Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

Elizabeth (Woodberry) Story to Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, 16 June 1881

[From Elizabeth (Woodberry) Story in Somerville, Massachusetts, to Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch. She talks about how busy she's been, and that her girl (servant) had left her in April and she's had four others since then; says she's been to Beverly, and that while the houses are the same she knows very few of the people; tells about her sons' activities; asks about the progress on their house, and why they're not rich considering how much land they own; says she's more lame and feeble, but hasn't given up hope of seeing her again; and tells Elizabeth news of various family members and friends.]

Somerville June 16, ‘81

My Dear Sister,

Your letter of March 16 is before me, I have read it many times. Perhaps you may say if I wanted a new one I should have written before, but I do want a new one and so I write now.

There have been many things to hinder me and take up my time lately. My girl, that I have had 18 months, left me in April to go & live with her parents and I have had four since. So you see I have been constantly changing, and that is about all one can attend to. And then with poor help, I have had company. My brother's¹ widow² and daughter³ have been making me a visit & after went to Beverly & I have been down to see them again. I went last Thursday (a week ago today) and returned on Monday. Had unpleasant weather all the time except Sunday.

Julia² (my sister) and her daughter³ left for New York yesterday & expect to go to Bergin's Point⁴ today, where she will spend the summer. She was there last summer, it will seem very different to her now. Then Thorndike¹ was with her. Her mother⁵ & sister⁶ will be with her. They are all widows.

Hannah⁷ called Sunday eve. We had a nice time talking of you & other old friends. I did not know until she told me that your brother John⁸ had been on. Why did he not come to see me? I want to see him so much. Tell him always to come & see me when he is on to New England. It seems almost like seeing you to see one of your family.

Beverly doesn't seem as it used to. The houses are there, not much altered round where we used to live, but there are so few people that I know. Crowds go by Sundays and I don't know half a dozen out of the whole. It makes me feel really sad when I am there. I intend to go again before long when it gets warmer so that I can go out a little. I want to go and spend a long day with Hannah & talk over old times. I miss Joa Pickett⁹ when I go down. I always used to see her.

I think I told you in my last letter that my youngest son¹⁰ had gone to Texas, and yet I see now I could not. He did not go until March. He went to housekeeping after boarding all winter and was only settled a fortnight before he had an offer to go to Texas & went the same week. I am so sorry and he has to go through all kinds of hardships & privations but if it don't injure his health it may not be a disadvantage to him. He is engaged in laying out & building a Rail Road in Texas from Richmond to San Diego, 250 miles. His wife¹¹ is here boarding with her mother¹² & expects to make me a grandmother in September. I was to see her yesterday and we were looking over the little things she has been making. She lives about half a mile from me. She is coming next week to stay a while with us.

Willie¹³ has no prospect of family as yet. I hope he and Fred¹⁴ will be home on a little visit soon. It is nearly vacation time. We call it summer here and roses are beginning to bloom but we have little warm weather & much cold wet weather that requires a fire for me to be comfortable. I have not yet commenced taking Turkish baths, am waiting for warmer weather. We have the promise of much fruit this year. I wish you could be here in peach time. Do you raise fruit?

A gentleman, a lawyer, I think, who knows you & Mr. B.¹⁵ was at my friends Mrs. Smart¹⁶ a few weeks since. I wish I could have seen him.

How are you getting on with the house? This summer will quite finish it I suppose. I thought stock farms were quite profitable. How is it you do not get rich with yours. So much land I should think ought to be profitable, but then I don't know anything about that business.

Willard Smart¹⁷ expects to go to N. Carolina next week. He is going to Charlotte this time. He says if he goes to Marion, he will try to come and see you. I wish he could. It would be so nice to see some one who had seen you, and I suppose it would be quite as pleasant for you to see him and talk of me.

I have not yet given up all hopes of seeing you some time, but we are growing older and as the time goes by there is less and less chance. Last fall I thought I could walk better, but now I feel that I am lamer and more feeble. But I am better than last winter and perhaps when I can take the Turkish baths again I may get more strength. When I can get to Baltimore without being exhausted, I may think about coming to see you. However Mother¹⁸ and almost everyone else think it an absurd thing for me to even talk of it.

You were right about Fred's¹⁴ being an Episcopalian. And there was some talk of the lady you mention, but I hardly think now that anything will come of it. He seems quite devoted to his business now and is getting on very well. But the law is not very remunerative in its commencement, and it will be some time I suppose before he can prudently marry.

Did I tell you in my last letter that Charles Peabody¹⁹ was married again? To a Miss Mary Hamilton,²⁰ family quite well connected & wealthy. I still keep up my intimacy with his sisters.²¹ They are getting more reconciled to Williams²² marriage. They did not like it very well at first, but she²³ has written to them several times and as they feel acquainted with her they like her better. I feel sure that it must be a good thing for him to have someone to take care of him in his old age.

I hope you will write soon and I don't think I shall let you wait so long for an answer again. Give my love to Mr. B.,¹⁵ Ga.,²⁴ and the boys. Perhaps some time I may see some of them.

Lovingly your Sister Lizzie.

Isaac²⁵ joins me in love.

The gentleman that was at Mrs. Smarts is named Heming. Did live in Burnsville.

 

Copyright Charles Towne. Usage of this work is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0
Compiler: Charles Towne

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