Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

Elizabeth (Woodberry) Story to Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, 28 February 1877

[From Elizabeth (Woodberry) Story in Somerville, Massachusetts, to Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch. She says she thinks of Elizabeth often, and their times together when young, and describes what her children and husband are doing.]

Somerville Feb 28 77

My Dear Sister Lizzie,

For so I think of you & so I must call you here. Today is your birthday and I have so often wanted to write to you & yet have put it off, for a letter seemed not able to express half I wanted to say, that I thought today a very fitting time to renew once more our intercourse.

I truly cannot tell why I have not written for so long a time. I think of you very often & always with a sister's affection. I have not changed in my feelings for you since we lived together in Beverly. I may have had husband¹ & children that I loved more, but the sister's love that I gave you, in those long past years, is still yours & always has been.

I think Georgianna² told me you did not get my last letter. I should have written again & I have thought so many times that I would, but then I knew not how to direct. I know not now, but I will write and then try to find someone who can tell me where Fred³ is. By calling at his place of business I hope to get your address.

I often dream of you Lizzie & you are always young. I can't think of you more than 25. I see you always just as you used to be and I - why I am almost 60! I was 59 last Dec. only think!! I can hardly believe I am so old, especially when I think of you.

As this is my first letter, and remembering the last, I don't feel so sure you will get it, I will not put much of my past in it, but will, when I hear from you, write you a long letter telling you about my past life & my children.

I long so much to hear about your family. I enjoyed your daughter's² visit so much, because she could talk to me of you and of your everyday life. I fancy I have had a much clearer view of you, in your home ever since.

Of my present life I will say, I am living in the same house I was in when Georgie was here, with my husband and my youngest son Isaac Marion,⁴ who is in the School of Technology in Boston - expects to come out one year from the coming June - is intending to be a civil Engineer. He is 22 years old next April and has belonged to the same church I do (Baptist) for three years. So you see my family at present is quite small. Willie⁵ my oldest son is an Associate at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He has quite a genius for Mathamatics, and if he lives and has his health will make a name for himself. Fred⁶ my second boy has been through Harvard College and has studied law and been admitted to the bar in Boston, but he don't seem to like law much and I hardly think he will follow it. He has not been very well for two years and thought this winter that a warmer climate would benefit him. He joined Willie in Baltimore in December and has now a few private pupils. He writes that he feels better than he has for a long time and would like to find something permanent to do there. He is 25 and joined the Episcopal Church a little more than a year ago. My husband is Judge of the Police Court in Somerville, also for the Court for Juvenile Offenders.

Now dear Lizzie I have given you in brief what will enable you to feel somewhat acquainted with my family and I hope you will in return write me of yourself and your family. Do do write as soon as you get this and I will then try to give you some history of myself & my family in the past.

I am now as I have ever been,

Your own loving sister - Lizzie

I have read this letter over & I feel there is nothing in it. So many things come to me to say but I must wait until I know that you get this. Write write soon.

Direct to me care of Judge Isaac Story,¹ Somerville Mass.

 

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

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