Topeka, Kansas
Sunday evening, April 9, 1882
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,
John [Griffing]
Topeka, Kansas
April 16, 1882
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,
John [Griffing]
[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]
June 11, 1882
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,
John [Griffing]
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,
[Lizzie
Burgoyne Griffing]
