The first letter that appears here was written from Augusta Griffing to her
brother Ralph Goodrich. A couple of months later, Rev. James S. Griffing received the
second letter
from David Springer, a member and one of the class leaders of the church he had
started in Indianapolis.
Topeka
[Kansas
Territory]
February 7, 1858
Dear brother Ralph,
You must not think
because we no not write oftener to you that we do not want to hear directly from
you for such is not the case. The fact is we neither of us write as much as we
ought to absent friends. James is busy all the time either doing the necessary
work about home & the farm, or preparing for his appointments. And then he
is gone usually three days in the week so that he has but little time for other
matters. As for myself, I write but little to anyone except home. My baby &
household cares occupy my time fully & when I do write, I think our people
at home are the ones I ought to write to, as they usually send us a letter every
week. But I intend to write often to you & you must write whenever you can
if we are negligent.
James has gone to
Brownsville
where he preaches three times at places 4 or 5 miles apart. [He preaches] at
one place Friday evening and [at] Brownsville Sabbath morning, & at a
private house Sunday evening, & returns home about two o’clock on Monday.
Two weeks ago last Thursday, we went to Brownsville
with our ox team & visited among the people twelve days and had a very
pleasant visit. It was a slow way to travel but it is our only way now and the
people wanted we should come & visit them. We were very glad to get home
again & find everything safe.
We have had a pleasant
winter thus far – no snow but a few scattering flakes & but few very cold
days. It has been more like October & November weather. They write from home
that it is more mild there than usual but those who have lived here a number of
years say this is a common winter for Kansas. I hope it is for I like it much better than such severe cold weather although
the strong winds we have lessen the comfort of it.
We have some apples this
winter which I assure you we enjoy. Your nephew, master John Silas [Griffing],
is a fine fleshy & hearty boy going on six months old – full of laugh
& frolic. [He is] a great source of enjoyment for his father & mother,
& company for me when alone. I hope you can all see him next fall. We would
all enjoy a visit there.
Whilst we were [away] in
Brownsville, two men knocked down and shot a man by the name of [Joseph] Kerr for some
slight cause right here in Tecumseh, only two miles from us. The men were taken
& tried & sentenced to be hung if Kerr dies. They intended killing him
& the doctors thought he could not possibly live. But the last we heard, he
was alive. It was thought he might possibly live. Kerr is a free state
man & peaceable. Adams – the principal one who did the deed – is
proslavery & boasts of having shot six others. His neighbors say he is not
fit to live & want him hung. Liquor is kept & sold freely in Tecumseh
& several fracases have taken place there. But now I hope it will be broken
up. About two hundred went down from Topeka
after Kerr was shot & they & the Tecumsehites who oppose liquor selling & gambling broke and burnt all the
[liquor the] shop contained
where the shooting was done. A great many men have been ruined here just by
stooping so low as to drink & then gamble as a natural consequence. I hope
none of my brothers will ever degrade themselves to drinking. We have not heard
from James Goodrich yet. I hope he has kept well. If so, he may enjoy it, as it
has been a comfortable winter for them.
How is it with you Ralph?
Are you enjoying your health? Ma wrote when you were home during vacation that
you were not, and I fear you are doing too much. James thinks the best thing you
could do now would be to stay at home one term & recruit. That you could
pursue your studies as well & be examined with your class & graduate
just the same and then try to get well. Besides, it would save some board bill,
&c. while at the present hard times would be quite a saving.
But what we look at most is your health that is
giving way & unless you regain it, education will be of no advantage. You
will not live long unless you do, for instead of being better you have been
losing ever since we saw you last. Now Ralph, look at yourself & think, is
it best to continue there week after week & kill yourself or be at home
trying to regain what you have lost? If at home, you could study & work some
out-of-doors, which could be good for you. I wrote to you last summer while you
were at home during vacation & wrote about you staying home part of the
time, but as nothing was said about it, thought you did not get it & have
not written & nothing has been said about that. But I write this now
knowing it is your duty to take care of your health before it is too
late. Do you have a cough? I hope you are not going to lose your health entirely
but fear you will unless you are better soon. How do things pass off at college?
Do you hear from home often? Write often as you can to us & ever believe we
think of & love you. Ever your affectionate sister, --
Augusta
Indianapolis
[Indiana]
April 7, 1858
Dear Brother
Griffitts:
Was glad to
hear from you and that you still remember us. I would have answered you sooner
but circumstances have prevented. I have been absent in the country…
My dear
companion is still on the shore of time looking for that better clime [but is]
very week and feeble. I think she will leave us before long. _______ is yet with
us but her stay may be short. _______ _______ had been sick and _________ with
lung and typhoid fever is mending slowly. The rest of my family are all well.
Father [John
W.] Dorsey got displeased with our preacher F. A. Harding [1]
last summer and left
us. [For a time,] he went to Roberts Chapel. Then last June he moved to Nebraska
where his sons George and Charles were and where his son William had gone a few
months before, having left here after sun down few if any knowing of his going.
They were all well a few weeks ago…
North Street
Chapel [2] is in a vicarious state – has not prospered this Conference year yet. There is
a few who are trying to prove faithful, [but] some out and indoor influences
have been against us. We hope for better times. Father [John] Wilkins is here yet, as
usual, in his place. Expressed his confidence in you. Your Old Hostess [Mrs.
Kinder] continues her boarding house. Two more of her daughters have left. Nan
[Kinder is married] to Igo & Rachel [O. Kinder is married in June 1857] to
[William T.] Clark. As to the hard times [brought on by the Panic of
1857], it has wrought wonders – banks breaking and failures of many persons,
business stopping, and labourers thrown out of employment.[3]
One year ago,
[our Presiding Elder] Brother [John H.] Hull was sent to Fort Wayne [Indiana].
Since that I heard that he had superannuated. For the last two years he has been
in the land trade – buying & selling western lands. We had him to my house
several times, always on business. Your acknowledgement spoken of as received by
Brother Good[e], I gave to Brother Goodwin…
As to the land
[you purchased in Madison County, Indiana], I saw Brother [Danibul] Taff. He says the
lands in that part of the country are worth from 5 to 25 dollars [per acre].
Think it would not sell readily. Thinks it may have been sold for taxes. Has saw
Mr. [John W.] Forrest [4] who says that you gave him no money to pay taxes with. If he,
Forrest,
had the money placed in his hands he would attend to it. Taff says that Forrest
is responsible & trustworthy and his address is Forrestville, Madison
County. I have written to him and have de laid writing to you expecting an
answer but none has yet come. Should I receive any particulars, I will send
them. Our respects to you. Stop and see us in your visit -- David Springer
[1] This is,
presumably, the same Rev. F. A. Harding who was expelled by the Baltimore
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church for refusing to free the slaves of
whom his marriage had made him the legal owner in the early 1840's. The debate
over the policy of slaveholding by ministers of the Methodist Episcopal church
actually led to its split between northern and southern factions in 1844.
[2] North Street Chapel became
the 7th Methodist Episcopal Church. The church is known today as the Central
Avenue United Methodist Church, located at the corner of 12th and Central
Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana.
[3] A boom
in the American economy ended in the Panic of 1857. When grain prices fell,
demand for railroad services and manufactures fell off. The upper Mississippi
Valley was hardest hit, but the Panic lasted only about three years and it
hardly affected the South at all.
[4] James S. Griffing
purchased property from John W. Forrest of Boone Township, Madison County,
Indiana. According to his grave marker in the Forrestville Cemetery, John W.
Forrest was born in 1810 and died in 1887. His wife, Luna E. Forrest, was born
in 1817 and died in 1872. Forrestville is no longer in existence but was located
near present-day Elwood -- about 45 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
