Katherine Norris to Georgiana Bowditch, 27 August 1913

[From Katherine Norris in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Georgiana Bowditch. She describes a visit to Boston, and seeing relatives, and talks about various relatives who have recently visited her.]

182 Biddle St.
Milwaukee, Aug. 27, 1913

My dear Miss Bowditch,

The summer is nearly over without a word to you from me.

Through June I was in Boston visiting a cousin who lives in Quincy, about six miles south of Boston. Rachel1 took me out to Harvard for two nights and intervening day, and I saw Paul2 at his office two or three times beside motoring in with him from Harvard. As it was six years since I had seen dear old Boston, you will understand what a pleasure it was to revisit the scenes so full of old associations.

I have not been to Cedarcliff very often this summer. The house has been very full most of the time, leaving no guest room for transient visitors, unless they could share Will's3 room.

You must have heard last summer of the death of the young mother Mrs. Hartridge,4 poisoned by mushrooms. Her husband5 is a cousin of Maud,6 and the two children7 spent several weeks with her this summer while their grandmother8 was away.

Maud's sister Mrs. Kennedy9 came after the children left, and now Abbot10 is here, but leaves tomorrow.

Will3 started on Sunday for his vacation, to Denver this year, will not be back till the third week in September.

Rachel Thorndike1 is living in his rooms up stairs, having come on a week ago to be with her brother, Father Sherman,11 of whom you must have heard her speak. Miss Lizzie Sherman12 was here most of the summer, leaving just in time to have a few days with Rachel in Harvard. It is most delightful to me to have Rachel here. We have breakfast together in my room, but most of her time is passed with her brother. She thinks him improved, but he is far from well. She goes home next Monday. Miss Sherman12 will probably return soon, as they do not like to leave their brother alone.

Chippy is well & happy, but has arrived at the running away age. Was found at 9 o'clock at night at White Fish Bay recently.

It is beautiful to know how you have won the love of your Thorndike cousins; all say "She is a dear"! I hope next year will find you here once more. Do tell me fully how the summer has gone with you. Rachel is out, or would send love.

Yours,

K. T. Norris13

  1. Rachel Ewing Sherman (1861-1919), wife of Georgiana's cousin Paul Thorndike
  2. Paul Thorndike (1863-1939), Georgiana's cousin
  3. William Thorndike (1870-1935), Georgiana's cousin
  4. Margaret Elizabeth Schuchardt (1877-1912)
  5. Theodore Shears Hartridge (1877-1954). His mother and Maud (Kilbourn) Thorndike's mother were sisters.
  6. Maud Alice Kilbourn (1866-1936), wife of Georgiana's cousin Abbot Thorndike
  7. Mary Louise Hartridge (1905-2004) and Theodore Livingston Hartridge (1909-2000)
  8. Rosalie Winkler (1852-1939), mother of Margaret (Schuchardt) Hartridge
  9. Henrietta Maria Kilbourn (1867-1945)
  10. Abbot Thorndike (1866-1935), Georgiana's cousin, Maud (Kilbourn) Thorndike's husband
  11. Thomas Ewing Sherman (1856-1933). He greatly disappointed his famous father (Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman) by becoming a priest. He served as a military chaplain during the Spanish-American War, and conducted his father's funeral mass. In his 50s (about the time of this letter), he suffered from depression and left the priesthood. He traveled around the west coast and in Europe, rejoined his family in the east for a time, and finally returned to the west coast and again became an active priest in Santa Barbara. When he became gravely ill, his sister Eleanor moved him to a sanitarium in New Orleans, where she spent the winters. He died there two years later. See Thomas Ewing Sherman.
  12. Mary Elizabeth Sherman (1852-1925), sister of Rachel (Sherman) Thorndike and Thomas Sherman
  13. Katherine Townsend Norris (1842-1927)