Friday, February 10, 2017

31 January 1869 Letter from New York to Lora

Letter to Lora Arnold
From Elisabeth Johnson
Schuyler Falls
Jan. 31st 1869

Dear Sister and all,

We are obliged to look for a letter for a long time before we get one from you. It has been so long since we have written that I shall have much to tell you. It is snowing to day after a few days of thaw, and we still have good sleighing, and have had for the last two months. Amanda with Elisabeth Weaver sat up last night over to Mr. Rosman’s. Mrs. Rosman died Friday afternoon and is to be buried to day funeral at the house at 10 ½. No sermon to be preached, only a prayer so I think none of us will go, it is so stormy. She died very easy, but has required a great deal of care for the last two months, and suffered much. Effie has been sick with the fever and is still very poorly, but so as to crawl around. The baby is quite sick, but I think nothing but worms. The others are as usual. Erastus Holmes is also buried to day, died last Tuesday – had one fit and went into another and never came out of it. I presume that Mr. Arnold’s folks have written of Grandma’s death which was two weeks ago to-day the 17th. She came here Christmas and as usual that day she and Ma went to Uncle Darins and sewed for two days on Lydia’s Brussels carpet, which was very hard work. Thursday she went up to Mansfield’s and Saturday over to Richard’s but laid down all the afternoon, went over to Mansfield’s and grew worse and Monday he came after Ma and she went and they brought her here the next day. She was here 12 days and we took all the care of her but one night when Mrs. Lobdell and her mother came down and insisted on taking care of her for that night to rest us. She suffered dreadfully but was very patient, and talked but very little and hardly to be understood. She died very easy, much easier than we expected, as we thought she would fill up with phlegm and strangle but she did not. She was laid out in her black dress as was also Mrs. Rosman. Her coffin was very nice probably cost $25, while Mrs. Rosman’s was but $6. Lydia was up but three times and stayed less than an (hour ?) each time. Uncle Darin’s the same, and he and Huldah came just as she was breathing her last. Mr. Lewis, wife and children came a few minutes after. Mela came the night before she died and stayed. Dr. Barnes visited her twelve times and called her disease typhoid pneumonia. The funeral was the next day (by Uncle Darin’s appointment,) here, and N. B. Wood of Peru preached from Job 19th, 25th verse, Mr. Gould was sick. Flora send you the dolls pattern and says cut the feet off where they are marked and sew them on straight so the will not turn out so. Sophronia Patchin and Emma Mills came home last night. Ma and Amanda have been out to Uncle Darin’s think they put on some style. Ma sends you a piece of her new dress. We have one little calf for cold weather. I do not think of any thing more so will leave room for some one else.
Elisabeth

New Writer
Pa has gone over to the funeral. Amos, Nate has been quite sick and is not well yet, has Esysipelas (?) in his head and dreadfully swelled, but he goes out some. Bub you will never be a man till you stop (whining ?) never for Lib says so.

Notes in Margins
How much would you give me to come and teach your school. You will see the shooting affair in the paper of Charles Foote, well he is a brother of Henry (H ? C ?) Foote our old teacher. Jane Colburn & children are down on a visit. I guess I’ll make Delina a visit sometime next summer, for I have not been out of town this winter wished Amos would carry us to donation.

Jane Colburn & husband and Charlie & Carrie here this evening.

Tom wants to move to Morrisonville now. 


RESEARCH:
Grandmother died 17 January 1869.  Who is she talking about?

Lovicy Lobdell Arnold


Wife of Stukeley Arnold and Mother of Amos Arnold.
Born 19 September 1806.
Married 19 February 1829.
Died

Children of Stukeley and Lovicy (Lobdell) Arnold:
1.  Amos Stukeley b. 20 January 1831 married Lora Ann Johnson
2.  Mary Lovicey b. 5 November 1832
3.  Samantha b. 27 June 1835
4.  Eunice Abigail b. 8 May 1838 married Jehial B. White
5.  Harriett b. 17 November 1840 d. young

The Johnson Sisters of Morrisonville, New York


My great, great grandmother, Lora Johnson Arnold, is in the bottom row in the center of the photo. Also in the bottom row on the left in glasses is Mary "Elizabeth" Johnson and to Lora's other side, Lora's twin sister, Flora.  Neither Elizabeth nor Flora married, and they lived in rural Morrisonville, New York, all their lives. 
The top row from left to right:  Amanda Johnson Johnson (not a typo, she married a Johnson), Martha Johnson Ayers, and Ida Johnson Ladd. 

Irish Settlement Road