The following five letters span the period from January 1868 to July 1869.
Throughout 1868 until March, 1869, James and Augusta Griffing lived in Junction
City, Kansas. From March 1869 until March 1870, James Griffing served the North
Lawrence circuit. The first letter was written by Mary Ann Goodrich to her
daughter, Augusta. The second letter was written by an acquaintance of Augusta's
named Sarah who lived in South Owego, New York. The third and fourth letters
were written by Augusta to her husband while he attended the Kansas Annual
Conference in Leavenworth. The fifth letter was written by family friend Carrie
Winans from her home near Topeka.
Owego [New
York]
January 26, 1868
Dear Augusta
and all,
This is your
birthday. Is it a pleasant day with you? With us it is snowing so that [your
brother] Stephen thinks he cannot go to church although he has got ready. We
have plenty of snow and plenty of sleighing. Last Tuesday night and Wednesday we
had a deep snow. It came more than a foot deep and it has been snowing fast all
the morning. Yesterday afternoon Mary Berry called here with Addie Saundies and
Mrs. Bugby, Leve’s Curtis who boards at Joe’s drove over for them. They were
out sleigh riding and called here and staid about an hour. We treated them to
good mustard seed cider and apples. It was a pleasant call to us. Stephen
happened to be here. It is the seasonal time. Mary had been out. She is not very
well. She has a girl to help take care of the children and another in the
kitchen. They have two new boarders – boys that go to the [Owego] Academy to
school – and have quite a family. George Berry has been sick all the fall and
winter. He got better and came to Owego about Christmas time, and his sister and
her husband and his babe was here, and George went home with them. He had the
hermirage of the lungs. He went up to his Uncle Joe’s for the first time. Mary
says he looks miserable. He thinks himself he shall not live long. Hellen has
left her Grandmother and they have an oldish woman living there. She does all
the work and your Aunt Lucy likes her. Hellen lives at Bijak Conklin’s. I did
not ask her anything about Lot. She said Rites had taken both of the children.
The boy is with his friends on east and the girl is with him west. Mary Berry
invited [your sister] Sarah and myself to go there Tuesday, and said she would
send for Aunt Lucy Berry to come. Sarah thinks she shall not go but if it is
pleasant and not very cold, I think I shall go. Stephen was giving down to
Mary’s Friday and I rode down with him. My face got very cold. Otherways, I
was warm enough. We staid to supper. It is the first I have been out since
before Christmas. I do not think I took any cold.
I have written
about Mrs. [Asa] Brooks’ daughter’s marriage. It is Permelia’s oldest
daughter. [She] married Theodore Horton. He is Ledwich Horton’s son.
Theodore’s mother was Levi Catlin’s daughter. Sarah says that Phoebe Ann
died and Theodore’s mother Kate married her (Phoebe’s) husband. Lud, as they
call him, married a Dunbar and this Theodore has always lived with them. They
have no other children & they think a good deal of this boy. He is very
smart and a member of the Church. They live at Nichols.
Sarah’s
[Ladies] Repository has come. We like it. The pictures are beautiful. Do you
take the Sunday School Advocate? Stephen takes the Sunday School Journal, the
Agriculturist and the Owego Gazette. Sarah takes the Repository & I take the
Ledger and I think I shall take Harper’s Monthly.
Am sorry about
little Sadie’s finger. Hope it is well before this [arrives]. Have you weaned
her? … Do not put on high neck dresses and long sleeves on Sadie yet.
Dr. Howland
lectured last Tuesday night – that snowy day. Stephen went but Sarah did not
want to go it [since] it was so tedious. They say it was the best lecture yet
this season. -- Your mother {Mary Ann Goodrich]
South Owego
[New York]
November 15, 1868
Dear friend
Augusta,
Do you think I
have forgotten you? If so, be assured such is not the case. But if you afraid
that I have sadly neglected you, to this charge I have to plead guilty and trust
to the measure of forgiveness your good, generous heart _________ for mercy. I
have had many times set in my own mind that I would surely answer your good
letter but it seems that things beyond my control would prevent until now. I do
intend to delay no longer.
Owen [has]
usual health. Has been good through in the spring.
Has worked very hard in the mill (I told you he built a sawmill last fall
did I not?) and is also furnished plenty hard work for mind & body for all
concerned so it took nearly all summer to get rested so as to feel like ones
self. He has now sold out the mill & I am glad of it. Hattie is a plump,
healthy child, now 15 months old. She tries to talk some and is if course very
cunning. Burty, as you know, is now past 8 years old & is healthy although
he complains ____ ____ considerable. I fear at times it will prove something
serious. Then I think he will outgrow it. God only knows what is in store. He is
a great comfort to us. His father makes a great dependence upon him & you
know there are things much more certain than life or health. But it is not best
to anticipate some things. I suppose if we live every day wright and have the
future with our Father who careth for all his dear children we shall be doing
right.
Dear Cutie,
how I would like just now to creep in and sit down by your side at this quiet
hour and have a good heart visit such as we used to have. My mind is so full of
things I should like to say to just you that I cannot write of all such a letter
as I would like. I was looking at a new map the other day & I see that you
are now just on the western border of settlements in Kansas. I think you &
your husband are worthy of great praise for your courage to endure the real
privations consequent upon pioneer life. I think the state of Kansas ought to
settle pensions on all such persons for the good done to the state by such
ministers and their families. How does it come that your farm, just at the
Capital of the State [and] near a good market, if it is a good producing farm,
pays so small income? I have a friend in Illinois who is living with a Mr. _____
rents a farm & pays $750 rent and if he farms it another year, will have to
pay $800. I do not understand it, you see. If it doesn’t pay any better to
farm it, then that is no country for you. I see by the election returns that you
are all right politically. Is it not a shame for New York?
We are to have
a Christmas tree in our Sabbath School. Something all new in this place… Ever
your friend, -- Sarah
Junction City
[Kansas]
March 28, 1869
My dear
husband [James],
I have
received two letters from you. The last came last night (Saturday) and Dr. Horn
said today he also received one from you. We think of you often & the
children want to know often if this is the day for papa to come home. It is a
beautiful day – somewhat windy this afternoon. Sadie had chill & fever
Friday & the Doctor gave her medicine so she has had none since. The rest
are well. She was quite sick while it lasted, came near having a spasm with the
fever, but I do not think she will have any more.
The Doctor has
been spitting blood again & is miserable & Sister Horn is too – worse
than ever. Mrs. Arns who lives near Sister Brum is very low. The doctor says she
may live a day or a month, but is liable to die at any time – cancer in the
stomach. In my letter from [Owego], Ma writes that [my sister] Sarah is sick.
She thought of sending for a Doctor & I fear she is quite sick. And Ma nor
[my brother] Steve were well either.
Henry brought
some hay but it is not much better than none, and the old cow will die I fear.
She is so poor & does not have much appetite. She does not eat slop or hay
much & is nothing but a shadow. She is all drawn up & will die, I think.
[Our horse] Fanny does well enough so far.
Yesterday I
went over to Mrs. Callan’s & Mrs. Hall’s & while I was gone, Mr.
& Mrs. Gage called. John saw them. It is too bad [I missed them].
No one else
has been for corn. If we stay here, do not fail to bring up some shrubbery &
certainly gooseberries – plenty of them, & cutting’s too. Now don’t
forget them even if we don’t stay here [in Junction City].
We had general
class meeting at three this afternoon. Dr. Horn prayed for our absent pastor –
that he might return full of zeal. Preacher Brown has moved to Abilene. Your
photo is too dark but I wish you had some for ourselves. None of the aid wheat
came until Friday morning keeping many men & teams here is town & only
part came then.
Brother Young
spoke to Mr. Watts to preach today & I supposed he was. And in the
yesterday’s paper was a notice that Rev. J. S. Griffing, pastor of the M. E.
Church was absent at Conference & that the pulpit would be filled at the
usual hour by Rev. F. L. Noble, local preacher of this charge. And some came
expecting to hear him preach. I do not know who put it in but suspect it was the
Doctor. But this morning Brother Noble led a man into the pulpit & said he
hoped they would be better pleased to hear him than if their humble servant
(meaning himself) had done his best. I do not know his name, but he is agent for
companies coming out here & is going to stay around either here or Kansas
City. I should think he was an Independent Methodist. At any rate, he is a very
independent sort of an individual that I did not care particularly to hear
preach. He said that in Maine, some thought he was crazy & I do not believe
they were far out of the way. First, he read a hymn & then our folks
supposed of course he was going to pray & nearly all of them kneeled down
(there were a number from other churches there as there was no service at the
Presbyterian Church). But he did not pray, but took up the Bible & began to
read the morning lesson. Those on their knees listened for a while & thought
it was a funny prayer & soon they all got up & there liked to have been
a general titter. Oh, it was so hard for me to keep from laughing for I sat well
back where I could see it all & had watched him to see what he would do
next, knowing he could not be a Methodist – so I did not kneel. But when he
did pray, he stood up & so did about half a dozen of the Congregation. I
wish I could tell you about the sermon but cannot. He said he would preach
tonight but I do not think it would do me very good if I should go. I took such
a dislike to him. He has been a Methodist but will I think work against them. I
may be mistaken but I do not like him. Mr. Watts came rather late and was
expecting to preach. Sister Young said Brother Noble knew Mr. Watts was to
preach. I am afraid it will make hard feelings. At any rate, I wish he had not
preached.
I will write
to Topeka & hope you will not leave it in the [post] office if I do. I shall
hope to hear from you tomorrow night. I begin to think I would like to know
where we are to live another year. We had a good class meeting today, but only a
few were there. [Yours, -- Augusta]
Junction City
[Kansas]
March 31, 1869
My dear
husband [James],
This is
Wednesday about one o’clock and I suppose Conference is over and perhaps you
are on your way to Topeka, or perhaps already there. I expected to get a letter
from you yesterday but none came. I shall surely hope to see one tonight. I
wrote twice to Leavenworth & hope you received them.
We keep very
well. Sadie has not been sick anymore since that one day. The boys are both in
school but vacation of a week or so commences tomorrow. I rather dread it but I
suppose the teachers want a little rest. Things move along about the same old
way, I believe – at least as far as I know. Brother Noble came here this
morning to see if you had 20 or 30 bushels of corn. They want two hundred
bushels & I think Brother Noble will go to Topeka to get some. Mrs. Arns is
better. I went to see her yesterday. Sister Horn has been very bad all the week,
but is better today. So she went down to breakfast – the first she has been
down in some days. The old cow is still living and is doing a little better.
Monday & part of Tuesday she did not eat anything but I sent John to Dr.
Horn’s for some hay & she ate that and now her appetite is better. But she
looks terribly poor & drawn up. Mrs. Downing says it don’t pay to let cows
get poor in winter & I don’t think it does if she is a specimen.
[Rev] Brother
[Newell] Trafton has just been here with the tea. I had taken in money enough
for corn to partly pay him. He took two gunnies of corn in the ear & will
pay week after next.
That preacher
that I wrote about [in my last letter to you] is named Danforth & has
created quite a stir. He preached Sunday night & great big “I” stuck out
worse than ever. And Mr. Underwood says he preached Universalist doctrine. I am
sorry he was asked to preach, but it can’t be helped now. Brother Seymour has
gone to his place. His wife stays here for the present.
It is time to
get ready for prayer meeting & I must close. Sister Young’s baby was quite
sick yesterday & Allie was almost sick. Give love to all. Don’t forget
gooseberries & if we are to stay here, get some shrubbery. That peony could
be divided & bring up a little ____. Give love to all. See if you can find
your mittens. Yours ever, – Augusta.
[Topeka,
Kansas]
July 25, 1869
Dear Sister Augusta,
Your letter of
the 11th came in due time. How very much I want to see you before you go east
and talk with you. I cannot write. No, I do not know what to say, only [that]
life is dreary to me now – lonely days of anguish and sorrow in which I long
to lie beside my darlings who have left me never more to return. Oh my dear
sister, God grant you may not have it to bear. My mind is all confused and it
seems I’m afraid I can never set myself to work again. God is good and He
alone can set all things right. Poor little Carrie’s constant cry is “What
shall I do, I’m so lonesome. What shall I do I’m so lonesome.” And we are
all lonesome and there is no earthly help.
[My husband]
Harry is determined to go on a farm this fall but where we will go or what we
will do, I little care. Our dear little one that is left us may not stay with us
long. I do not expect it. Her constitution seems to be broken. Why should I care
for this world, Oh my heavenly Father. Why was I born and for what purpose do I
live?
My dear sister
you say you are going to see your precious mother again. If I only had my dear
ma to go to, but she is at rest. How thankful I ought to be. I would so much
like to have you stop in Ohio just little bit if you thought you could not stay
long enough to rest. I know how glad Amanda and all of them would be to see you.
Do try to stop. Amanda will never see you in this life if you do not stop on
your way east. You will go by there on the Toledo & Cleveland Railroad, and
if you only stop at Wakeman Station 10 miles west of Norwalk and get a hack to
take you to Florence to Homer Brooks, they will pay you every attention and take
you back to the station. I would like very much to send sister Amanda a package.
Wednesday.
Brother Griffing is here and how I would like to go back with him but we have
bought a farm today and are to move in 4 or five weeks and I cannot. He says you
may not go east through northern Ohio but if you do, won’t you try to call and
see Amanda? It will be a rest for you and she will be glad to see the children
too. Kiss them all around for Aunty and not fail to write to me soon as you can.
I certainly would go to see you this week if I did not have to move so soon.
Remember me as ever your dear friend, -- Carrie Winens
