| Madison County Letters© - 2Feb1840 Copyright 2000 Fredi Perry In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data and images may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or for other presentation without express permission by the contributor(s) Ridge Prairie, Feb. 2, 1840 Dear Cousin, Your favor of Jan. 18th was duly received and I should have answered it before if it had not been so very cold. I am very glad to hear that you are still in the land of the living. We had almost concluded that you had left this world from your long silence. Gov. Finley said that you had gone to fever river. (?) I am glad that Sall Two-legs has got through with the troubles of this world. I have not heard any thing about Ann H. and the slip shod Philosopher. Mr. Whealtey was here not long, since he is doing pretty well I believe. Brother Ben has been here since the Doctor left here. He appears as well as ever and if you will come and spend the summer with us you may have him if you want. Mother thinks that he took a shine to you. As for your cosin (sic) Alfred that you speak of hard hearted wretch has forsaken us without just cause or provocation. He told Pharsalia the other day that he had almost forgotten me. Harriet Buckley returned home soon after you left here. Her Mother and Brother came after her. Pharsalia say tell you that she and Orson (?) are married. She told me the other day that she did not lover Orson or Sam. Rather she seemed very candid about it. I do not think she will ever have O. and M (?) Gillit is going to take Sam so you see that her cake is like to be dough. The Doctor left here a few weeks ago in great displeasure. He says he asks no favors of any body but Mr. Churchill. I believe that he is teaching in town. I shall say no more about him because I cannot find words to express his meanness. Now I have answered all the queries in your short letter but I am not through yet. ??? Scott is in jail for shooting the Esq Scott. The ball entered his leg a little above the ancle. He intended to have killed him. Mr. Scotts youngest daughters name is Mariann Minerva. It is a wonderful child. Mr. Weiston (?) also have a wonderful child. They don't know nothing. What it is going to be. They never raised such a child before. Jesse Mc is married and Eveline Clark has a daughter, Jenny Botkin is married to some body on the bottom. Sally Good and Cyrus Davison are married, and I don't know who all. Mr. Nelson Danniels wife died not long since and left two children. We have had many merry sleigh rides. Orson and Sam have each a string of sleigh bells. New Years day four or five sleighs of us went down to St. Clair Co and got dinner. Christmas eve we all went from a quilting at Mr. Peters (?) to Edwardsville and took supper and went into the ballroom a few minutes. Orson was going to take the most comfort of any that night but Horace asked Pharsalia to ride in his sleigh and Orson was so made he swore he would not go so he went to Troy and got a black eye. So much for him. Maryanne Gillit had a quilting last Thursday and at night we had a merry ride. The slete is so hard that horses that are not sharp shod cannot stand up. I always ride in the best sleigh and go ahead. Ran some races and turnover and break down some times. The late slete has tore out shade tree very bad. The willow tree is nearly ruined. Everybody except me have gone to meeting at Mr. Guthries today. They say that Nancy Peter (?) is going to run away with Mr. Roudefelt before long. Mr. R. is a Yankee and Mrs. Teter says always did hate the Yankees and she believes in her soul that every one of her children will marry Tankees. Don't you pity her. We expect uncle George home next week. I have had several letters from him. He boards at his cousin Charles Boardman Francis. We have a Boston gentleman living here this winter. He is going to Boston as soon as uncle G. gets home. He did expect to bring his wife here to board and crop it next summer but he has heard of his fathers death and his Mother wants him to come and live with her and I am glad. Aint you. Mr. Kraft has sold to Dr. Green and left Troy and Seet (?) Hunter has gone or is about to (small bit of page torn here). The Troyans have had two bulls of late and Perham Bull brought me a ticket he .. one to Mrs. Blair, Mrs. McClannehanand(?) andMrs.Gillet. Mrs. G. went foot and alone and danced allnight. Now I have told you all the foolishness that I can think of and if you can read it in a fortnight and do your chores you will do well. Please to write when you get through with it and tell me where you are and what you are doing. All about matters and things. Did you come to Edwardsville when Hannah S. was married? Who came with you? Was it G. Conlee or the brickyard fellow. Why did you not come to our house. Please to excuse all mistakes for my pen is very poor. My fingers very cold, and my family very impatient for their dinner. All well as common love to all. Yours truly Hannah A. Weeks Miss Caroline E. Churchill Browns Prairie Ills. Self envelope to Miss Caroline E. Churchill Brighton, Macoupin Co, Illinois Postmark looks like Jerseyville???? |