Dear Mama, Haven't but a minutes time before train time but will send just a word we are dreadfully busy. But all quite well. Tell Auntie I wish she and the cousins could come and see us in our new home. Tell them they had better run down with the car on a Sunday before they leave for the west and I am sure we will have a lovely time. They could all be here together on a Sunday you know. We rec'd your card this morn. But was somewhat surprised at the news, my! Who was the lucky girl we think she sure was a prize winner when she gets Horace! Dorothea is making a burnt sugar cake. Delmar has seven baby rabbits to care for. Papa is delivering milk and I am at most every thing. Have some baby chicks and 32 hens and incubator (about 300 eggs) setting. Well dear! I haven't any more time, give Love to all. Dorothea was out to Chets 3 days. I haven't seen them for a few days suppose they are busy in field. Will be at train to meet you. Lovingly, Bertha R |
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More letters from the past... |
In their own words. |
more letters to come...... |
copyright 2001 Sharyl Groth-Ferrall |
The following letter was written by Bertha (Pearson) Reincke to her mother Julia (Hunt) Pearson. It was postmarked April 1920. |
In the latter part of December, in the year 1863, we had a snow storm similar to Sunday's storm, but which caused more suffering. All of the trains in Illinois were snowbound. There was no fuel and no food for several days and nights. I was ready at that time to come to Iowa with my brother, [DeWitt Clinton Hunt] who had served two years in the Civil War. But we waited over a month, until February 9, until the snow had disappeared into lakes and rivers. At that time I was a girl of 14. Today I am nearly 90. We started from northern new York before daylight on Monday morning and went to Cape Vincent on the St. Lawrence river. There we embarked in a sleigh and crossed over to Kingston, a distance of seven miles. We arrived there just before noon, then took a bus to the hotel where we had our dinner. In the afternoon we boarded a train, riding until the next morning when we got off the train to take a stage coach to visit a lady my brother intended to marry. The next Monday morning we started for Chicago. In the afternoon we left for Madison, Wis., and stayed there two nights. From Madison we journeyed to Prairie du Chien, crossed the Mississippi river on an ice boat to McGregor where we stayed overnight. The next morning we took a covered wagon and stage coach, drawn by four horses. They pulled us to Giard. After the horses had been fed, we continued our trip to Hardin, arriving February 19. It took us 10 days to make the journey. At Hardin they changed horses and went on to Decorah which was the only town within 25 miles. There was no Monona or Luana then, but Hardin was a thriving village in Allamakee county. Here I have lived for 75 years. |
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Julia (Hunt) Pearson wrote this letter to the Postville paper following a blizzard there in Jan. 1940..... |
Hardin Clayton Co. Iowa Oct 6th 1864 S.S. Sanford, M.D. I am an unfortunate tobacco chewer. I have tried to quit several times but I was in perfect misery all the time. I have seen at different times several advertisements of a cure, the other day a friend of mine handed me the following one, Sandford's Health Restoring Lozenges. Bring the Stomache back to its healthy State from derangement carried by long & excessive use and remove forever all desire for Tobacco. Buy them as Hundreds. Have and be benefited. Sent by mail on receipt of 25 cents for small package, or 50 cents for Large Package Post Paid. Dr. S.S. Sanford Box 24 or 26 P.O. Dock Street Philadelphia, Pa Enclosed please find 50 cents. Send me large package and I will try them. Do you think one package enough to cure one person? if they do remove all desire for Tobaco I think you will have many applications for them from this vicinity. I know of several that have tried to quit the use of it this summer. Please forward as soon as you recieve this and Oblige Yours Respectfully De Witt C. Hunt Hardin, Clayton Co. ,Iowa |
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I have transcribed this letter from the original. The envelope was postmarked on the front: Hardin Ioa Oct 7, and also: Phila. Post Office Oct. 15, 1864. On the back is stamped: Not called for, no such person at address. There is another postmark on the back: Dead Phila Postoffice Nov. 19 |
I wonder if DeWitt got his 50 cents back!!!! |
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Central Office of United States Prize Concert Wiggins Bradford & Co. Props. No 81 Madison St. Chicago May 17th, 1866 Sir, You having failed to comply with our rules in regard to reports and remittances being made Weekly , We would respectfully request that you comply with this standard regulation at your earliest possible convenience as we wish to know how many tickets are unsold; and would further advise your that after a reasonable time has elapsed that we shall be compelled to publish the name and address of all delinquent "agents" giving the no's held by them (not reported) as void, thus doing justice to the public and relieving ourselves from the censure occasioned by their neglect. By giving this your earliest attention you will oblige. Yours respectfully, Wiggins Bradford & Co. |
I have also transcribed this letter from the original. The envelope is postmarked Chicago May 22. and addressed to Dewit C. Hunt, Hardin, Iowa. |