To: Unknown
From: Lydia Story
[No envelope]
April the 30 – May the 5th [1876]
Dear Mother and Friends,
I sit down to write you a few lines to let you know how we got home. We got home the next day about 4 oclock. We rode from Kendallville with Dave Hanas. He fetched us to my house and then we went over to Roscoe’s. Henry was to Avilla but we had went up to Kendallville. He said the train had left about 10 minutes when he got to the depot. It rained hard when we got to Kendallville. We didn’t stop fifteen minutes at Avilla. The dragman charged us twenty five cents to take that box and satchels to the other depot. And we nearly had to run to get over, til the train come then. We went to Bill Tryon’s and stayed all night. We was nearly wet through til we got there.
Well, I am at home today. The rest all went to Sunday school. And I come over home with Ella. She has a bad cold and has to cough a good deal. The rest of the folks are all well. We was over to Andy’s yesterday afternoon. But Tena and Andy was gone to town. I went and took my meat out of the brine.
Julia Fisher works there again. Well George Hanas is very poorly. I was up there yesterday forenoon and today. I heard he was worse last night. Reamses and Danny went by here. I guess they went up to see him. Dave Hanas said Liz Hartman was complaining. She went to Brimfield to that woman doctor Friday. Dave says she looks bad.
Well now I will tell you about the crops. Wheat looks bad, but my peach trees are just full of blossom. If they don’t freeze, there will be lots of peaches. The apples hain’t out in blossom. Andy Ingler hain’t husked my corn yet and lots of the shocks are flat on the ground. Well Henry has bought ten acres of land from Cale Traster for five hundred dollars along the west side of mine. I guess Danny hain’t bought yet. I heard him and Jake was coming over to look at Cale’s. I guess forty acres would suit them about as well as a hundred acres would.
Old Sams barn is done. Minerva Milbern worked there, she went home yesterday. I was up to Mrs Milbern’s yesterday to hunt for my hogs. Two of my shoats are gone. What are here looks well. I will have to strike out tomorrow to buy me a cow.
Well Ida Foster said my old log hut was ready to tumble down, but I hope it won’t yet a while. Til I can get a better one built. Well I will close for this time. Write soon if you please.
William Liverance is married to Louisa Hint. So no more at present. Oh yes, I seen Frank Myers yesterday. Oren Chaffee works for John Shifely this summer.
From Lydia Story to you all. Write soon.
George Hanas died the third of May and will be buried today at ten oclock. I was there when he died. I went up Wednesday afternoon and stayed til the next morning. He died very easy.
[NOTE: I found in the Whan Collection that George Hanas d. 3 May, 1876. He was 39y 4m 4d – Weston Cem. Lot 10. So that puts a date to this letter.]