A few acres of land near the college

Yours of February 5th came tonight, the evening after my Quarterly Meeting. [Presiding] Elder Taylor was not with us. Neither has he sent word to let us know the reason [of his absence]. I had to do the preaching, begging, administering the sacrament, and all the other duties of both preacher & Elder. I was sorry indeed as the circuit is considerably behind and now nobody to report its wants to the Conference but myself. And the Quarterly conference did not tell me whether they wanted us back or not. Neither did I ask them. I think the people about Lincoln here would be right glad to have us come back. There were two joined by letter and at our meeting in the evenings, four arose for prayers and there seems to be a good state of feeling. We appointed a meeting again for this evening but it commenced raining this morning and has been at it most of the day and is raining now. It is so muddy & wet that we shall not be able to have meetings this evening. But if the weather improves, shall try it again tomorrow evening.

Did I not tell you that Bro. [Luther] Jones had come [home]? He is now engaged making a model for a patent for to attach the power to the treadle for throwing the shuttle in a handloom. So many have gone to weaving lately that such a thing seems to be just in demand. He thinks a person can weave about three times as fast. If so, it will be quite a fine thing.

I took out a letter from Henry K. Winans & wife with yours. They were well. Amanda has been sick with the lung fever but is about well. Henry says that Carrie and [you, who he called] my “better & prettier half,” kept up a correspondence until it quit. But who made it quit he says he didn’t know. Says he & Carrie have just been reading Greeley’s American Conflict and no money ever spent has ever paid them so well without it was what they paid the preacher at the time of their marriage.

I let Stinson have [my horse] Fannie to go and see a cancer doctor near Lecompton. He drove her two days in the rain and mud, and she came back pretty well used up. She was so stiff the next morning she could hardly walk but is better now and becoming more like herself again. His wife has been quite sick for quite a time. Adolphus Wells [1] is quite sick with lung fever and their child is not expected to live. Bro. Burkes’ folks have sold out and expects to move to Michigan in about three weeks.

I am so glad to hear such good news [about our son] Willie. I hope you will all keep well. Did you hear Johnny speak his piece? And has he learned any bad ways by going to school? How much I want to see you all, but the time will soon be along now. Should the Conference think best to remove me, I may think it best to come back & remove my things before I come after you so that my successor may come into the house. Any [letters] you write after this month, direct to Topeka in care of A. L. Winans. Much love to all, keeping what you can for yourself, -- James

I was glad to get a letter from you and also from [my sister] Permelia [Brooks] today. I hope to get another before I leave here, which I expect may be one week from this morning. Next Sunday will be my last Sabbath on the circuit for this year. I shall probably have some one hundred and thirty or thirty-five dollars to come on with after paying my bookroom and paper debts and could borrow some of Father Winans if you think best. I had an order on Scrafford of five dollars and, after buying me a hat, bought 3 yards of jeans for the boys paid, and thought I would bring it on for you to make up for them to wear home. I also traded some at Br. Bruners’ to be to his credit on my salary. I bought me a pair of drawers, two handkerchiefs, and a pair of sealskin gloves with buckskin facings, very warm and nice. [They are] a little out of season but will come very handy another winter.

We kept up the meetings until Thursday evening last. Eight arose for prayers on that evening. The room was very small and too much crowded to carry on the meetings with any degree of advantage.

I think of going from here to Manhattan before Conference. There are a few acres of land – about ten – about a mile & a half from town and about a mile from the [Kansas State Agricultural] College [building on College Hill] that I would like to own. I want to go and look at it and, if it suits and I can trade that old Pap Winans’ buggy and some of my stock towards it, I expect to get it. It is not far from where the railroad is to pass and just about as far from the College as I would like to live, and as much land as I would care to care of. What do you think of the project?

I heard from [Presiding Elder] Taylor last Saturday. He is at Manhattan sick but was getting better and was expecting to get over to Bro. Knipe’s Quarterly Meeting. He started Bro. Baxter C. Dennis to fill his appointment here but it had been raining and the streams were coming up and in attempting to cross the Big Blue, his horse fell [and] threw Baxter off and both came very near being drowned. He managed to get back to the Manhattan side but lost his saddlebags and only recovered them after going down the stream some two miles.

[My sister] Permelia [Brooks] was unwell with the neuralgia when she wrote. Says she was intending or thinking of coming up this month [to Owego] but it looks somewhat dubious. Mr. Brooks is so busy and she unwell. Says we must try and come there if possible – but it will be impossible. I cannot, if I come, stay over one week and I expect to spend considerable of that [time] at my [Mother’s] home. I expect to go down by boat from Wyandotte to St. Louis and, if I get in St. Louis Saturday, shall probably stay over Sunday at Bro. Curtis.’ Be sure and write me at Topeka in care of Father Winans.

Your letter mailed the 16th came last night. It had been over a week since I had received one before. In the one before, you spoke of commencing a protracted meeting, but in the last one said nothing about it. Where was it, and did it continue long? I am afraid [your Presiding] Elder Taylor was not with you at your Quarterly Meeting from what you wrote. I thought of you that day and hoped you were having a good time.

We are all about as usual here. Only [our son] John has had the chicken pox. But he was soon over it. I was in hopes [our other children] Willie & Mary would take it so as to get through with that much. Mr. Stiles vaccinated John & Willie a few days ago & if theirs work, I can vaccinate Mary. The small pox still hangs about in some of the streets in Owego & a Phelps boy living out where [your brother] Samuel used to [live] has the sarioloid.[2] It may spread. The children about here have been vaccinated.

[Your sister] Mary [Pike] rode down when [her husband] Grove was going to town one day last week & made a short visit. She was getting along very well indeed. [Your brother] Samuel was about as usual – not able to work yet. Last Friday evening we had a room full of unexpected company. Just after dark, [my brother-in-law] Gurd [Horton] came up with [my sister] Mary & [their daughter] Fanny & old Mrs. Horton, Hannah (Ephraim’s wife), and Aunt Debby Cortright. Just as they drove in the yard, Mr. & Mrs. Warring drove up – they coming to spend the evening – and awhile afterwards, Mr. & Mrs. Bristol came in. All were here at once & neither party knew the others were coming.

Saturday morning Steve, baby Mary and myself started for Wysox [Pennsylvania]. Steve drove the colt & it was good sleighing and we reached there at two o’clock. It rained Saturday & was quite warm Sunday & I was afraid the snow would go off & leave us to get home on bare ground so had Steve come back Monday. We expected to stay until Tuesday & go to Towanda & Mr. Kellum’s but I gave that up rather than risk the sleighing. They tried to have us stay and, as it turned out, we could as well as not. It snowed some Monday night & froze so that it is very good going again.

Uncle William & Aunt Sarah are not well. I don’t think Aunt Sarah will ever be well again. She has such a bad cough. Herbert talks of going to Denver this spring. His brother-in-law, Mr. Strope, is there and he expects to take his family, wife & his children there. And his brother’s family are there also and they expect to go back with him if the Indians are not at work. How is it now? Are they doing mischief?

Coming home [from Wysox] we overtook Mr. & Mrs. Pettigrove who had been down below Towanda to visit their daughter Augusta [3] who lives near Monroeton [Pennsylvania] and came up in company with them. When we went down, we crossed the [Susquehanna] river on the ice at the ferry but it was not very safe doing it. When we came back, we rode up through the narrows on the other side of the river to Owego. The ice in the river where we had crossed going down was badly broken & water running, although frozen over in some places.

I have had to get John’s boots half-soled & patched, costing $1.25. Mr. Thomas inquired for you. I have had a letter from sister Hannum. There has been quite a revival on the Clinton Circuit. I hardly know whether to direct this to Lincoln or Topeka. I hope you will have a good time at Conference. Give my love to Mother Winans & all who inquire. I will send my next to Topeka. I almost wish I was there at Conference.

I left home on Monday & drove down to Circleville but did not find Bro. Knipe there. He had moved out on his farm. I drove out to his farm the next day and staid with him two days. It was so severely cold. When I started I fully expected to go by way of Manhattan but there is [something wrong with my buggy]. The buggy hauled so hard that already Fanny’s breast is sore and I have about concluded to abandon the idea of going up there and shall start for Topeka soon as I can travel comfortably. By allowing the brethren pretty liberality for boarding me, I shall be able to report about $425 as paid in during the year & hope to have $150 left after paying my debts at Conference to come on with.

They all seemed to want to have us come back [on the Seneca Circuit] and I think it will be for the best as they will be ready to make allowance for our absence. And I should hate to have another family move in right where our things are. Besides, I think if the folk’s raise anything for themselves, they will be willing to divide with us and probably pay us better another year. At any rate, although there are some unpleasant things as on all circuits, I would as soon return as we go to any other appointments. I have in my pocket a sealed letter to Bro. Taylor. I do not know precisely what is inside but I expect that it is a petition for our return. Bro. Knipe expects to return to Circleville next year and I would as soon go back to Seneca as to go to Holton, so that I think our destiny is pretty sure. I hope we may not only have a pleasant but very profitable year with large accessions. The people at Holton have done nothing as yet with regard to the Seminary and it is thought that it will fall through with them and come to Circleville after all.

Brother Knipe has a few acres of land near the College at Manhattan and I make a trade with him if the location suits. We think of going to look at it after I come back east. I think I would have a permanent home in Manhattan as soon as any place I know of in the world.

I was in hopes of getting a letter [from you] before starting [to Conference], but did not. I hope to get one from you when I get to Topeka. Has Willie recovered entirely from his rheumatism? Have you finished your visiting and now already to return [to Kansas]? Better have yours & the children’s photographs taken -- yours & Sissy on one & Johnny & Willie on another holding each other by the hand. How is Mother Goodrich now-a-days? And Sister Seddie? Hope they are well.

I thought I had escaped the draft as I was not drafted in Nemaha [County]. But Bro. Knipe thinks I will be obliged to try my luck in Shawnee [County] from a former enlistment. Dr. Hidden was drafted & Capt. Sheely, Mr. Kline and Batson Dennis, & Benjamin Clark that you know in Nemaha [County]. Bro. Walden is the only Methodist preacher I have heard for certain [to get drafted]. I do not know my fate as yet for certain, I escaped in Nemaha, [but] shall find out soon as I get to Topeka. Please write soon.

I am at home this evening. I wrote you at Bro. Knipe’s but have had no opportunity to put it in the [post] office yet. I came to the ferry yesterday but could not cross because the river was frozen. It broke up today and I reached here about 2 o’clock. It seems so good to get back in our old home [near Topeka] again. The peach trees appear as if they would do something this year and the stock are all looking very well. The people are working at the railroad along on the bluff by Calhoun and land is coming up very much in price. Selah Jordan sold her land across the river to Mr. Quiatt for fifteen hundred. Hiram Wood has moved on Sister Naylor’s place and Bro. Stith has rented Mr. Jordan’s place. Mr. Rice has cleared about $3,000 this year on his farm and everybody as a general thing has been doing pretty well. Everything looks very natural about. [Our dog] Dan seemed tickled half to death to see me. He swam the river and came back [to our old home] last time I was down and tried to take him home [to Lincoln] with me. People are generally well. Mr. Quiatt’s people will probably lose one of those twin girls with scrofula.

How are you all tonight? Oh how I should like to be with you, but time is rolling on. My love & a kiss for all. Yours among the rest. Good night. I hope to find a letter in the [post] office from you.

[1] Adolphus D. Wells (1831-1903) and his family were from LaSalle County, Illinois. He traveled with John Roots and family when they emigrated to Nemaha County, Kansas Territory in 1856. According to Cutler's History of the State of Kansas, Adolphus originally took a claim on Hickey Creek, but later "removed to Lincoln, then a contestant with Seneca for county-seat honors" where he took "an interested part in the contest." At the time of this letter in 1865, Adolphus was married to Lucinda Dennis. She would, presumably die before 1867 when Adolphus married his second wife, Catherine (Schurmann) Loveless. The child "not expected to live" must have been a child of the first marriage. Adolphus' obituary in the Seneca Courier Democrat of May 1, 1903 alludes to his chronic poor health, "...His health had never been very good, and in early manhood he was threatened with consumption, but his removal to Kansas seemed to check or cure the disease, and until the last year he has been able to carry on his business of farming...[in Nemaha County]. Research source -- descendant Kimberly Coe Baker of Topeka, Kansas.

[2] Perhaps Augusta meant scarlatinoid which means “resembling scarlet fever or its rash.”

[3] Augusta Pettigrove married George W. White on October 4, 1853.