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John Silas Griffing
Topeka, Kansas My Dear Mother, I found everything all right at home when I got here Friday evening. The baby has grown some and Lizzie is getting along nicely. She is up today for the first time. It is the tenth day and she is feeling real well. She wore the slippers that Belle [Pound Failyer] sent and thinks they are ever so nice. She was pleased with the gooseberries and jelly – the jelly being something she had been wanting. Lizzie told me that she had concluded if you didn’t send a name for the baby by me, to call him James Burgoyne [Griffing], with “Jay” for short. I suppose Aunt Carrie [Winans] is with you. I am so glad she came to say with you. I went over to see Uncle Henry [Winans] & tell him when she would come home, but I had to walk home for I was just 10 minutes too late to get to ride out with [our neighbor] Mr. Harrop & could not find anybody else. I was in such a hurry that morning in town that I didn’t have time to get those flowers to bring down to Lizzie. Did you get yours? I tried to settle everything & I guess I did. I sent the receipts by Mary. I added them up in a hurry and if I made a mistake I shish you would let me know. Has Mr. [Isaac] Goodnow been over with the note yet? He thought it best, I guess, after a sober 2nd thought to charge a little interest so he charges us eight percent. I guess we had better sell some land down here enough to square up everything & have a little to go on and keep the rest of the land for the price to go up, which it must before long. How are they getting along wit the well? Monday. I came up town today to see the County Commissioners and I thought I would send you this scrawl. I am very busy as I am assessing but I have plenty of time for I have gone over considerable ground already. Was at Mrs. Naylor’s this morning. She sends her sympathies and wants to come up. I guess Lizzie and Mida will come up after while. I wish you could see the baby. He is, of course, such a cute one. Write often. Love to all. Ever
your loving son,
Topeka, Kansas My Dear Mother, We received your letter last Friday. We were real glad Aunt Carrie [Winans] could be with you and wish she could have staid longer. I was over to see her yesterday afternoon. She said Mrs. Curtis was thinking of coming up to visit you. I saw Silas Slusser of the [Kansas] Methodist [newspaper] yesterday and he wanted me to collect some statistics of Pa’s early ministerial labors in the state – a sort of biography for him to publish. I told him I would do what I could. Aunt Carrie told me you had some papers which you had intended to send Judge Adams that would probably be of great help. Can you get Will to make a copy of them and send to me? I am almost afraid to send for the original for fear it might be lost. And if there are any letters or papers or anything you can remember, could you let me have them as soon as you can? Lizzie and the baby are doing finely. The baby is growing and Lizzie is getting stronger all the time. She went up with me today to take up Uncle Will B[urgoyne]. He came out to see us today – also Lewie. How are they getting along with the well? I think just as you do about that business. Ma, I think we had better as soon as we can pay for the well and the lot so as not to be indebted to anybody. Have you done anything about the administrator business yet? If we can see some land, Lizzie & I want to put up a small house in [Manhattan] or near there – maybe near where George [Failyer] and [his wife] Belle are think of building. You asked if Pa seemed to realize that he was among strangers and away from home. No, he did not. I watched him closely too when we came to the asylum and went in and he did not seem to notice anything unusual & didn’t seem to miss you or anybody. And it was only when I was in sight that he noticed me. I thought at first I would tell you and then I thought you might think from that he was worse, and so did not say anything about it. At any rate, Ma, we all know he is now in a better world that this and although it seems hard to part with those we love so much, yet we all must die. And let us all try to live so that we may all meet (as Pa used to pray) an unbroken family in heaven. It has always seemed to me before this that I would hardly care much to go to heaven because so few of my best friends were there, but now Pa is there, there is more attraction and I want to meet him sometime “over yonder.” There he will be in his right mind. Monday morning. I have to come through Tecumseh & so I will put the letter in. Lizzie started a letter to you & did not finish it but I will put it in. Your affectionate son, [Enclosed letter] [Topeka, Kansas] Dear Mother, I began a letter but did not get time to finish so I will try again. I was real glad you opened my letter when I found John would not get it. I was afraid you would not. When you asked when I expected to be sick, I did not answer as Ma & I thought you might worry and I am glad now I did not for you would not have sent for John & we knew he could do more good there than here. I am so glad it was so he could be with you. Mrs. [Carrie] Winans was here a week ago last Monday and I suppose she told you all about my sickness. I had been abed about an hour. The pains began low down and were not hard at first but in the course of an hour they came very fast & real hard. [Our neighbor] Mrs. Stevenson was afraid the doctor would not get here in time but he was here about an hour before [the] baby was born. We think the baby is a healthy child. He has been troubled some with colic but has rested at night better than at first. Last night & today he has been real good. His hair is getting lighter. I put on a pair of his little socks today & they fit nicely & keep his feet warm. Tell [his] Aunt Mate I know he feels very thankful for them. I have been putting longer sleeves in his flannel shirts as the others just covered his elbows. We have had so much company until the last few days. All the near neighbors have been in & some twice. Mr. & Mrs. Stevenson were here Sunday. If it wasn’t for baby, I should hardly know anything had happened. I am feeling so well. John is off everyday about his assessing. [Unfinished letter written by Lizzie Burgoyne Griffing]
Topeka [Kansas] My Dear Mother, It is getting dark so I couldn’t see the lines in this paper very well & I see now after I got started that I commenced at the wrong end. But they say a poor beginning is a sign of a good ending. We were very glad you had better believe to see Lizzie and the baby. I think the trip did them both good. Lizzie said she enjoyed herself very much and had a splendid time. I am so glad she went. I am sure you must have enjoyed seeing her and the baby. George Burgoyne was out here today. He came down on purpose from Manhattan to look at the lands. You remember the strip on the south of Mr. Harrop’s? There is a square piece and as I figure it, there are 14.92 acres without the 40 foot strip for lane. George Burgoyne don’t want to trust the banks any more and wants to invest here or at Kansas City in real estate. He made an offer of $1000 cash for the piece, whatever it contained, and I think there are about 15 acres (it is 20 chains long and 7 46/100 chains wide). What do you think? He wants to know right away as soon as I can hear from you and if you don’t want to sell it for that, what will you take? There is a crop of corn on it now and of course if you sold the land, the crop would go to. I wish I could see you and have a talk. I don’t want to be hasty in selling for that price if you are not in need of money for I think it ought to fetch more. I would like to see Mr. Curtis and some others and see what they say. Mr. [Isaac T.] Goodnow told me if we could get $50 per acre for land that it would be best to sell it. There was a farm sold in the next section to ours on the bottom with a splendid crop of wheat and good improvements for $60 per acre. If we sold in lots, we would probably get more but it would be more bother & trouble & expense, of course, than selling the whole at once. Now what do you say? Ma, he is in a hurry to know and I told him I would write you right away & if you want to you might go and see him & have a talk about it. And what about that lane? If we sold the piece, would we or could we sell the lane with the right-of-way that Mr. Harrop has? Mr. Rice is working to get a road opened through there of course for his benefit. I don’t know whether he will make it or not. Do you want the public road on that side of the farm too? What do you say to asking $1200 for that piece? The place would then be in a square. Lizzie seems to be more contented with the place since she came back and does not feel so badly about not going up there as I thought she would. But I know you are disappointed. Perhaps it’s all for the best. It was a responsible position & something might have happened. You know best. Maybe we will come up there yet sometime. We must bide our time. If we stay here this winter, we will have to build another room as this house is too cold for the baby. We thought we might build an addition a story & a half on the south. Well, it is time now to go to bed. Please answer as soon as you can. Your affectionate son, P.S. I sent away 3 [Kansas] Methodist [newspapers] that had Pa’s address on it – one to Uncle Ralph [Goodrich], one to Uncle Sammy [Griffing] & [one to] Cousin Lydia [Giddings Holmes]. I wish you had not got that shirt for me, Ma. I am sure you need the money more than I need the shirt. Monday. I have been thinking today [that] maybe it will be to our interest to have the road opened on the west side. [Enclosed letter] Topeka, Kansas Dear Mother, We sent you a postal Thursday to let you know that we reached here safely. I opened the trunk with a knife & found everything all right. The flowers were fresh & very pretty. We cooked the chicken and it was very nice. The folks thought you ought not to have sent so many things. Ma was pleased with the pie plant – also the flowers – and wants me to tell you she is ever so much obliged for the things. I got two samples of flannel at Stevenson, Emery & Taft's and think a yard square would be plenty large enough as it is wider than the common width. The folks expected me on the first train Thursday & were so disappointed that I did not come. John thought I had got left. They waited for the next one, however, & were glad as glad to see me as if I had been gone a month. John had been very busy while I was gone. He has the barbed wire fence across the front & on the east side, and is getting along with his work very well. He took up some potatoes Saturday & got $2.25 per bushel. The man wants more this week. Ours are quite large & John thinks he will dig about 5 bushels more. Monday eve. The key of the trunk came tonight. Thanks. John has finished digging potatoes & has five bushels ready to take up in the morning & is to get $2.00 per bushel. He says he hardly misses them as they were planted rather thick. We picked a mess of peas this evening. There is no danger of the pie plant spoiling. It is nearly gone already. [Our son] Freddie is well and good and fat. The folks think he has grown. We went to look at the cow yesterday. She is in a pasture 2 or 3 miles from here & is looking very nice indeed. Love
to all. Your affectionate daughter, |
