Sidney November 1 1872

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Dear son long absent but not forgotten

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I received a letter from you last spring, was very glad to hear from you after a long cold winter. I had been feeling very anxious to hear from you for I have given up all expectation of ever seeing you in this world. I should be glad to hear from you often. The girls complain you don’t answer their letters and they get discouraged and don’t write to you as often as they would if you would write to them occasionally. I often feel afraid you will drop all correspondence when I am gone but I hope you will always remember you have friends that are glad to hear and would be very glad to see you. Elvira was here last fall, made us a good long visit but she thought it best to go back and I thought so too. I expect she finds a good home with Adeline. I should be very glad if she and Tempe and I had a home where we could live together but it is not so. Tempe is here and we are living in the old red house yet. Lucius talks of building next summer but he has talked about it so long I don’t know when he will get about to it. Lucius’ health is poor and he has a sickly wife. He is getting tired of farming, it makes so much hard work and it costs so much to hire. He talks of selling but it is a dull time to sell farms or any other property here now. We had a long cold winter and we have had a very hot summer since July but there has been a good deal of rain. It was rather dry the fore part of May then commenced raining so there has hardly been a week at a time without rain but crops have come in very good generally, corn first rate but it took farmers a long time to secure their hay and other produce but cold whether holds off pretty well. I can’t tell you much that is going on in the world, I don’t get out among folks and see but very few here. I presume you are better posted in politicks than I am. They are having a pretty warm time here, both parties split up. I suppose most of the Democrats swallow Greeley, Negroes and all. Some of the Republicans think he has not changed his politicks and will help on his election. Our railroads prosper and do a good deal of business. There are four passenger trains pass every day, two east, two west. We can take the cars in Otego and go to Scranton without changing. There are several baggage and coal trains pass each day, they take coal from Pennsylvania to Albany. How does the rail road that is to pass through your country get along. I hope when they get that built it will encourage people to settle in and give you a chance to sell and go to a warmer country or else build up society where you are. I can’t feel quite reconciled to your spending all your days alone. I think you are capable of doing some good in the world either by teaching school or some other way if you lived among folks but I am afraid you are burying your talents in the earth but I won’t judge. I know if your heart is right with God you will try to serve him where ever your lot is cast. O Whitfield I do hope and daily pray if you have not chosen the Lord Jesus Christ to save your undying Soul from sin and ruin and prepare you to dwell at his right hand that you put it off no longer. Very likely this is the last advice you will ever receive from me. I am old and feeble and can’t stay here much longer and I want to meet all my children at the right hand of God when they leave this world. We heard from George B last week, I think he has wrote to you before this. They were all well. We haven’t heard from the girls a good while. They were all well the last we heard. This neighbourhood is so changed, not for the better, that I can't tell much about the folks. There is not a family between here and Otego bridge that lived here when you left. Some dead, others moved away. Orin Houghton is living where he did, Milton and Henry Murwin where they have. Harriet died last winter. Please write soon. I shall begin to look for a letter in January if I live so long. Lucius has three boys, George 5 yrs old, Albert one year 4 months, a baby 2 weeks. This from your poor old Mother. 

 

Whitfield Chase