Brown Family Letters

The David Brown Jr. Family Letters

Letters donated and Transcribed by Sharon Jones

Letter Six

Groton April 27, 1858

Dear Sister
I have solemn news to write. Father (David BROWN) has been taken from us. Yes he has gone to his eternal home in heaven I trust to meet his saviour in peace he had no desire to get well said he had been waiting this long while for the message. he has been very miserable all winter but appeared quite smart this spring untill about nine days before his death the Doctor said it was inflamation of the lungs but thought he would recover from it unless there was some palsy about it he could not raise his left arm for a number of days Thursday he was in great distress all the time and all night but in the morning but in the morning seemed more comfortable and consented to have his shirts changed but about eleven he had a dreadful coughing spell and choked to death or rather he breathed a few times after the phlegm gave way I got there about two minutes after he had breathed his last and he had his senses perfectly until the last and seemed to know what was passing they said he looked at everyone in the greatest earnetness and then turned his his head towards Mother (Eleanor FERRY-BROWN) with the most wishful look and he was gone there was a smile left on his countenance Oh you can not think how peaceful he looked he died last Friday 23 and was buried Sunday 25 in the burying ground near where James (WILLIAMS) Mother was buried
I was home most every day last week and Adin (MORTON) and Emeline (BROWN-MORTON) William (MORTON) and Susan A (BROWN-MORTON) and I staid there Thursday night or rather I went home about three in the morning on account of Alida (WILLIAMS) for I had left her with James (WILLIAMS) and I was afraid she would cry for she was not very well she has been quite sick with inflamation of the lungs It seems to take a great while to get well again a great many children have been sick with it and now the measles are thick enough but I am in hopes to keep away from them for they most all have them very hard.
Joseph (BROWN)acts very strange whether he is deranged or ugly I cannot tell Mother thinks it is a kind of nervous derangement he would sit and laugh and rock all the time after Father died most once in a while he would cry out when the people had assembled at the house he would laugh and inquired of them if they thought it was cold enough to injure the fruit he is very jealous of David and seems to think he is working underhanded with him he came up to Mother the other day and says youve lied to me havent you about the potatoes he seems to think that David had written you not to send any just so he acts about every thing only worse and now I must stop writing for sis is in my lap throwing things about and hitting the paper Betsey (BROWN) has gone to Waverly to keeping house has been gone a number of weeks David (BROWN) is going to school boards at home Mother is very very lonely come and see her and the rest of us I should like to see your little boy very much Let Aunt Lucinda (PARKER) know about Fathers death but do not send her the letter
L E WILLIAMS

Write soon and let us know whether you received this perhaps Mother will write you and tell more particulars
Eliza JONES and Mercy (WILLIAMS-)BACKUS are here visiting leave on Friday Eliza’s oldest girl goes to school and boards here

To: Mrs. Margaret Ferry Brown-Ormsby, probably of Howard, NY
From: Mrs. Lydia E Brown-Williams, Groton, NY

Transcriber’s notes: The burying ground referred to in this letter is probably the Groton Rural Cemetery. The Aunt Lucinda Parker is probably a relative of Eleanor Ferry as we have not found anyone with this name being related to David Brown at this time but this needs to be proven. Mercy Backus is the wife of Jay S. Backus, the daughter of Benjamin and Rebecca (Morton) Williams and the sister of the above named James Williams. Names in parenthesis are added for identification purposes.

Brown Letters Page 7

Transcribed by Sharon Jones
Thank you Sharon for sharing these letters and transcribing them for the Tompkins County NYGenWeb Site.

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