[1] During this time, Goodrich received the following letter from his mother:

April 21, 1865   Owego [New York]  

My dear Ralph. Stephen brought us your letter yesterday, just two weeks coming. I wish you would write us more cheerfully and that you was well and in good business. We are about as usual. I have not been well all winter. Augusta has had to take my place in the family and now she and her family are gone [back to Kansas]. [Her husband] James came for them the 28 of March and they left the 12 of April. We have not heard from them since. We expected to hear before this as they expected to stop a few days at Summersville in Illinois and would write from there. It was very hard to let her go back, and now I try to help Sarah do the work as she is not able to do all that is to be done. We have had a very expansive family this winter and a good deal of company. I hope you will get the papers I send you. I have sent 3 lately. The last one I sent Fred Parmenter’s death was in it. He was preaching at Elizabethtown, New Jersey. He had been writing his sermon and had got it nearly written for the next Sunday and Friday he went to the cars and went to jump on when they were in motion. His foot slipped [and] he went down and was crushed & mangled all to pieces. They could not have known him. He was brought here and buried on Monday.

I sent one paper telling about the flood here. The water was higher here than it was ever known before. The water was up to within one foot of our floor. Our cellar was full. It was over the top of our well. The water was on our woodshed floor. We had our pigs on that floor. Our sheep that had lambs were on the barn floor and Stephen had to put our cattle on the barn floor and tie them up. The horses he had to swim them to dry land and put them up on the hill in Mr. Bristol’s barn. It took off all our fences and it will cost over a hundred dollars to get fencing and put up my fences. Avery Horton died very sudden over 3 weeks ago. He has not been well all winter but has been up and around the most of the time. He went to the Village Saturday and died Sunday evening. They used to call him “Dock.”  

We have not heard from [your brother]  James Goodrich since December. He wrote then that he was going to Junction City [Kansas]. James Griffing had not heard from him. He said there was two letters in the post office for him at Topeka – one had money in. I want Augusta to make enquiries about him when she gets to Topeka and if they have had good luck, they are there now. James [Goodrich] wrote that Stephen could have his land and pay him when he was a mind to. He wrote he thought he should put his money into cattle this summer and he might want some of it. Your Aunt Lucy and cousin Lucy are well. Lucy is teaching but is getting tired of it. Your aunt has 6 or 7 boarders. George Stratton boards there.  

What terrible times we are having. The President shot and the Seward’s stabbed. The stores were all shut up here Wednesday and meetings in nearly all the churches. The whole Village was draped in mourning; the churches were all trimmed in black [and] the flags half masted. But you will hear all about it before you get this. If it does not rain, Stephen & I shall go over and see about getting some cloth for your clothes today or tomorrow. We shall have to hire the coat made. Cloth is not as high as it has been, but clothes are high enough. James Griffing got a suit when he was here. He paid our a little over 33 dollars for it. It will be nearly 3 weeks before we can get them ready to send & you must see to your permit. It will be over 5 weeks before you will get them. I hope you will get them safe. What is the reason you don’t get any pay, if you are clerking? I should think you could get pay if you sell goods.  

Do Ralph write more cheerful to us if you can. Stephen says he will give you your cloth and board you if you will come home. Write often. Do not wait so long. We shall write when we send the box. From your affectionate, -- Mother

[P.S.] I send you Augusta's photograph. She looks old and has seen hard times for [a] woman.

Augusta Goodrich Griffing
Carte-de-visit taken in Owego, New York in late 1864 or early 1865