Old Letters

Eddie Lomax

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May 10, 2008
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This diary entry posted by Tinpan made me decide to post a copy of a letter I have.

Maybe someone else has a letter to add.


1852,March 30 - At night My Wife was confine in Jane.She never had a better time.Child born all right in a little time.Sister Mary Thomas present.We had a splendid tent on our dray of close tick.All our bedding was in fact as comfortable as a bedroom.The Following night Maria in her sleep being covered very close put out her arms, turned back the clothes and got cold about the arms,brest and neck. She awoke about 3 o'clock and said she was cold.I gave something hot at once.She improved but never gote right as before.She had an attack of the dysentery.She was now 10 miles from Busenbank,6 miles from the Pirenees and 2r miles from Mount Alexander.We stopped for a week at Daisy Hill.

1852,April 13 - We pitched our tents on Bullock Creek about 8 miles from Long Gully.We pitched to work in Long Gully ,John Thomas,William Henry full share ,James 2/3 share.Brother Joseph and self we had 2 good gold holes in Long Gully.

1852, April - [long note] We pitched to work at Long Gully.We had 2 good holes sunk and worked out by Brother Joseph and myself. James Thomas carted the the wash dust to Bullock Creek to wash 8 miles.No water on the diggens. We washed 63 oz of gold from the 2 holes. John Thomas was laid up some time. Not able to work. John and William Henry did not get any gold.When we settled or divided Brother Joseph would not count for John Thomas to have his share as he had not done any work. John Thomas was very much put out by this.Joseph declared he did not come to the diggens To get gold for John Thomas and family and he had done more than the 2 of us and had little for it.Paid John Thomas 3 oz of gold for the use of his dray to go from Burra to Diggens.

1852,May 11 - We moved our tents to the Head of Mionses Flat and Creek.It came on fearful hard rains. Maria gote whet. She soon gote worse.Palpitations of the hearte came on.

Monday ,18 May - I fetched Doctor Smitch, a German for the Burra. He attended her for inflammation of the lungs.Paid him for 5 visits 10 pounds stirling.No better the 29 May and fetched Doctor Oakley He attended her till June 29th paid 7 visits for 7 pounds stirling,medison 3 pounds stirling.

1852,May 29 - Little Grace died at 9 o.clock at night of direah.Jane died at 12 o'clock same night from the want of breast nursing. We took boards from the Burra which we used to make coffins. I made nice cofins for the children. My wife requested me to make a coffin for her also.It was a severe trail to me but i managed to make it. Bound it with white cloth and it appeared very nice. John Thomas dug the graves.Nicholas Trehair read the buried service.

1852, June, 29 - i gote Doctor Moile ,a nephew of our family doctor of Penzance to see her. Dr Moile declared her case incurable he said she had water in the chamber of the heart and common dropsy.There was no hope of whatever of her recovering.Paid him 1 pound stirling.

1852, 5 july - Maria wanted to see Dr, Smitch.She was in a bad state and could live or die no sleep.Being Sunday morning i hunted him up.Gote to our tent in the afternoon.I went with him for medison. I got back at 8 o'clock at night commenced giving to Maria. It had a fearful effect on her. She became delirious with deathlike appearance in her face.We stopped giving her the medison.She became conscious the next day.She said she soon be gone.She gave up everything for that moment. Praying to the Lord she died at 3 o'clock that day 7th of July. Doctoring in medical comforts cost a little over 30 pounds stirling. She lived 3 months and 7 days after her confinement. So ends the history of a good ,carefull,affectionate wife. Myself with Mary and Martha was left to mourn her loss.

End of 1852- We had pretty good holes at Pegleg Gully,Joseph went home in the Spring. I continued
working with John Thomas and the boys until returned.He and myself joined and worked at Pegleg Gully.



January 1853- We purchased Nagars and Trathews hole ,White Hills for 6 ozs of gold.Joseph Paul Raoch and Henry Pollard.One afternoon we had come up and were standing the bank of our shaft we saw a man comming down the Bendigo Roade .I said to Joseph that looks like brother William.We cooed and he came right up the hill to us. Proved to be him.He was overjoyed and we were glad to see him.Willaim joined with John Thomas and the boys . They went to Heathcote. We worked out our ground pretty well and went down to Heathcote We did not make much there. William gote very little with John Thomas. He returned to Bendigo with us. Joseph Paul Raoch and Henry Pollard left for home. William pitched with me.We worked in White Hills untill November. We gote a good bit of gold.
I built a stone wall around the graves of my wife and two children and cut their names in a Large tree at the head of the graves.The walle is all right but the tree is cut down and Mr Roas have the land, care is taken of the stop.
tinpan




This civil war letter written July 4, 1863 by Wilson Napolean King (born 8-23-1844) while he was home on furlough near the Poole’s Mill community of Lexington County, South Carolina. He wrote this letter to his sister Elizabeth Eller King Kirkpatrick (born 4-27-1847) .

July the 4, 1863
Dear sister I now a vaile myself of writing to you to in form you that I am well at the present time and all of the connections is well as far as I no and I hope these few lines will find you enjoying a life pleasing I have nothing of any importance to write to you
Dear sister I did read your letters that you sent to sister Idellah and was glad to hear from you once more in this world. Dear sister I am home on furlow now at the present time my time will be out on the 11th of July and I will have to go back then to my company dear sister we are camped at James Island at Secessionville where the fighting was Dear sister it was sickly down there. Dear sister I will tell you a bout cousin Alvy Jefcoat he is dead he took sick down there and was sent home. He died he came up with me never living long after he got home and George Livingston is dead to they both died with typhoid fever Dear sister I saw your aunt Catherine Jackson she was well when I saw her last and that was just before I came home Dear sister I would like to see you very much indeed God knows when this war will stop I wished it would stop for I am getting tired of it indeed I don’t how long it will last yet Dear sister I expect father will have to go off as well as the young men Father is working at Jacob Witt and has been for some time Alice and so is sister Idellah and off the friends Dear sister I will tell you something about the death Uncle Jacob Watters and Aunt Elizabeth I did not no whether you knowed anything it or no they are dead They are been dead will be a year Uncle Jabeze is well as far as I know anything about him Dear sister Grandmothers people all sends there love and respects to you Idellah is staying Thuria Witt Dear sister would like to see you very bad indeed but gracious knows whether I ever will or not any more in this world Dear sister I believe I have give you all the news I can give you dear sister never have wrote to you I ought to be ashamed of myself you must write to me if you can direct your letters to Williamson Mills- and then they can send them down to me that will be the way to do Alvy was in the company that I was in and George Livingston Sister Idellah did get the last letter wrote to her she has never answered it she taking to you Dear sister I must come to a close. You must write soon to me as quick as you get this letter so nothing more at present only I remain you loving brother untill death Wilson King.


 

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BosnMate

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Thanks for sharing, this kind of stuff is great.
 

Beans

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Great post, I have an old letter dated Jan 1877 will try to post here. I say try since it is a little difficult to make out all the words.
 

NicktheMainer

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I was metal detecting my teacher's house and she showed me these letters she found when she was working on her ceiling they fell through the cracks onto the floor. They're from the 1800's! Very cool.
 

Papa Bear

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You have to love the way people wrote back then. So much detail. Thanks for sharing...
 

Beans

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Beans said:
Great post, I have an old letter dated Jan 1877 will try to post here. I say try since it is a little difficult to make out all the words.

Here is the old letter, some of the words are misspelled since I could not tell what they were.

June 11th, 1877
Dear Cousin George

I have sold our part of the stable to Mr. Garth for four hundered dollars one hundred. The first of August one the first October one the first of November all drawing twelve per cent interest from date and one hundred in trades it is the best sale I can make of it as property has gone down so and the city authorities have ordered it repaired and I am not willing to go to so much escpence when it is not making any thing soon. Mr. Garth is reponsible for his debts I went to have the deeds made but my power of attorney which you gave me was not sufficient so I will send you one which is all right for you to sign and return as soon as you can write immediately and let me know if is meets with your affrobation. Prospects for crops are splindid so the lateness of planting corn in Silk and tassel cotton knee high. My family are all well.
I have not seen Wash Jones since court in Madison he did not stay in Bryan them hours went to Austin to court there I will find out what he has done with the Chilclets and let you know. I have suied for a thousand acres of land coming to the Collard hiers and have buisnes in his hands and if he does not as has not attended to it I intend to employ the sombie. I have waited on him long enough. Longs trial did not come off the McWelliams had thier case brought to Bryan. Give my love to the Children Write immediately, yours as ever.
 

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