Boston, Mass
July 25th 1875
Dear Friend Anna
It is a lovely Sabbath day. I could not go to Church or Sabbath school for I have been sick with “Cholera Morbus”. all of us have been sick with it. Children are dying / over fifty a day with it. – I thought when I rec’d your letter it would be answered before this, but if you could have been here you would see that I have been busy all the time since it
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came. The 2nd of June I went to cleark in a store in Boston, go in at 8 o’clock in the morn, + return at 6 oclock in the evening, so you see my time is pretty much occupied. I was very much surprised to here of your moving from Buchanan. You must live in a very pleasant place. I think, from your description, am glad you like it. sorry to hear your mother had been sick. Should think you would have been pretty busy having all the work to do while moving we have moved since I last wrote you. to. “13 Sheridan Ave.” it is very pleasant here. I like it better than on “Bowe St.” – I suppose you have heard of the “Centennial” 17th of June”, before this time
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I wish you could have been here at that time you would have enjoyed it I know. It was one of the greatest sights I ever saw. to see all of those soldjers “,a procession six miles long. – It looked like a great army, coming up to battle. after this procession a string of teems of about 2 mi long represinting mechanics, manufacturers and business men in Boston in wagons with specimens of their merchandise. Bells of verious churches were rung at sunrise, noon, + sunset. Salutes were fired at the same time from the Navy Yard It was grand, + we enjoyed seeing it. The 4th of July there was not much going on except
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a boat race, on Jamaica Plain Pond. it rained hard in the evening so we could not see much of the “fire works” in Boston. I have not told you about the store, it is very large. larger than any building in Buchanan two storys of the store, six of the building. There is over a hundred girls in this store in the busy seasons, about 50 now. most of them are away on vacations. now during the hot weather. I shall have my vacation in Aug about my birthday. two weeks is all I can have. My Department is Corsets, a lady can go in + but a suit of under clothes, dress boots + stockings we keep every thing a lady wares. I like very much. What are you doing this summer.? (Please write soon)
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I have written my pages full. + havnt any more room this time. I think I will have some photographs taken when I have my vacation shall send one to you + shall expect one in return. The sun is setting beautiful in the west. I must close for I am very tired todays. I fainted once to day + dont wat to again I assure you. – all the rest of the family are usually well Hope you all are well + enjoying the summer. the weather is very changeable. cold one day + hot the next.
On the fold between pages 2 and 3
now please write soon to Ella Jeffrey
Ella Jeffery was a friend of Anna Camfield. This is the first of only three letters by her that were kept by Anna. I found Ella on the 1870 census In Buchanan, Berrien, MI with her parents, Allen and Ester Jeffery, and siblings William, Catherine, Frederick and Edwin. Ella was still single and living with her parents on Sheridan St, Boston, MA at the time of the 1880 census. I haven't done any more research into the family.
17 June 1775 was the date of the Battle of Bunker Hill. A book about the Centennial celebration is available at Google Books; Proceedings of the Bunker Hill Monument Association at the Annual Meeting. 1875.
I didn't find anything specific to a Cholera epidemic in Boston in 1875. Wikipedia's epidemics page does list an influenza outbreak in North America from 1873-1875
Also from Wikipedia:
Cholera morbus
The term cholera morbus was used in the 19th and early 20th centuries to describe both non-epidemic cholera and other gastrointestinal diseases (sometimes epidemic) that resembled cholera. The term is not in current use, but is found in many older references.[26] The other diseases are now known collectively as gastroenteritis.
Jeffery, Ella A. (Boston, MA) to “Dear Friend Anna”
[Anna Camfield]. Letter. 25 July 1875. Digital Images 1-6.
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.]
