Brown Family Letters

The David Brown Jr. Family Letters

Letters donated and Transcribed by Sharon Jones

Letter Seven

Moravia April 17th 1864

Dear Sister
I intended to answer immediately but have been moving and it just about used me up for I am far from being tough we are all in usual health I went out to Groton about six weeks ago they were all as common as far as I could see some additions to their families Lewis MORTON has another boy about 4 weeks old and David BROWN has one not yet a week old so you see we are getting clear behind the lighthouse in that line meanwhile dont lets feel discouraged while I was at Groton Mother sold her place to Dr GOODYEAR for $900 she is coming to spend the summer with me I think she will come this week to stay David is going to live in Ithaca this year will move the first of May they are now boarding at James WILLIAMS his little girl is a dreadful sweet little thing and just as pretty as a doll probably you have heard that Mr MORTON has sold his farm he has moved into the village Martha ((HATHAWAY) BROWN) is going to the Hotel to work takes Nellie (BROWN) with her has 12 shillings a week Eliza (BROWN) is to Adins (MORTON) dont know what she will do this sun Adins (MORTON) folks are about as usual only I can see every time that I see Adin (MORTON) that he has failed wonderfully it does not sem as though he could live long but he may outlive us all Aunt Betsey (BACKUS) is pretty poorly dont know what ails her dont know much news from Groton anyway We have a little boy thrown upon us to take care of it is Edwards (BILLS) youngest sisters boy 3 years his father enlisted almost two years ago when he had been gone 1 year he came home on a furlough of 12 days when his furlough was out he went back as we supposed and nothing has been heard from him since the Captain says he never came back to his company again and he thinks he had deserted and I think he has he had two children his wife had to go out to work and she bought her youngest here dont know how long we shall keep him he has been with us nearly 3 months dont want to go home it is rather hard on us for everything cost so much only think butter is 43 cents per pound we shall not hve to buy for we have an extra cow if I do not sell 100 lbs of butter besides a family of five I shall be disappointed we are living in Moravia this year what are you going at this summer of importance I have had all of my upper teeth taken out now I am going to have some new ones I have earned enough myself to buy them and I am going to have them would not you
When I was home David (BROWN) had been to Ithaca to work he said Florian ORMSBY was dead and that the Captain had sent such word to his wife he did not know any particulars probably you know more about it than I do I hardly know what to say to Lewey (Lucien ORMSBY) Ellen (BILLS) says tell him she does want to see him very much & wishes he would get onto the cars and come out here tell him Aunt Betsey ((BROWN) BILLS) wants to see him very much Uncle William wrote to Mother a little while ago and sent her his and his wifes photographs and said that this sumer they should visit Groton if alive and well we shall be glad to see them I suppose you would too I have no news to write and it is a dull letter from beginning to end where are Mary & Ellen ORMSBY this spring please to write soon dont whit so long again I presume that it seems a long time since you wrote but I have not had your letter but a few days I suppose it laid in the office at Scipio some time I do not think of anything more to write and E is in a hurrry to go to the office now do write soon from your
Sister Maria BILLS

To: Mrs Margaret Ferry BROWN-ORMSBY, Sunny Side, Independence Co, Iowa
From: Mrs Betsey Maria BROWN-BILLS, Moravia, Cayuga Co, NY

Brown Letters Page 8

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

You are our visitor since October 9, 2000
Thanks for stopping by!

updated Thursday, 04-Jul-2019 14:12:19 PDT

Back to Brown Family Letters
Back to Scrapbook
Return to Tompkins County Home Page