Following is a heart-breaker of a letter, written 7 months after Fanny's 3 sisters died when the Haven home burned to the ground. Fanny, age 17, wrote the following to her little niece, Gussy, who was just turning 4 years old:
My dear little Gussy
To day you are four years old, almost a young lady it seems to me! I wish you a very happy birthday and hope you may live to pass a great many more and make your dear Father and Mother very happy. You must give my love to Nellie and your little sister and try to be very good and kind to them.
I send you two little dolls and I hope you will enjoy playing with them as much as Aunt Grace and I used to. She dressed one and I dressed the other and I want you to think that dear Aunt Grace gives hers to you, for she used to love you very dearly and always wanted you to be good and happy1.
The little doll who has the gold bead on her necklace belonged to Aunt Grace.
Good bye my dear little niece. Remember Aunt Fanny loves you very much indeed.
August 14th 1855.
1 Grace died in the fire, at age 19, along with Sarah and Mary, who were about 26 and 24, respectively.