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James S. Griffing & J. Augusta Goodrich, September 1855 |
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Rev. George H. Blakeslee, from History of the Wyoming Conference |
Among the 1855 marriage record entries by Rev. George H. Blakeslee appears the following:
"Sep. 13, Rev. J. S. Griffins of Lawrenceville Kansas Territory to Miss J. Augusta Goodrich of Owego, N.Y. $3.00" (source: Tioga County Web Page New York GENWEB)
When Augusta arose from bed on the morning of her wedding day, she was presented with the following poem from her younger sister Sarah, with whom she was very close. The poem -- "The Brides's Sister" -- was written by Timothy Shay Arthur, a popular 19th century American author. Sarah had modified it slightly to suit the occasion. It read:
Oh
sister, darling, though I smile the tears are in my heart,
And I will strive to keep them there, or hide them if they start;
I know you've seen our mother's glance oftimes so full of woe,
The grief-sob rises to the lips that bid her first-born go.
It
is not that she doubts his love to whom thou'st given thine,
The fear that he may coldly look upon his clasping vine;
But, oh, she feels however loved and cherished as his wife,
Though calm her lily may float down upon the stream of life.
Yet
by her own glad married years she knows that clouds will stray,
And tears will sometimes fill thy cup, tho' kiss'd by love away;
And she will not be near her flower to lay it on her breast,
'Tis thus, 'tis thus the young birds fly and leave the lonely nest.
Oh
sister, darling, I shall miss thy footfall on the stairs,
Beside my own, when good night words have followed good night prayer;
And miss thee from our pleasant room & miss thee when I sleep,
And feel no more thy twining arms and soft breath on my cheek.
And
I shall gaze with tearful eyes upon thy vacant chair,
Sweet sister, wherefore, wherefore go, 'tis more than I can bear!
Forgive me Cutie, do not weep -- I am strong again & calm,
"Our Father" for my aching heart, will send a spirit balm.
Now
let me bind these snowy drops amid thy silken hair,
The white moss-rose and orange buds upon they bosom fair;
How beautiful you are this hour! Does love such charms impart?
An angel's wing methinks has stirred the waters of thy heart.
So
holy seem its outlets blue where sparkle yet the tears,
Like stars that tremble in the sky when not a cloud appears;
Art ready now? The morning warms, the guests will soon be here,
And the glad bridegroom waits his own, God bless thou sister
dear.
Sarah
[Goodrich]
Oakdale, September 13th 1855
On the same day, one thousand miles away, Rev. William H. Goode sat down to write James a letter:
Wyandotte, Kansas Territory
September 13, 1855
Rev.
J. S. Griffing
Dear
Brother. Yours of the 5th Inst. has just reached me. By common consent, and with
the approbation of the Bishop, it is now understood that the Missouri Conference
will be held at Ebenezer Church, St. Louis. It is so announced in a more recent
[issue] of the Central.
The
time, you will remember, is October 11th. Providence
favoring, we shall hope to see you there. All in common health. The Lord be with
you.
From this letter, it is apparent that James
intending to take a short wedding tour, solicit funds for the churches in Topeka
and Lawrence, then return to St. Louis in time to attend the Missouri
Conference. By the time he returned from his wedding tour, however, terrible
news had arrived from Kansas Territory that caused him to change his plans. Two
weeks after James left Topeka and only three days before his marriage to
Augusta, James' brother Henry died leaving a wife and three children to fend for
themselves on the Kansas frontier. Henry was not yet forty-six years old. The cause
of his death is not recorded but the swiftness of the disease would suggest
cholera.
What
must the anguish of losing her eldest child -- her second child to die within
the year -- have been to poor old Lydia Griffing? Feeling responsible for
inducing his brother Henry to immigrate to Kansas Territory, James was
undoubtedly mortified. He determined to pass up the Conference and stay on with
his mother for a while longer.
Prior
to her marriage, Augusta had been teaching in the public schools of Tioga
County. On the eve of her departure for Kansas Territory, Washington Gladden --
then thirty years old and serving as Secretary of the Tioga County Teachers'
Association -- delivered Augusta the following warm letter of appreciation. It
was a letter that she would treasure the rest of her life.
Owego [New York]
October 2, 1855
Mrs.
Griffing:
The
very pleasant duty of transmitting to you the following resolution is given me
by a vote of the "Tioga Co. Teachers' Association" by which it was
passed. Permit me at the same time express my sincere wishes for your future
happiness.
At
a meeting of the Tioga County Teachers' Association, held on Saturday, Sep 29th
at Owego Academy, the following resolution was unanimously adopted; --
Resolved
-- That we extend to her our warmest thanks for her counsel and assistance in
past time, and our most sincere wishes for her prosperity and happiness in [the]
future, and hope that in her wanderings she may never forget her former and
constant friends, or the cause of education in the Empire State, and her
destined Western home.
On
motion of Prof. Burt, the Secy. of this Association was instructed to transmit a
copy of this resolution to the former Miss Goodrich with a record of the action
taken upon it.
Letter written by Solomon W. Gladden to Augusta
S.
Washington Gladden
Before returning to Kansas Territory, James decided to pay a visit to his brother-in-law, the Rev. Charles W. Giddings, whom he expected to find in Hawley, Pennsylvania. Not finding him there, he traveled on to Wilkes Barre where he learned that his 18 year-old nephew, Giles Giddings, had just died.
Pittston
[Pennsylvania]
September 25, 1855
Augusta Dear,
There has been both the sunny and shady side of my trip thus far. I have just arrived in this village after a ride of six hours from Hawley [Pennsylvania]. I would have been glad of your company whilst riding over this very wild and picturesque portion of Pennsylvania, although you would not have fancied the style of conveyance as I was obliged to travel in coal cars propelled entirely by stationary steam power. The plan is to draw them up a very high inclined plane and then let them run themselves away in the distance down a gradual grade by letting a small boy accompany about 20 cars, applying the brake if they should run with too great speed. It seemed truly dangerous to go shaking along over the very deep ravines and under over hanging rocks far up on the steep hillsides with houses under your feet far in the distance below. One false step and 20 cars would be dashed to pieces much quicker than I am writing about it.
I was surprised to see bushels of blackberries all along the way. I supposed they were long since gone. The boys had picked them wherever the cars would stop. I, however, found some by going farther out, but in my great hurry to eat all I could, I had forgotten that my hands had become all black with coal dust and I did not trust but what all was right until I began to think by seeing some smile at me that probably my face very much resembled some of your subjects after going through with a course of meserisun.
I did not find Brother Giddings at Hawley as I supposed. He had gone where his family were at Kingston [Pennsylvania] and last Thursday, just two weeks from our happy bridal day, he was obliged to consign to his last resting place his oldest son Giles. He was just approaching manhood having seen 18 summers. He experienced religion not long since and was making quite good progress in his studies at Kingston. He was taken with the dysentery and within one short week was taken away. I need not say his parents dearly loved him. He was an only son. For 18 years [he] had shared their councils, sympathies, and prayers. And just as he was beginning to reciprocate favors, he was taken away. If earnest parental affection could have retained him, he would not have died. But he has gone I hope to that home where they may soon join him.
Wednesday morning [September 26, 1855], Wilkes-Barre [Pennsylvania]
Spent the night with my old friend, Brother [Rev. H.] Brownscombe. He preaches this year at Wilkes-Barre. He was stationed at Tunkhannock [Pennsylvania] whilst I was teaching there [in 1850] and a more faithful friend I would not wish. I have had a very pleasant visit with himself and companion. They would have been glad to form your acquaintance. By the way, I have met with several who have inquired after yourself – some sending their compliments, some their love.
Last Sabbath [September 23, 1855] I spent at Campville [New York]. I attended the funeral of Lucius Steele who committed suicide. He was quite wealthy and well known. He married a Dean sister to Asa Truman’s wife. A great many were there from Owego. [The Baptist] Elder [William H.] King preached. From 600 to a thousand were present. Oh how thankful ought we to be for the use of reason. He had been gloomy for a long time [and] had become impressed that he with his family would come to want. The morning of his death, he arose earlier than usual, went along the street toward the barn, passed a neighbor on the way who saw nothing wrong. His wife arose, prepared the breakfast, sat down to the table, but he who was accustomed to fill the husband’s place came not. It immediately came to her mind that all was not right. She sprang from the table, ran to the sheds, looked all about, ran up the lane into the lot, [but] found him not. She came back, opened the barn doors, and oh! what a most horrid sight. The companion of her choice, weltering in his own blood. She stood appalled for moments. She could not stir. But after awhile she rushed to the house screaming and piercing other hearts with the sad news and a deeply stricken family could only strive to alleviate their sorrows by weeping. Ah how much have we to be thankful for.
I saw numbers of old acquaintance there who wished to be remembered to you – some sent their love. But it’s too precious to send by letter so I will bring it with me when I come. There is a good deal in the little monosyllable. It is good to love. For this, we were created. To know that we love the Savior and to know that He loves us in return – it brightens life so much. To love dear friends and to be loved by them again throws increased delight into every lot of life.
Half past ten. At Brother Giddings. Find them all well but sad. One is not there. One full of life, but now gone, leaving satisfactory evidence to comfort his father’s family that he had gone home. Blessed one far away from toil and sorrow, rest sweetly till thy loved parents come to greet thee.
I shall probably come home [to Owego] about the time fixed without something might prevent that I know not of at present. My love to all. Your own [husband] -- James
Presumably James and Augusta left Owego near the end of October, 1855. The records of the Presbyterian Church in Owego show that "Augusta G. Griffin" joined the church on 3 February 1854 and that she was dismissed as a member on 21 October 1855.
griffing@fnal.gov
