These are letters from our earlier generations …

I only have three letters between Jimmie Peabody & Sarah Elizabeth Hewitt shortly before they married. Sarah was teaching school in Westerly RI and her education was apparent in her letters. James and his brother Dudley, as orphans, had very little education and he was farming in Christian Co IL at the time. They were married 19 March 1867 in Stonington, New London Co CT, then moved to farm in IL.

 Stonington IL 6 Nov

Dear Sarah,

I thought that I would answer your last latter. I am well as usual.  I don’t know whether I shall come east this winter or not but if I don’t will you come if I provided a way for you to come?  Dudley or I will come but will you come with Dudley out hear or not, that is the question that I want to know.  For if you will, I don’t care anything about coming.  We are very busy.  That is the reason I would like to see you. We have not commenced building yet and you know that it is going.  Always busy to do all that is to be done and that is the reason that I wanted to now whether you will come or not.  So good by          James A. Peabody

Stonington,

Oct 15 1865

Sunday Eve

My Dear James,

You may know I was glad to hear from you once more.  I was fearing you might be sick or had forgotten there was some one here in old Stonington who expected to have a letter sometime.  If you wait as long again I shall expect your next message will be delivered in person.  Three months will soon be gone.  Especially such busy ones as the next three are likely to be.  I can’t think how you can accomplish all you intend to in that time, but perhaps I don’t understand how you do things “out West”.  I presume you are thinking of me in Waltham now with Mrs Fitz, as I wrote Dudley about going.  But there was a slip in that arrangement I was not expecting.  I was finishing my last work and was going in a few days, when Becca was taken sick and I was sent for to come home to take care of her.

She has had a bilious fever and been quite sick some of the time.  It’s two weeks now since she was first taken and fever has left her, but she has hardly strength to walk across the room.  She is up in the West chamber and we have a fire in the fireplace, and you can imagine how cozy and comfortable it is up there these chilly fall evenings.  I wish I could send you a picture of the room tonight with the bright firelight dancing over it and lighting up all the dark corners.  I have been sitting on the hearth thinking.  Wondering how and where you were and thinking how much I wanted to see you.  Polly has gone now and my presence is needed here till Aunt Eliza can get some help and Becca is smart again.  Then if it is not too late, perhaps I may go to Waltham as I think Mrs Fitz will wait for me.  Lucy has been quite sick for the last few weeks and a good deal of trouble but Charley is as fat and good-natured as ever.  He plagues Lucy, pulls the cat, rolls on the floor with Jack and is a little rascal any way.  Aunt Eliza is sitting close by and says “give my love to Jimmie and good wishes” and Dudley I suppose is included.  Uncle John has had lots of help for a few days, nine in number, including the boys.  He hoped to be through harvesting soon.  Charley Randall was here last week, helping but the boys plagued him so he is not coming any more.  He came to the house yesterday, crying.  They had hid his hat and thrown corn at him.  Poor child.  But the “best word” of all is that we are having some rain once more.  It has been very dry here, scarcely any rain for the last three months.  The cistern here has been dry for most that time and the well in the road has most failed, so all the water has had to be brought from the well in the field beyond the barn.  It’s been hard work, but we are thankful to get water anywhere.  Some places I have heard they sold it.  I can’t remember any news tonight, only Mrs Adeline Park is dead and the Doctor said today that Horace Slocum’s wife could not live but a short time.  She is sick at her Father’s.  They have been married only about one year and her course now is most run.  Ann Breed is at school in Greenwich now, but I expect will be home to take the school here this winter.  Tommy Hinckley was here yesterday after a load of lambs.  He is in company with Brown Stonington and does most of the buying, so we see him quite often.  My pen scratches so I cannot write any more tonight but hope you may be able to read this.  Tell Brother Dud I hope he will keep his promise about writing and I want you to write again soon.  Tell me some of the arrangements about this new house.  You know I am interested in this subject.  It seems strange to me when I think of these plans and can hardly realize the change that is so near at hand if it ever comes. You need not fear a disappointment from me.  If you are fixed in your mind, I think we have gone too far to look back & hope all things will be for the best.

Yours as ever,

Sarah

North Stonington,

25 Feb 1866

Jimmie Darling,

Do you know I am feeling read bad because you have not written?  The last letter I received from you was written before Christmas and now it is most Spring.  Sometimes I’m troubled fearing you are sick and then I make excuses for you knowing how busy you must be.  I am hoping to find a letter from you at Uncle John’s when I go back there, but if there should not be you can imagine Sarah with a long face for I should be a good deal disappointed.  I do so much want your picture.  I have enjoyed looking at Dudley’s very much and if I could have yours it would seem almost like seeing you.

Tell Dudley I had a nice letter from Minnie a few days ago.  Lucy Ann has been trying to think how it would seem if you and Dudley could walk in the here some of these mornings and surprise us.

I think of you very often and as often wonder what you are doing just at that time and what you are thinking about.   Oh, Jimmie, if you knew how much we have wished for you up at Uncle Charles this week and last.  We girls have been having a gay time. Mary Randall and Eliza Wheeler have both been spending a week at Uncle Charles and all of us together have made a lively time.  We have been visiting and having company most every day.  Orrin Grant and Lucy & Mary and your Aunt Holmes took tea and spent the evening here the day before yesterday.  Your Aunt Holmes was visiting at Orrin Grants and Aunt Mary sent word for her to come with them.  She wanted to see the Aunty who took such good care of James and Dudley when they were little boys.  Uncle Charles and Aunt Mary were both very much pleased with her.  They talked over old times in the days when they were young, and Uncle Charles was so engaged he forgot all about his chores.  We young folks had a sociable lively time and a game of Blindman’s Bluff in the evening.  I wished so much for you and Dudley.  The same company were at Cousin Martha’s on Wednesday only Mrs Holmes didn’t come and John Gallup and Hannah were there.

I shall be lonesome when all this visiting is over and I am quietly settled at my work again in Westerly.  Then I shall want to hear from you often.  Do you know James, I hardly know what to say to you. When I first began writing it had been so long since I wrote you that it seemed like talking to a stranger and I am sure I don’t want to feel that you are a stranger so won’t you please write me oftener?  And then I can talk oftener with you.  Your last letter was very kind and did me so much good only I don’t want to wait so long for another.  I know you have a great deal to do and are very busy, but I don’t want to be neglected.  I wish I could step in and take breakfast with you some morning when you are stopping in that sanctum in the barn.  I suppose Dudley is cook and you have prairie chickens and biscuits.  Dudley used to tell us how splendidly he could cook them and I suppose if Mary and I do not understand the business he will initiate us.

I heard you were hauling timber.  Is it for the barn or house?  Though I suppose the barn is nearly or quite finished by this time.  I like this plan for a house that Dudley sent very much. Lucy Ann says I must tell you not to forget that you promised her a room and Mary Grant says Cousin James promised her one with roses on the paper.  We had quite a time planning and laughing about this when Lucy and Mary were here.  I visited at Mr Pitts Williams last week with Cousin Martha and heard about your having the schoolhouse moved and some Western stories. I suppose Mr Sampson is very much pleased with his little Annie.  I visited at Capt Frank Wheeler’s week before last and Mr John Williams was there.  He asked me some close questions about the West and several times when we were talking at the other side of the room, I was startled by hearing James Peabody’s name spoken. Mr Williams was entertaining some of the men with your exploits in farming.  You will please write me soon, Jimmie, won’t you dear?  If you have not already learned it is so lonesome when I don’t hear from you.  Excuse me if I have teased too much, but I am in earnest and feel all I say.  Give my love to Brother Dud and Cousin Sarah and write me all about what you are doing. 

Except your share of my love, not a small one and think often of … Your Sally

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