This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Chapin, Lamberton, Colgrove, Comfort, Russell, Whitney, Faunce, Loudon, Skinner, Andrews, Horton, others Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/RRB.2ACE/10458 Message Board Post: Letter written to Mr. William Chapin, Otter Village, Ripley County, Indiana by his sister, Fearritte Chapin from Burton (Near Olean) New York, Oct. 10, 1839. “Thursday Morning, Burton, Oct. 10, 1839 Dear Friends, Could you realize how deeply we are interested in everything that concerns your welfare. You never should apologize for what you write, but I am sure you would always write us everything of the smallest consequence. We received your letter the 3rd of Sept. and were happy to hear you are alive, but sorry sister Thirsa is no better. We have sometimes flattered ourselves that she might regain her health and we be permitted again to see her in this world, but sickness and death is surely the portion of all the living. My health is some better than when I wrote last but I am not able to do half the work I did last fall. Mary has done all the housework this summer except the washing, I have done that. I have wove and sewed some. All of our folks are as well as usu! al. Lucy has spun all the wool and pulled her beans and takes care of her calves and comes to see us oftener than she did. She is here today, she appears to be better, but I don't know how long it will last. Mr. Lamberton has been afflicted for more than thirty years with a fever sore on his left leg near the knee. It broke and became very bad about the middle of July. Dr. Finn attended for some time, he grew worse, they sent for Colgrove, he came twice, they opened it in three places, he suffered a great deal and became very weak the last week in August. The weather was very warm, his leg appeared to be mortified. They concluded there was no chance for him to live unless his leg was amp- utated, and very small one of it was. He appeared to be dying on Monday and on Tuesday, the 3rd of Sept., Colgrove with six other doctors present cut off his leg about half way above the knee. He died a little before 1 o'clock Tuesday night, he lived about 13 hours after the operation was! performed. How so many doctors could stand around a dying man and see such an addition to his suffering is , a question hard to be answered but they left it with Mrs. L. to say what should be done, she thought it best to take it off, she thought he wished to get well if possible, I suppose he did on account of his family and the unsettled state of his affairs. He bore his sickness with as much patience as could be expected, he expressed no fear of death. His funeral was attended on the 4th by a large concourse of people, sermon by Mr. Comfort, the Circuit preacher. He was 53 years old. It is thought she will not be able to keep the farm. He gave 7, 700 dollars for it and did not pay all. Esq. Russel of Olean died the 7th of Aug, he had ulcers break inwardly. Hyrum and Rufus Whitney left here last spring for Iowa, their work in the summer was some ways from the house, they layout overnight with (bark?) over them. both took severe cold, were carried in sick. Hyrum died soon after so we see that "Friend after friend depart, who has not lost a ! friend". Mrs. Faunce has been able to walk about house and rid out till last week we heard she was worse. She had said she did not think she had the consumption but her neighbors have said she had ever appearance of it. I have not seen either of them since Lutheras ~ funeral last winter. Thursday afternoon: I have heard today Mrs. Faunce was thought to be dying last week and last Sunday the doctor said she could not live many days. She may yet be more comfortable and live till winter. I have heard she went to work too soon after her confinement which is the cause of getting the consumption. She fixed the children's clothes all very nice last winter and let Faunce have a new box coat that was her husband's. James did a good deal of housework last winter, has done it all this summer. Some of her friends took her boy last ..153 ~£i~. summer, her father said he would take her girl if she died so Faunce would have only Melissa more to see to than he had before. Solomon St! rong has been more comfortable through the summer than coo Id ~ have b een expect ed. He has been to Buffalo lately to see the doctor, he continued to take his medicine, he rode by the other day looks very pale. I don't know how the cold weather will effect him. Janes has been to Vermont this summer. Catherine has experienced religion. Boyingtbn took Washburn's Sawmill, agreed to give 1200 dollars for three years. Myron has taken it of B. , gives him 1800 dollars for the same time , B. advanced him 100 dollars in cash so that B. does not brag of making only 500 dollars in that bargain. Myron moved down there the middle of July, people generally think it a hard case for him to clear so much. Plymton has moved into his house and taken his Pratt job to finish. Boyington has sold his farm to Koudon for 900 dollars. He made very well with his lumber last spring, he has been to Canada this fall to see his parents and brought back a sister with him. James Clark and Dea (King?) had a battle last spring about some boards. He attempted to strike C. and w! ould have if a man had not stepped between. Myron had told that K. confessed to the church. We don't know the particulars. Waith has preached here once. Wm. is clerk in Dusenberry's store. Mr. Willoughby preached here the last Sunday in August, administered the communion to 17. Roberts folks have their youg child baptized. Myron did not trouble himself to come up here on Saturday, did not go hear the lecture. Price had hard work to get his letter from the church because he recommended you to the Episcopal, he finally got it. Mr. Austin has moved to the Allen farm, he has been a lumber merchant on the Conhocton, a moneymaking sort of a man. Mrs. A. is very pretty looking. They have two children, she is a Presbyterian, she has a sister lives with her, her name is Clarissa Skinner. Mr. Andrews lives in the Peabodyhouse, he married Austin' s sister they have two children, he does not own any of the land Austin bought. Mrs. Patterson has moved into her new house, has let her m! ill to a Mr. Scofield and Robbins. Barack Clark has been able to go ou t some this summer of late has been confined to his bed. Last week he asked Mrs. Smith to put a rope over the beam over his bed that he might raise and rest his back, then he said she could go out, soon they heard a noise, Smith went in, he had hung himself. He took him down and they brought him to, he said he wished they had let him alone, now he should have to lie there in distress fir a fortnight longer. Mrs. Whitney started for Olean the horse got frightened, she jumped out of the wagon, fell on some stones and hurt her hip and wrist very bad. Orisa writes she is to be married this month to the Sheriff. His name is Lindley, she wants her folks to come down soon as possible. Ncah went sway last spring, has not been heard of since he carried Juline Chase to 2 balls last winter. I suppose he thought he would have the damage to pay if he did not run away. Mrs. Loudon is quite agreeable. They have 5 children, she is a Baptist, he is a Sunday working man. She is Horton's cousi! n. Friday: The church was consecrated the 7th of Sept.. We went, 5 were confirmed, Helen Goodspeed, Harriet Russell and brother, Smith that used to be a Baptist, one I did not know. Mr. Morris has another son. E. Day and James Johnson have built each of them a house this way of the Presbyterian meeting house, same side of road. Mrs. E. Day has a son. Mrs. Adams has a daughter. Mrs. Ford has a daughter two weeks old. Silas Hubbard has sold his farm to Andrews for 1000 dollars. Jabe has bought 30 acres the west part gives 5 dollars an acre of Andrews. He swaped Cate for another horse with Reed and let Hubbard have it. Silas starts today to carry Mary Jane and Newel to their friends'. He has sold most of his stock, some furniture, some he leaves in the house. Jabe has bought one cow. He intends to start for Michigan week after with Lucretia, she goes to live with some relation, he has got an agency from Vermont to get subscribers for a Polygot Bible. He intends to start ! for Michigan and most of the Western states. I suppose he is tired of his neighbors or thinks if he goes away he can get another wife. Phebe has gone to visit Folsom's folks near Utica. Jane taught school at (Tuningmount?) last summer. She found abeau, his name is Ames, he has been up twice since she came home. Jabe says he has tried to take care of your things as well as he could. He had swapped your Charlie for a fine yoke of two year olds and two calves, he thinks you would like the trade. Horatio took some of your hay Mr. Allen some to the halves, we had good weather, it was done in style. Jabe got a yoke of oxen of Allen gave him 100 dollars in log has sold them to Myron for 90 dollars and his yearly bull which they call worth 30 dollars. He has bought 7 calves he gives Silas 27 for the cow, the one he sold last spring he got 32 dollars. He did team work for Mr. Taylor last spring took his cow for 27. sold it for 32. Pruit has worked for him 7 months and split rails enough to fence half Burton. They have cleared the lower part of his pa! sture, burnt the old shanty, cleared all around the house. Horatio had a yearling die with the blackleg. Corn is not as good as was expected. Other crops generally are. ..? ...? ...? ... split some rails for you before you wrote, I think Jabe will get some more. You ask what Roswell is doing, I answer: just what he always was. Hannah came from Canada when she was (22?) . She worked in a French family, they had no children, he kept the grocery store. She was so honest and kind to them they willed her the grocery, most of the furniture and a lease of the lot where it stood for 7 years to come after their death, all of which was worth 1000 dollars. She sold the house after the lease run out for 300. She kept shop one year after. Roswell persuaded her to give it up about three months after they were married as she had the salt rheum and was very lame but she has always been sorry she did for while she had it she had a plenty of everything, now things are turned easily about.! I think she is the most disappointed in her husband of any person I ever saw and I sincerely pity her but I know of no remedy now. They were married two years ago the 22nd day of Feb. Mary Jane the little girl we had out here was bound to her three years ago. I don't know how she will manage to bring her up now. Her mother died when she was six months old her father is intemperate and has got his. ..? ...? ...? ...? ...? a backward scholar. She learned finally while she was with us. She talked a great deal about Uncle Wm. and Thirsa Dicca and wanted to go to India village as she called it to see you. She went home the first of September. Mr. and Mrs. Vanwickle and her mother have gone to Pittsburg to visit, he went to St. Louis last spring, she visited us last winter. Mary Ring is better. The Dea. and wife and three young children have been to Bloomfield visiting . R. Atkins has moved to Ohio. Mrs. Martins hands are so bad she has not dressed herself since last winter. She has been to the Avon Springs, the water hurt her baby, a Dr. ad! vised her to wean it and come next summer. They are afraid they may wither before then. (Juda?) was married last Thursday evening to (Squire?) Horton. He is about 30, is a carpenter, he worked with Loudon on Horton's house, they had a quarrel. He has framed Austin a shed. Since he asked Horton's consent he gave it but did not go to the wedding. He has had a wife before, she left him. How long they will stay together we don't know, they made the bargain only Sunday before they were married. Silas has given up the book concern. Starts next week for.....? ich. The trade Jabe made with your two steers has fallen through, all the rest stand as yet. We are all glad you are so well off all send love and good wishes. Barack died just Wednesday. The weather last summer was just about as seasons generally are here, a hard frost. ..? ...? ...raising this month has been very fine. Fearitt Chapin Chapels Burgh Oct. 24 .... To: Mr. William Chapin Otter Village, Ripley County Indiana. ! (received from Ron Whort Sun, 3 Dec 2006 16:21:53 -0700, “This was transcribed by a 2nd cousin of mine, to the best of her ability”)