Webmaster: griffing@fnal.gov

He is not sorry he went to Kansas

Late in 1865, Augusta received a letter from her mother describing the visit made by Augusta's brother, James Goodrich, to his hometown of Owego, New York. It was the first visit that he had returned home since leaving for Kansas Territory in the spring of 1855. The second letter was written from Augusta to James while he traveled to Topeka to conduct business at the old homestead. The third letter, received by Augusta from her mother, was written on Christmas Eve and confirms James Goodrich's safe return to Kansas.

Owego [New York]
September 24, 1865

Dear Augusta and all,

Your letter mailed at Topeka came safely last week and how did you get back to your home? We hope well, but I should think it would be very tiresome and wearing to you. [Your brother] James got here Tuesday morning before we were up. He heard me pound for [your brother] Stephen to get up and when Steve went to the well for water, he came up. I was in the pantry skimming milk. I heard someone talking and looking round I saw James. I knew him [immediately but] Stephen said he did not hardly know whether it was him or not. He asked Steve if he wanted to hire anyone. We are all glad to see him. He has not changed much. He says he is thinner than he has been. He has been so exposed to the weather – to the cold and heat and sleeping [outdoors] – [that] I should think he would look older than he does. He has had a hard life for the last 10 or 11 years, but says he is not sorry that he went to Kansas. How hard it was sometimes when he was in the army. He says the artillery hurt him, but I think he hears as well as he did before he went away and his exposures out on the plains. But he likes it. He says he is going back. He cannot stay this winter. It is so lonesome here. He was offered 70 dollars a month to stay at Leavenworth and just cook meat. But he says he would not live there without spending a good deal. He wants to keep his money till he gets enough and then do something else for a living. I do hope he will have his health and prosper. It is such a hard life not to have any home, nor anyone to do anything for him but what he hires done, and to do his own washing, but he has got used to it now and it is not so hard for him. He staid at Chicago over Sunday and at St. Joseph part of a day, and a day at Leavenworth [as well]. It cost between 50 and 60 dollars to come [here].

We are out of paper. [Your sister] Sarah had these two half sheets and I have taken them. Your Aunt Mary [1] and Leland have just rode past. Fred Goodrich [2] has got home. He has been down to Oil City boreing for oil with an engine. It is so sickly [there] he came home. They have the spotted fever there and a great many are dying with it. Sammy Whyte has been there all summer. His wife has been sick with typhoid fever. John Whyte went down about 4 weeks ago and now is very sick. Mrs. Whyte and George have gone down to see him.

Aunt Lucy [Fiddis] and [her daughter] Anna came over Thursday. Anna brought her babe. He has grown a good deal and looks now as if they could wean him. He is white and has black eyes and is getting to be a pretty babe. [3]  James took them home in the democrat [wagon]. Charles Tennent is very sick again with congestion of the lungs. Sarah and James rode down to [your sister] Mary’s Thursday morning but came home to dinner, and James went Friday morning and brought Mary up here. [Mary's husband] Gurd [Horton] is very busy with his hirrer. He has got his wheat sowed.

Our fair commences Wednesday. I do not know whether we shall go or not. If Stephen enters [his horse] Jenny and his colt, we shall go. He has a good piece of corn and he thinks of having it measured and taking some. He has his waggon box full of apples ready to make cider tomorrow for the fair. One man has bought 6 barrels of them. He and Nic Cortright make together. Nic has as many apples as Steve does. Steve does the turning and Nic sells the cider. He gets 4 dollars a barrel for this; good apples are worth 1 dollar a bushel now. The apples around the house are all falling off and we are drying some. If James [Goodrich] goes back and I can, I shall send you some dried and not dried. And if we do, where must they be left? At St. Joseph or Leavenworth? Please write as soon as you can and tell us what you want we should send you. James says if he gets any clothes, he will have to buy a trunk and I can put some things in it for you and when he gets to where you want them left, he can get a box and put them in. Milo has gone to Sunday school and will stay to meeting. Mr. Westlake preaches at the schoolhouse this afternoon.  [Your mother, -- Mary Ann Goodrich]

[Lincoln, Kansas]
Wednesday Evening, November 16, 1865

My dear husband [James],

[Our daughter] Mary is about the same as when you left. Her mouth is very sore. Mother Clark says it is cankered sore mouth & worms also. She is very fretful & wants “Mama rock Mary” nearly all the time. Sometimes she plays awhile but her mouth feels so bad she cannot take any comfort. She gets hungry & wants to eat but cannot – only bread & milk very soft & sometimes the inside of soft bread. She is quite restless nights. I do not know how long it will last. I have been swabbing it with strong sage & alum and today put in burnt alum. Sister Connell sent word to try dry sulphur and I shall try that next.

Hattie staid with me last night & has come tonight although I was not expecting her, but she is company for me. Sister Connell is not well at all, but Hattie does all the work before she comes & then goes home early.

The boys are doing very well. John learns his lessons & helps me a great deal, but has not chopped much wood yet. I thought we were going to have a stormy day today, but it has been a comfortable day. We wondered if you reached Bro. Hannum’s last night & how you found all. Mr. Nash called here this morning. [He] wanted to borrow Spurgeon’s sermons, but they were lent. Mrs. Loveless came yesterday before I had finished washing to have you do some writing for her. She did not like to wait & so I wrote a letter for her to the Capt. of the Company her husband belonged to.

Nothing new has transpired about here that I know of. If you can while there, I wish you would take up those pie plant roots & divide them. Sister Connell has been dividing hers making several of one. She says they do much better & it ought to be done in the fall. I wish you had time to put out more raspberries also. Please give love to Sister Hannum & all inquirers. Remember & bring up 4 of the old cans that have peaches in.

I will write a few words in the morning if [our daughter] Mary is better. The prairies are all on fire over by Mr. Guffy’s & Charles’ & Ford's, but the wind is in the south.

Thursday morn. I think Mary is better this morning. She is not so fretful but her mouth seems about the same. I think she will not get any worse probably – at least I hope not. Yours ever, -- J. Augusta

Owego [New York]
December 24, 1865

Dear Augusta and all,

You will see by the date that it is the day before Christmas and old Santa Claus will be out this night, if it does not snow all day and be too deep for him. Now it is snowing and blowing and is a tedious day to be out. [Your brother] Stephen & Nick [Cortright] have been into the woods cutting and skiddin logs 2 or 3 days last week. We have butchered and got our work all out of the way except the sausage.

We were highly favored last week. We had 4 letters, two from yourself and one from [your brother] James and one from [your brother] Ralph. We heard from James before we got his letter. When he got to St. Jo[seph], he saw Bill and Mack Catlin. Bill was on his way home, and James told him if he saw any of us to say he had got so far all right. The Catlins have bought over 300 acres of land 15 miles from St. Jo[seph] in Missouri – all prairie for $6.25 an acre. Mack has staid and perhaps Bill will go sometime. James’ provisions lasted him to St. Jo[seph]. The boat got aground and he walked from Weston [Missouri] to Leavenworth – about 8 miles and carried his baggage. He says he was some tired. His satchel was crowded full and the box was heavy and he was drest so warm. He had on 2 pairs of pants and a thick coat and overcoat. He was at Nancy [Orcutt Green's] when he wrote. Says he is almost homesick [and] shall go to Junction City [Kansas] as soon as the weather moderates. He did not say anything about going to see you [but] says he shall get to doing something soon. The box went all safe.

Will Santa Claus go to your house this winter? [Your sons] John and Willie remember the tree [we had here last Christmas], I suppose. I hope Willie can run around now. Has he had anything of the rheumatism since then. Uncle Ransom’s first neighbors are going to have a Christmas tree for their children Monday evening. And we hear of a great many trees. We have invited [your sister] Mary & [her husband] Gurd [Horton] and [their daughter] Fanny, and Aunt Lucy and Lucy June to come over [for Christmas dinner]. We intend to have a couple of chickens roasted and a keg of oysters, pies & cakes, and &c. tomorrow.

[Your sister] Sarah went over to the [Owego] village with Uncle Ben yesterday to see and get some Christmas [gifts], and brought 2 letters – one from you [and] the other from [your brother] Ralph. How did the donation come off? I would not go into your place to live. It will be harder for you and James too. He had better have someone live on his place, I think. I do not think James Goodrich would like to work on a farm very well. We was glad to hear that he had got back safely.

David Stratton has gone to Connecticut for his wife, and Jack Goodrich has gone with him…

I got a photograph album for [your brother] Stephen. It cost $4.00 and will hold 50 pictures. He is well pleased with it. I put my photograph in it and Lucy [Fiddis] gave him some of hers. I will send you a Christmas present – a likeness. I wonder if you will know who? [Your sister] Sarah got a pair of skates for Steve and Steve got a book for Sarah. [The book is] Mabel Vaughn. [4] Sarah got me a nice black cap and Steve got me a teapot like the spitunes ____ ware & a black standard for it to stand on. I got Milo a pocket handkerchief and Sarah got him a wallet. Fanny had a china doll, a dog that would open his mouth, and a book – The Babes in the Woods. [5] Give [your daughter] Mary a kiss for grandma. [Your mother – Mary Ann Goodrich]