Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice Diaries & Letters of Tri-Counties Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA 1889- Rockwell Letter

Rockwell Letter East Troy, Bradford County PA Year: 1889 Transcribed by Shelley Cardiel Tri-County Genealogy & History Sites Home Page How to Use This Site Warning & Disclaimer Troy Page More Diaries & Letters No Unauthorized Commercial Use Say Hello to Joyce

Joyce's Search Tip - December 2010 Do You Know that you can search just the 355 pages of our Diaries and Letters on this site  by using the Diaries button in the Partitioned search engine at the bottom of the Current What's New Page? But diaries and letters are wonderful sources to understand the culture of time and place. Read them and enjoy them slowly.

I've "rescued" an old family letter written by Frankie ROCKWELL of West Burlington, Pennsylvania to her brother Mr. Lewis AUSTIN of Williamston,
Michigan in 1889.  In the letter she mentions her husband Gamage ROCKWELL and his uncle Azor ROCKWELL.  The letter is as follows:

Letter to:
Mr. Lewis AUSTIN
Williamston, Ingham Co., Michigan

Mailed from: East Troy, PA on July 15, 1889

Dated:
July 1889 at West Burlington

Dear Brother Lewis:

I thought I would try and write you a few lines it is now after five and I will hurry we have 3 boarders Gamages Father and Uncle Azor own 165 acres joining this place and they have got a peice of wheat on it and are cutting it Uncle Azor and his 2 men board here and Father and his go down home Gamage is helping them to day he has got in some hay has a peice of Barley and a small peice of rye about ready to cut we have got a nice piece of spring wheat one piece of our corn look very nice and the other piece the water drown out we have terrible floods her this spring several towns and one city completely destroyed by water.  Well Lewis I suppose you are working out this summer I hope you like it and have a good place how much do you get a month is Alice with her Father is she married yet I am going to write to her but I thought I would write to you first as I have owed you a letter longest It dont seem possible it has been so long but I hope you will
forgive me and I will do better after this I have had so much to do I have got short dresses on the baby.  Do you see Mother lately has she got a good place and does she keep pretty well I would like to see her Gamage says if he had the money he would come out there this fall when Alice gets married then we will have to come I presume her Father would not want us there I would like to have you and Alice come and make us a visit this fall.  I have a girl the same one that was here when Mother went away I have put up 5 qts raspberries this after noon well I must close for this time.  What did you think of Helens picture I sent you by Mother I ment to sent you more was will send something some other time I will send you one of our cards.  Write soon with love from us all I will close Your Loving Sister Frankie

Calling card for Mr. & Mrs. G. ROCKWELL enclosed

Based on limited research I believe that the letter is written by Frankie Helen MEADE, daughter of Frankie MEADE and Helen CALKINS b. 25 Nov 1867 at
West Burlington, PA, who married Gamage ROCKWELL in Burlington, PA, and d. 30 Jun 1941 at Elmira, NY.  Frankie & Gamage ROCKWELL had at least one child, Mildred Bertha ROCKWELL b. 8 Sept 1893 at West Burlington, PA. Mildred died 14 Apr 1969 at Canton, PA and was buried in Elmira, NY.

Gamage ROCKWELL was b. 13 Sept 1863 in West Burlington, PA and d. 8 Apr 1922 in Elmira, NY.  Gamage was the son of Orlando Willard ROCKWELL and Mary Eliza GAMAGE.  During the 1880 census Orlando (age 50) & Mary (age 43) ROCKWELL are listed in West Burlington, PA with four sons, Delos (age 21), Gamage (age 17), Willard (age 9), and Irvine (age 7).  All listed as having been born in PA, with Orlando's parents born in Vermont and New York
respectively.

Also listed in the 1880 census at Troy, PA is Azor ROCKWELL (age 45) along with his wife Eliza (age 46), a daughter Jennie (age 17), and son Azor R.
(age 5).  Again, all born in PA with Azor's parents born in Vermont and New York and Eliza's parents both born in MA.  I'm hoping to find someone from
this family so that this wonderful old piece of family history can be returned to the family.

If you are a member of this family or know someone who might be, please contact me.

Thanks,
Shelley

Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA

Published On Tri-Counties Site On 27 MAR 2004 By Joyce M. Tice Email: JoyceTice@aol.com You are the  visitor since the counter was installed on 27 MAR 2004