Sarah Ann Camfield, March 6, 1902

South Bend March 6th 1902

Dear Children

we are well and hope you are I am alone so I would write to you to let you know that we have not forgotten you I am not peasing anymore I am carpet ragging I have about ten good balls sewed and enough torn to make about two more balls now if you would like them I will make what I can but if not I will stop and find some else to do I have got the blocks for the three quilt done and two over I believe that makes twenty six since two years ago the 12th of last november

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ther is more pieces but I have got so tired of it I do not want to do any more of it and I dont know as any wants any more quilts

I got apicture of Wirt and his two boy about two weeks ago and a letter from him last week I have not had any from Elizabeth yet since I wrote to her

how is the Cremery is it running yet it will seem strange to Jim Woods folks to live out in the Country I should think Joseph thinks it must be the Cathaway they have got

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I dont know what this is a piece of but thought I would send it to Tamerson

Joseph and Rose is talking of buying alot this spring I dont know whether it will be any thing but talk or not I have down town once since I back to the bend and I went and spent the day with Mrs Tampson that is all I have been away only to meeting I have been serveral times in the evenings as well as in the day time I believe itold you they built a new Church close by it is just about as down to the Osborn plac from your place ther has als bee built a minnonite Church built about as far as down to McKnight corner I think

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I have not been there but think of going when the weather is more settled I can go the biggest half of the on the street so it wont be very bad I can go once in awhile any way it will be better than sitting here day after day that is gettin quite tire some I am getting anxious for the time to when I can come to Buchanan for a but I shall hate to go away now and leave the meetings it is such acomfort to go we got aletter from Libby this after noon they are well well I am tired and guess you will be when you get done reading this. So good by for this tine

S A Camfield

Marshall Wirt Wisner was Sarah Ann's youngest brother. I did not find his letter or picture. Sarah Elizabeth Hall Belden was her niece. Elizabeth "Libby" Warner Camfield was married to Sarah's grandson Fred. Fred lived with Michael and Sarah Ann for years and was more like a son to her. I believe Fred was living with his parents and Sarah Ann in South Bend and Libby and son Earl were still in Branch County, Michigan. Wood's and McKnight's were family friends in Buchanan.

Twenty-six hand pieced quilts in 2 1/2 years. I think I would have wanted to do something else too. I wish I knew how big the rag balls were and what what she did with them.

I'm not sure what churches were in Buchanan at that time and I should look into it as Sarah mentions missing meetings when she stayed there. The family lived out at the edge of town and on a hill so perhaps it was just too much of a walk for her to get to any of the churches.

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


Camfield, Sarah Wisner (South Bend, IN) to “Dear Children”
[Anna Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 6 March 1902. Digital Images 1-4.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, Jan – Mar 1902,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Weekly Rewind

Deadlines

There were lots and lots of posts written for various carnivals that will be out next week.

• Due today are submissions for the Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture: A St. Patrick's Day online parade, to be hosted at Small Leaved Shamrock.
• Tomorrow is the deadline for the Carnival of Genealogy: A Tribute to Women, to be hosted at Creative Gene.
• You have until Monday to share something for the Cabinet of Curiosities at Walking the Berkshires.

Thomas McEntee has come up with a new four week carnival: Bound for Mom, at GeneaBloggers The carnival will only last four weeks, starting March 25th, and you are asked to write an article each Wednesday. When you are done you will have created a very nice tribute with enough time to create a unique gift for Mother's Day. You can find all of the details at the link above.

Thomas also has a Wiki Barn Raising happening over at GeneaBloggers. There are still lots of topics that need to be completed so led a hand if you can.


Weekly Reading

This week I'm going to focus on some timely posts about tough times. What have you recorded about your family's history in previous depressions?

Chery has started a series called "The Dirty Thirties" at Nordic Blue about her family's struggle to get through tough times. Part 1 and Part 2 are posted and I'm looking forward to the continuation of the series.

Waste Not Want Not is posted at Blind Pig & Acorn. Tipper shares a story and asks if we're as frugal as our ancestors were.

Elementary History Teacher shows how history does repeat itself with, The Greater Depression?, at History is Elementary.

Barbara has posted Pity the Children with some interesting thoughts on child labor, at Our Carroll family Genealogy. I know my English ancestors worked in the silk mills at a very early age.

When did the word trillion come into every day use? I have no idea but at Carpe Diem you can get a visual idea of what a trillion looks like.


My Week

I spent way too much time following the Iditarod but I'm having fun following the race!

I did get a few more letters done and into the queue. I'll be working on more later today. As valuable as they are to me sometimes transcribing them is simply an unpleasant chore.

I spent a little bit of time updating my slide show (over there on the left) for Womens History Month.

I did have an OH WOW! moment this week. My great-uncle was named Leroy Eastwood Camfield and I have wondered about the name. Did it have anything to do with my Graham genealogy or was it perhaps a clue to another, as yet undiscovered line? I transcribed some letters last weekend that refered to a friend of Rose's named Nora Eastwood Wood. A new message on one of the Rootsweb/Ancestry boards led me to a series of posts about Leroy Eastwood of South Bend, Indiana and it turns out that he was Nora's father. So now I know who my uncle was named for but I'm still a bit confused as to the why of it. A new question is why was he the only one named for someone else?

I use a widget from Google Reader to create my blog rolls and they all disappeared during the week. I kept thinking that they'd have the problem fixed quickly but obviously that is not the case. I'm looking for something easier than recreating it by adding a link list. I won't use the widget provided by blogger because it makes the page load way too slowly and the blogs I "follow" aren't all genealogy blogs. Any suggestions?

Sarah Ann Camfield, 16 Feb 1890

Noble Feb 16th 1890

well Anna we received your letter it had been allmost a week on its way we are all well and hope this will find you all the same
they are having the same diease in these parts in Colwater it is verry bad Fred we think had it but not hard every boy in school was taken sick the same day ot was friday but they were all at school again on monday morning but two you asked about Boil we have seen him twice this summer we went to honey lak to a picnic and saw him there then we saw him to a grove meeting he asked about you all and how many children you had
he asked about Mcknight he said didnot that man go to the dogs
Father drawed some wheat to Burr Oak

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and he s old Harvey
the 4 of july we went to Burr Oak and we saw anumber of the old neighbours
I suppose Mrs Woods is alive yet
I am going to send the two handkerchiefs to the two little ones one for each and some cards I wanted to send Daniel something for some pants but did kno what nor how much I wanted to send Frank something but did not know what to send but tell him grandma will remember him some other time
if I could have gone to town I would have sent a valentine it is verry bad going and I was not wel I could not go

write soon

S A Camfield


Harvey was probably a horse.

Honey Lake is near Burr Oak.

McKnight and Boil (Boyles) have been mentioned in previous letters, as has Mrs Woods.

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


Camfield, Sarah Ann. (Noble, MI) to “well Anna”
[Anna Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 16 February 1890. Digital Images 1-2.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1890,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Sarah Ann Camfield, 12 May 1887

Noble May 12th 1887

Wel I am all most ashamed to write I have waited so long but if you excuse me I will try to do better I have not been very wel and we have been so buisy it seemed as if I could not I would think tomorrow I will write but tomorrow always brings its work and cares and I cannot get along with them as I used to not by a goodeal
it bothers me to write I cannot think or remember as I used to my head troubles me very much some days I can hardly do anything
Father is sick now we have been to the Doctors for medacine to day he was taken last night he seems better this after noon I am in hopes it not last long he is lying on the lounge and taking medicine every half hour

2

we expected to plant corn tomorrow and potatoes saturday but they wil have to wait we have planted 16 acres of corn on Bogarduses place we have 5 acres of oats here on our place we did not sow any wheat here last fall we have about 16 acres of wheat on B’s place that we have one half of
Bogardus has not rented his farm yet the house stands empty only when he is there she comes about twice a year and stays a day or two he comes every few weeks and fetches his grub and stays 4 or 5 days tinkering around fixing fences he will not let it for less than five hundred dollars a year
13 well now it is another day Father is feeling better he is going to carry this to the office I have no chickens yet but expect a lot next week
wel Frank how do you like that little sister and what is her name I suppos you

3

wil call her Millie after that Case girl does Daniel talk yet wel I suppose that little girl is anice thing at your house I wish I could see her and all of you are you all comeing to see us this summer
we have no Calves yet this spring I your Mother Carlisle at your house and how is her health and Mrs Strawsght is she better Mrs Woods is she well

well Ashley Mike says he thinks you will have to begin to put additins to your house Anna I suppose you do not hear from the Illinois folks or you would let me know how are you getting along are well and the Children Ashley how is your health this spring how is the prospec for work these hard times verything seems dull this way Frank why dont you write Grandpa and Grandma a letter

4

I got a whitewashbrush the other day and am going to try to do my own whitewashing if I can

S A Camfield

write as soon as you can and as often




I haven't figured out who Millie Case was. Frank (Francis) Carlisle was born in 1878 and I assume she was close to his age. There were several Case families in Buchanan.

Daniel Carlisle would have been a little over two years old.

Tamerson Louisa Carlisle was born 12 April 1887 in Buchanan, Berrien, MI.

My best guess is that Mrs Woods was Nancy L Wood or Woods, born about 1810-1811 Vermont. She was the wife of William Wood(s). I really have not investigated very far on this but their son was born in New York so perhaps there is some realtionship that I have yet to discover.

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) “Well I am all most ashamed”
[Anna Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 12 May 1887. 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.]