|
|
|
Notes from Joyce M. Tice - Amanda Soper (SRGP 03766), daughter of Melinda Rose and Roger Soper, married Peter Hulslander in 1834. They spent all their married lives in Sullivan Township, Tioga County PA. They were the parent of ten children, and the following letters were written to them.
Tuesday evening March 2nd
Dear daughter Emma
Charlie was going to Mainsburgh tomorrow morning so I thought I would
write a few lines to you we are all well as usual Lottie is
here to night she says she sent your dress yesterday by the stage. I
hope you will get it. he said that he would leave it at Winfields.
we sugared off yesterday, had 40 lbs. wish you had some of the molasses.
you must not be disappointed if I dont come over to the entertainment. I
think it doubtful I suppose you will want some more provisions
before next week is gone if so, write & let us know what you want & we
will try & bring it to you. write & let us know whether you want your
things brought home at the end of this term I am afraid if you undertake
to continue on you will study too hard & hurt herself & then your education
would not do you much good. it seems to me better to rest awhile I
hope you will do what is for the best.
Your Mother
A.H.
Sullivan May 1st
Sunday evening
Dear daughter Emma,
It is now two weeks since we have heard from you, but I trust you are
well
at least I hope so. we are all well Father has gone over to Mr
Shepards in Wells so I am alone this evening. Tom Monroe, Gertie Styres &
Mary Cole is up to Charlie's singing this evening Gertie commences school
here tomorrow. I should like to come over there & bring some things but
they have so much to do with the horses at present we will try to come
over after a while we cant come with (illegible) now, how do you
like your sack I suppose Tuesday Winfield will know who is Superintendent
I get along with the work very well have made soap & taken up the kitchen
carpet I am going to whitewash soon have filled four tubs of butter
Father is doctoring Mr Benedict again they think he is gaining slowly for
the better
Write & tell us when you want to come home hoping you will keep
well & come out all night. I will close. ever loving Mother
A Hulslander
(Transciber Note: sack may refer to an 'opera sack' or jacket? as ref in Edwin's Diary 1865)
Sullivan Tioga Co. Dec. 17.th 1882
Dear Children Arthur & Emma
We received your kind & welcome letter last Friday evening. I am
sorry you have that pain in your shoulder but hope it is better by this time.
we are well as usual. I have not had that pain in my head any more yet.
George & Nettie has been here ever since they came from Elkland. to day
they have gone down to Elijah Clara had a written invitation to go to Elmyra &
sing in the first Presbyterian Church to day, from (Prof. Cramer).
accordingly George took her to Troy yesterday to take the cars. he said he
would give her six dollars & her expenses there expect she will come back
tomorrow at Austinville they have been expecting to go to Saratoga Co. to
have a sing between the holidays but I don't know whether they are going or not.
I heard George read a letter from Boston stating they wanted him to be sure & be
there by the first of January, he had a place for him. you said
nothing in your letter whether you was coming home Christmas or not. well
if you can come we would like to see you but if not conveniently, make yourself
contented while you are doing well, remember the time will soon pass that
you will have to be confined in school I would like ever so much to come
to see you this winter. may be if it comes good sleighing we will but you
know how hard it is to get Father to go, we went to Edwin's Thanksgiving
had quite a good time, Daniel & Mary George & Lottie Father &
myself were all that was there I had a letter from Lin she and Levie
expected to come but got hindered by going to Babb's Creek & didn't get back in
time George & Lottie say they are going to see you before long. hope they
will. we have a school here the teacher's name is Mr. Ferguson from A___
been to school at Canton. so you see he is acquainted with all our
relatives in Canton Charlie is drawing away his buckwheat & barley
gets 80 cts. a bushel. he has 5 hundred bushels to draw George is helping
him I must close hoping to hear from you soon
your ever loving Mother A. Hulslander
(Transcriber note: The following written across top of page, with page reversed upside down.)
Father says if your shoulder don't get any better you had better come home Christmas & he will try to give you something to help you. I have tied a comfortable last week. Nett helped me so we got it off in one day, & yesterday I picked ten ducks & Nett picked two Charlie takes them to Troy tomorrow, Mother
I sold my turkeys got twelve dollars & a half
(Transcribr note: Emma and Arthur married 23 August 1882 at her mother's)
Sullivan Jan. 9th 1883
Dear Children
Sunday morning we received 2 letters one from you & one from Linnie
I thought then I would answer them that evening but before night I was taken
sick, so I could not write till this evening
I am feeling better now. we have all been sick with the same disease.
Charlie whole family except Tommie Father was taken about a week ago
he is better now & went over to Roswell Crippens to day the first he has
been out did not come back to night so I am alone the disease is,
well, Dr Bradford calls it Winter Cholera we are taken with chills, no
appetite & looseness & vomiting. I vomited & I never saw such green
looking stuff before. but shortly after I began to feel better.
nothing very serious as yet however. but it seems strange so many afflicted with
it nearby the same time. Tom, Monroes & Styres's & several the rest of the
neighbors Father thinks it is on account of the low water Satie
Styres Smith has a little girl born the 28 Dec. they sent for me but I had
gone over to Lotties that day & staid all night so I got out of that job
Mrs. Edgeton has not been expected to live for about 3 weeks, so George & Lott
cant get away while she is in that situation they say they are going to
see you this winter I hope they will I would like to come to see you
but I dont expect to get Father started you must excuse this letter as this is
all the paper I have Mother
Sullivan Oct. 26th 1884.
Dear Children
We have been looking for a letter the past week but have received
none. we were very much disappointed in your not coming to the Golden
wedding I am anxious to hear what was the reason you did not come.
hope you are not sick we had a very pleasant time they all seemed to
enjoy it, about forty here we invited about sixty some were sick &
some had other important business to attend to. nearly all brought
presents, four pairs of gold spectacles a nice hanging lamp, a nice table
spread, a nice album, gold pen holder & pen, breast pin nice set of china
dishes 12 to the set, & fourteen dollars in gold. if you & Arthur &
George & Nettie had been here I should felt satisfied. Levie & Linnie are
out here yet Homer Riply & wife, Jess Runsy & wife George & Lott
Levie & Linnie, all went to Ed & Ellens to day
Ellen told me she thought Edwin & her would go out to your house next
week or the week after. they were going to take a load of honey or else I
would try to go with them. I packed some butter for you & will send it by
Ellen if I can, about (18 pounds). Father is very anxious to hear
from you to know what was the matter you did not come. now if you have not
written a letter, please write as soon as you get this I will close hoping
to hear from you soon
very affectionately your
Mother
A Hulslander
Sullivan Nov. 16th 1884
Dear Children
we received your letters in due time Was very glad to hear from
you & that you was well. I think you took the wisest course in staying at
home under the circumstances I was very glad that Edwin & Ellen went out
to your house. I suppose they told you about things at home more than I
can write, Aunt Sally has been here a week to day I like to have her
here she helps me quite a little. she is good company is going
from here to Elijah's
I have my spinning nearly done going to weave my cloth soon.
I will fix you some stocking yarn if you want it. write & tell me how much
you want I gave Aunt Sally enough for a pair of stockings. Josie has
gone to Mansfield took her trunk says she is not coming back
cant stay with such bad father, it makes Robert feel real bad. she
took your waist & wore it to Troy staid two weeks without asking for it
she sweat it out under the arms so it looks bad. now says she dont want it
I am sorry I ever had any thing to do with her
I will try & get Robert to pay for it if I can. she is a hasty
quick tempered, unreasonable creature, I dont know whether George & Lottie
are to your house Thanksgiving or not, I would like to come but I dont
think I can get Father started to go -
I will close hoping to hear from you soon
your affectionate Mother
A. Hulslander
tell Arthur I think he wrote a real good letter hope he will write again
Sullivan Dec. 7th 1884
Dear Children
It is Sunday evening, all usually well, we received your letter
last wednesday glad to hear you are getting along so nicely. I have
been spinning & weaving since the Gol. wedding, have got twenty yds, about
two more days work to finish it. we have a new stove called the Davis
Range, with water tank - I like it very well, easy to cook by. we had a
letter from Nettie lst week she said she was feeling quite well now.
she is talking of coming down here if she can get some scholars to take music
lessons, Elijah is going to see about it for her so I heard, Levie &
Lin sold quite a number of organs around Austinville & other places & they want
someone to give them lessons. three weeks ago tomorrow I was called down
to Lon Smiths about 2, in the afternoon, soon after arriving there Satie
was presented with a fine boy staid till night, Lon brought me home,
Mrs Styres gave me 4 nice heads of cabbage & Lon gave me $1, cash, & Satie got
along nicely & so I thought I was well paid for my services.
Levie & Lin talk of coming out here about Christmas hope they
will be here when you are here we shall expect you to come home about
Christmas & then we will talk about coming to see you. Lottie & (I) have
been talking of going to see you together - George thinks he has so much to see
to he cant come this winter, I have traded one pair of those spectacles
that Findly Furman gave us for a nice castor price 6. dollars -
Robert has moved away got a house at Sylvania Charlie is
doing his chores alone yet, Brace Horton came home to night they
have set the saw mill over back of the hill & are going to saw lumber Now
if we can get word when you will be at Mansfield, Father can come after you.
your loving Mother A.H.
Sullivan Feb. 20th 1885
Friday evening. Mrs Parshall & myself are alone this evening Father having gone over to George's to see a sick horse Lottie's Bigetty, Otis came over after Father. I hope it will get well. Mrs Parshall has been here a week, she staid to Lott's two weeks. She says she will never go back to the Poor house again. She says Lawyer Allen is going to get her farm back for her. we are having very cold weather thermometer stands at 16. deg. below zero part of the time it is nice sleighing here now & I should like to come out to see you while it lasts - but you know we could not come comfortable when it is such very cold weather Lott & I talks of coming on the cars, she said that Ettie Rose wanted to go with us, but I cant tell when we will go if we conclude to go that way I will write & tell you I have not been to see Winfield & Hannie yet I wanted to go tomorrow but I cant now because Father will not be here - I would write to George if I knew where his address was. I had a letter from Nettie she said her health was quite good this winter
it is nine o'clock so I will close hoping to hear from you soon - we received your letter yesterday
your loving Mother
A Hulslander
Charlie expects to go to Troy tomorow so I can send this
I saw in the Agitator a few lines about the grade school at Knoxville
it spoke very highly for the school
Mother
tell Arthur he must not run that paper any more
Sullivan Apr. 19th 1885
Dear daughter Emma
I suppose you are quite disappointed in not seeing us down there, but
not any more so than myself. I certainly expected we should come to see
you before this but I must say it is not my fault, Father said to day that
soon as the roads got a little better he should go down to Uncle Jeke's - & I
told him I should go with him & take the cars & go up to see you, & he said he
should go too, so you may look for us when we come, we cant go this
week for Linnie sent word by letter that she wanted to come out home & help me
weave a carpet for herself. I expect her tomorrow or next day - so perhaps
about week from next Friday we may go - I have not seen Lottie in over
three weeks, they are very busy in the sugarbush now, we have made about
70 or 80 lbs. of sugar I have not even been to see Winfield this year, or
to Lotts & Ellens but once since last fall, tell Arthur Father received a
letter from him & he said he would do what he could
write soon
your loving Mother
Amanda Hulslander
I will write again if I find we are going to see you
Sullivan Apr. 30th 1885
Thursday morning
Dear Children, we are doomed to disappointments, Linnie did not come last week but I got another letter from her saying she would be here to day or tomorrow, but I would not let that hinder me from going if Father would go the horse that we drive is sick & Father says it wont be able to drive out there this week so will have to put it off till next or next after if my health is spared I shall come soon as I can Dorcas Monro is very sick is not expected to live has the pneumonia - Lottie said she would go with me to see you if I went on the cars I saw her last Friday so keep up good courage
your Mother
A Hulslander
Sullivan July 7th 1885
Dear Children
we received your letter yesterday, was very glad to hear from
you I write you to inform you of the sad accident that happened last
Friday. as Father & Charlie was driving from Chandlersburg across the
bridge between Ruel Richards & Tom Monros the bridge broke down & the waggon
tipt & threw Father & Charlie out some ten or fifteen feet Father striking
on a stump & dislocated his shoulder & bruising him other wise Charlie was
thrown across a log striking on his side. Tom Monro brought them home
Dr. Main was called Father was in great distress until the Dr. got his
shoulder set then he was more comfortable he can walk about & carries his
arm in a sling but Charlie was hurt worse he has been in great
distress in his side & bowels but he is some easier now the Dr. thinks if
inflammation dont set in he will get along I ought to have written before
but you see I have had a good deal to do.
Nett George is here came here a week last Friday.
George came with her as far as Syracuse he is teaching at Amsterdam yet.
talks of coming down here after awhile George & Lottie is here this
afternoon so I thought I would write this & send it by them. Nett wants to
ome to your house some time this summer & also to Lins, Gertie Styres has
a piano & Nett is going down there to practice on it & give Gertie some lessons
Now dont feel too bad over the news, & write as soon as you get this & come to
see us when you can
Mother
A. Hulslander
|
||||
|
