- Caroline Ward Campbell
- A. Lathrop - probably a woman, could this be Abi (Potter) Lathrop?
- Brother E. Lathrop - could this be Rev. Ezra Lathrop?
- Harvey Lathrop
- Will
- Pa Potter, was Nathaniel Potter a minister?
- Lucy Smith
- Mr. Campbell
- Mr. Hargett
- Mrs. Gibbs
- Dickey
- Gardner
- Gene
- Sheldon
Our family lived in Dearborn County and Erastus Lathrop was a minister. This could be some member of his family. I'll have to do some more checking to see if I can figure out the relationship. It's a very interesting letter.
Maysville, Mason Co., Kentucky
Sabbath evening Sept. 4, 1864
My Dear Friend,
As I have not been able to go to church today and had to stay at home tonight I thought I would write a few lines to you. I rec'd. your letter the week we were cleaning the church and I was so busy that your letter was put away and I had almost forgotten but what it had been answered.
I have been suffering for the past four days with a very sore throat and severe pain in my head. I feel very nervous tonight so that I can hardly write. The Methodist Church South Commence their Conference here next Wednesday. They will not have any Bishop, I guess from what I hear he will not be allowed to come being under arrest. There are different reports why he will not be here. I want to attend one or two days if I can. Their preachers are going to occupy Pa's pulpit next Sabbath. Tomorrow is the day for the draft. I expect there will be considerable excitement among the Rebs. Volunteering has been going on very briskly.
If you can understand what I mean by collecting that m[?] for the last two weeks but not sufficient to prevent the draft. I shall be glad to see some have to go. And shall be equally sorry to see other good union men have to go. I think we need all the union men we have at home now think they can be of a great deal more service to their country to stay at home. But if they are drafted I say let them go. I do not know whether your husband's is liable to the draft or not.
We have had a nice rain last night and today and I think we will have more before morning. I sitting ^ here without hoops with my week all bundled up in flannel you can imagine how I look can't you.
I have not rec'd. that letter from Lucy Smith yet though I am waiting and looking anxiously hope I shall not have to wait long this morning. The rest of the family are all well. Libbie grows fast and is as bad as she can be. I don't know what we will do with her if she don't begin to do better soon.
Harvey has been in a store during vacation but expects to start to school again tomorrow. He does not like the change very well but now is his chance to learn. If he does not improve his time now he will . . .
--- Pa is very anxious for him to attend to it for him.
. . . regret it in after life.
You say you were disappointed that we did not come to the camp meeting. You were not more disappointed than we were. Some of us expected to come until Monday morning when Pa said the weather was warm and he was afraid for me to leave home for fear I would get sick he is so fraid to have any of us away from home he is always imagining a thousand things that will happen [to] us when we are just as safe and contented as if we were at home. I have been asking him to let me come down next week and go on to Shelby Co. and stay until after Conference. But he has not given me any answer yet. He looks some for Brother Will home in a few weeks to stay untill [sic] after the election. But I do not think he will come. If I did I would be as anxious to stay as he is to have me but I have no idea they will let me come such a long distance home just to stay a few days. O you don't know how tired I get of staying here. I would give almost anything to get out in the country some place where I am acquainted.
I have been sick so much more this summer than ever before in my life. I have had so much pain in my head and I think it is because I am confined to the house so much. I have all my life been used to riding and walking a great deal in the summer. How much more I could have enjoyed myself if we had only remained in Guilford visiting you and Lucy S. and others this summer. But I must not complain. I suppose I had better think what is is best and make the best of it. But one cannot help thinking can they. But I must not write too much. I did not think I should write half this much when I commenced. But here I am nearly over this sheet.
Mother send her best respects to you and all the rest of the friends -- says she was very much disappointed that she did not get to see you but perhaps it is best we did not go. Harvey wants to see the boys and Libbie says she would like to see Dickey and Gardner.
Give my love to all and yourself a double share and remember me as your True Friend, Love, A.L.
Pa wants Mr. Campbell to go to Mr. Hargett's and get a not that he holds on Mrs. Gibbs and the first time he goes to Lawrenceburg to collect it and pay brother Sheldon the ballance on a stove that he owes for and keep what is over untill he sends or comes for it and oblige your Friend & Brother E. Lathrop.
Marginal notes:
Later Pa says he don't know how it will be about me coming that he does not think I am able to come now and it's hard to tell how I will be by that time the last of the week.
Write soon.
Mother and Pa both send their love this morning to all the friends.
Tell Gene that Harvey is getting ready to start school
The second letter from Lou. A. Lathrop to Carrie Campbell was
- Pa Lathrop
- Will Lathrop
- Harvey Lathrop
- Mother Lathrop
- Maternal aunt living in Iowa
- Carrie Campbell
- Lucy Smith
- Harrison family
My Dear Friend,
Some time has elapsed since the arrival of your very welcome letter came to hand. And I have no excuse but neglect for not answering it sooner. And I have served you no worse than several other friends. So you will have to administer the punishment I so justly deserve whatever you may think the case demands. I hope you will conclude to pardon though. As kindness goes a great deal farther with me than harsh treatment in a case of this kind. I will leave it all to you though, knowing that you will not be very severe. We are expecting a letter from Pa and Will this morning but Harvey has not returned from the office and I am getting impatient. Seems like it takes him so long to go this morning longer than common for two or three days we have looked for letters and it seems as though one must come today.
We get low spirited and home sick, if I may use the expression, when we do not hear from them as often as we think we ought to. But you may think we have not heard from them at all which is not the case for we had two letters last week. They were both well and in very good spirits. Pa said he felt a little homesick sometimes when he looked at our Photos. But he will soon get over that if he keeps wel. and we get along all right which we are doing so far.
I am very glad to hear that you have been having a good meeting at Guilford wish I had been there as we do not have such meetings here. I went to our Newtown prayer meeting last night there was only one member there besides the preacher to pray. They do better than that sometimes, but such occurrances [sic] are more common.
We had company yesterday and then we all went up stairs to supper and I ate something that did not agree with me I guess. I did not sleep untill [sic] midnight but tossed to and fro with a pain in my head. It might have been just as bad if I had not eaten my supper. I do with I knew what to do for my head I suffer so much this spring with it. Some say it is because I stay in the house so close but if I go out often I do not feel any better that I can see. I was just so for three months before I came to see you last fall, but I got well right away. I guess I shall have to try the same remedy again. I sometimes think I cannot wait untill [sic] the time comes for us to go. I think if [I] could only be in the country I should enjoy myself so well just when every thing is beginning to look so beautiful and green. How I do love the country this time in the year. But I shall have to content myself and enjoy it all the more when it is my privilege to come.
This is such a lovely day. I would love to be out making garden. Pa's first letter was written the 8th of March and he said the fruit trees were all in bloom and it seemed as though they were in the midst of summer. I should love to be there only a little while though I would soon be ready to come home if Pa was not there.
Well, Harvey has come back from the office and brought us some letters one was from Will. He says Pa did not get mustered in on account of the Reg't. not being full an dhtat he was making preparations to come back home when the officers raised a subscription and agreed to pay him so much a month if he would stay. I wish he had come back for they said they would pay his expenses if he would not stay, if it had been for Will I know he would have come. Three fellows have just passed, very drunk, or seemingly so. There is so much deception practiced nowadays that I would as soon think they were Rebel spies as anything else. I feel so bad to think that Pa was so disappointed that I feel almost sick and I know he feels bad over it to think after he has gone so far and spent so much then could not be mustered in is too bad. I could take a good hearty cry if it would do any good. Mother feels so bad about it too. But I hope it will all turn out right in the end. We got a letter from Mother's Sister's family this morning in which they urge us to come to Iowa and spend the summer. But I guess that is among the impossibilities at ^ the present at least.
But I guess I will not write any more just now but if I have any more news I will put it in before I seal up the letter. Mother sends her love to all to you in particular. Tell the boys I am glad to hear that they have made a start in the right direction to make good and usefull [sic] men. Give them my love and tell them to hold on and be good boys, I wish Harvey would do better, but I hope he will some day. Give my love to all the friends and reserve a good share for yourself and do not forget to write soon and often to
Your Sincere & True Friend,
Lou A. Lathrop
Carrie Campbell
April 2nd. I open this not that I have much news to write but thought I would tell you that we all well today. There were four corpses in town today and another death this evening, one buried by the Masons, such a long procession. I went to the Country one day last week for the first time it is very nice. Mother is reading, Libbie is asleep Harvey is at church, I could not go as I had no company.
But I will not write more, my love to Lucy Smith and all the Smiths and Harrisons and all my friends and keep as much as you want for yourself -- and write soon to --
Lou A. L.
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