1868 Handwritten Family Letter 4pp – Farming, Apples, Buckwheat, Domestic Life

approximately 15" by 6.5" 

Original early-19th-century handwritten family letter dated August 1868, written across four manuscript pages on laid paper. A wonderful piece of early American ephemera offering an intimate look into rural domestic life, farming, and family relationships.

• The letter discusses everyday concerns such as:

  • Crop conditions and farming work

  • Apples, buckwheat, corn, berries, and harvesting

  • Household labor, washing, and domestic routines

  • Family news, travel plans, schooling, and personal requests

  Written in period cursive with expressive spelling and phrasing typical of the era, the letter is rich in social history and genealogical value. Mentions multiple family members by name and reflects the rhythms of early American rural life.

  Clean Transcription

  Dear Mother

  I received your letter the day that I came home. Abby and myself have been running about after fire for the last two months. Priscilla has gone to Owasco to Susan to see them. He wanted me to go along, but I got a visitor and did not care about wishing you until Sallie that prevailed. George here by the way, and I have not seen them for a week.

  We were out hoeing together all last week, and it put us both back with our work that we did not get together this week. We have the berries about a half mile from our place along the river. You have to hold to bushes to keep from wading down. It is thick, rocky, and only a great deal here. Abby and I picked a bushel and near a half of huckleberries in spite of a week.

  I don’t know about your apples. There are only eight trees that bear, and one of them is a sweet tree, and two of the trees the apples all fell off, and the others that winter very bad. I don’t think I will get any dried this year. I want to earn a few, but if there is a barrel I will send a half, and fix the rest up in buckwheat and corn. Buckwheat looks very promising. I wish you could see my sink—Abby has made a nice little wash stand. It is like Sallie’s.

  I’ll send a shirt for Abel last week. What do you think will fit as large as that? I sent this week.

  Maggie sends her love to Gris and little Maggie and Mary and all the rest. She is living with me and can wash dishes like a major. I intend to bring her down with me next spring, from Kate to Mother.

  Sister Mary told Eliza that I would make the one you made some. I must have made it out and forgot it. If you get it put it together for me till next spring. I will pay you well for it. You must excuse the paper; I stole a piece out of Abby’s ledger.

  From Kate to Mary it seems odd to be called Miss Green.

  Sister Ada—this was a very good picture of you. I want you to go to school this winter and then live with me in the spring. I don’t think I could write to Washington to see Sister Sallie. You and your twelve-old bed—who you come to see Mother—bed to sleep, and I want once to see you more. It was said it is you that wrote that letter for Mother, throwing hints about apples.

  Sallie, don’t you wish you were here? We are going to commence to dry corn this week. I don’t intend to stop till I have a bushel dried. Abel says if you want to write to me, direct to John Green, as you are the worst to let me have it.