not get to work I should come home So I got to work fore a while from three to six weeks at the Sunday Bake is works I wont get any pay untill too weeks from last friday then I will send a post office order or come my self get $3.50 ades so I cant losse the time

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I have got a cold it is beter now did Orvill give you the money I sent you So I dont know how you are geting along if Orvill wants to help paper let him if he wants to paint get the pante and set him at it
the Baby is well and grore alike a pig Bell conts the days when she can goe to see Fred and Frank Josy has got him a new

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fish pole it cost him $5.00 So he will get all of the fish in the ponds I will take diner at Joses to day noon Charley Simones got his fingers cut of on wone hand his rite hand last week. I went to see him the next day thare was three others got hert the same week here. So I will close for this time as ever harbon I A Carlisle

I think Ashley is saying that he found work at Studebaker's. His brother Orville has been released from the hospital. He may be doing work at Ashley and Anna's to repay them for a loan they made him while he was recovering.

Ruby Blanche Camfield must be the baby Ashley refers to.

There were several men from Buchanan, MI with named Charles Simons or Simonds so I have no way of knowing exactly who lost their fingers.

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

Carlisle, Isaac Ashley. (South Bend, IN) “Well I told Orville”
[Anna Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 4 May 1889. Digital Images 1-3.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1887 - 1889,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Isaac Ashley Carlisle, 26 April 1889

April the 26th 1889

Dear Wife and Children
I suppose it shines in Buchanan to day so it dos heere. I went to work this morning did not work so I though it wold bea a good time to say a few words. I have worked fore dayes and half thish week it comes to 15.75 ao I will send you $20 by Orvill on Monday if he coms and I think he will

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how bad Bill and marey goodrige must feel I let Rosey reed the leter she was some what surprised and so was I to. ana bell went to see mamey to day the baby grore like fum it cries some now Rosey dos her one washen now they was fore funrar_ won day thos week will bee wone to morah I hant Joined the union yet do not know when I shall Joe drew a watch in a lotrey this week worth $25

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it cost him 22 dolars fore the ticket so he is a head a little now I may go out in the country work some next week I have jest got home from the funral the man was hurt on the ralroad hed wone leg cut off and the other broke it hapend six week ago he was wone of Jose custmer I have erned since I come heere $29.40 so you see I hant lade still all of the time

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mamey came home with Bell and stade all day heere I lodge with Jose and get my meals with Orson Wood I bought some new stockens last night and got _____ I send it to Tamerson By Orvill. I let Rosey reed the leter. I dont know when I will come home so I will send twenty dollars to yo so do what you think best as evr youre afecant husban I A Carlisle

Orville was Ashley's brother and Mamie was Orville's daughter. Annabelle was Joe and Rose's daughter, Mabel. The baby was Ruby.

Bill and Mary Goodrich were the parents of Anna's friend, Myra Phillips. Myra died in the spring of 1890 so I'm not sure what Ashley is referring to.

Joe Camfield had a barber shop and met lots of people. Spending $22 for a chance on a $25 watch seems a bit reckless to me.

I'm surprised that Rose isn't feeding Ashley. Maybe it was too much with the children or maybe it simply wasn't the way things were done back then but he was her brother-in-law.

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

Carlisle, Isaac Ashley. (South Bend, IN) “Dear Wife and Children”
[Anna Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 26 April 1889. Digital Images 1-4.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1887 - 1889,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Rose Graham Camfield, 1 April 1889

South Bend April 1st

Dear sister and family I will now try to write you a letter as the house is still both babies are asleep and Fred and mabell are spending the evening out and for once every thing is still I don’t know what you must think of me fro not writing before but there is so much to do here all the time Ruby is teething and catches cold so easy I dont think she is quite as strong as the other children, she needs a great deal of care, ther wise we are all well Fred came home a week ago last Thursday he says grand ma says they are not able to board him (of course we clothed him) any longer and he must

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look out for himself. so he is looking for work now, he could have come home long ago for that matter only we supposed they needed him, and I dont see how they stand it there alone for he must have been a great help to them we was not expecting them to send Fred home we supposed they wanted him to stay with them
has your mother returned from her eastern trip yet how are you all I hope you wont take revenge on me by not answering this letter for we want to hear how you all are The children say every day they wish uncle ashley would come over we are hoping to see you all this sumer. how is Tamerson and the boys

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well I must wish you all good by for this time dont forget to write soon
Rose
April 3rd Fred got work to day at singers factory he gets 50 ets a day

There was no year on this letter. Rose refers to "both babies" and her two oldest children so I believe this was written in 1889. A 5th child, LeRoy, was born in March 1890 so it is posible that it was written in 1890 and that Rose simple makes no mention of middle child, Pearl.

I'm surprised that Fred was sent home as Sarah counted on him for help and company but 1889 was a very hard year for them financially. At least when he was living with Sarah and Mike he got to go to school. In 1889 he was 15.

"Grand ma" was Rose's mother-in-law and Anna'a mother, Sarah. When Rose asks "has your mother returned" she is referring to Anna's mother-in-law Hannah L Carlisle.

The Singer factory in South Bend, IN manufactured sewing machine cabinets.


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

Camfield, Rose Graham. (South Bend, Indiana) to “Dear Sister” [Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 1 April c. 1889 Digital Images 1-3. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, Undated c. 1850-1899, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Sarah Ann Camfield, 7 Jan 1889

Noble Center Jan 7th 1889

Dear Children
I suppose you are looking for a letter dy this time so I will try and write a little there does not seem to be any thing to write about we stay rite here I have not seen a woman to speak to since a week before Christmas if it was not for Fred I do not know how I could stand it he goes to school every but is here night and morning for company Father is no more company than a stick of wood and dont say much more I am glad you hear from Illinois some times I do not did Martha say anything about her Father and Mother I think I will write to them once more and see if I can get an answer Freddie sends his thanks for the handker chief he ment to send you something

2

but time sliped by without some how I send my thanks for my apron but feel as ashamed to excep it because I id not send you any thing
how I wish I could except your kind invitation to come and help fill the house and see you all nothing would please me better I assure you
I think every year we will go next but I dont know as we ever will but I hope to if we live longenoug I hope it will be so you can come here next summer how long is it since you was here
S A Camfield

"Father is no more company than a stick of wood and dont say much more." Grandpa Mike was man of few words I guess!

Another bare bones Christmas has come and gone.

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


Camfield, Sarah Ann. (Noble Center, MI) “I suppose you are”
[Anna Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 7 January 1889. Digital Images 1-2.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1887 - 1889,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Events of 1889

My family seemed fairly isolated from US and world events around them. Here are just a few events from 1889 that they may or may not have been aware of.

• North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington admitted as U. S. States


• Benjamin Harrison begins his term as President


• The Eiffell Tower opens


• Oklahoma Land Rush


• Johnstown flood


• Great Seattle Fire


• Wall Street Journal established


• Nellie Blye begins her trip around the world


• Flexible flyer sled invented by Sam Leeds Allen


• The Sons of the American Revolution is founded


• Tippecanoe Place completed