The Historical Text Archive: Electronic History Resources, online since 1990 Bringing you digitized history, primary and secondary sources
 
HTA Home Page | Articles | United States/19th Century | Letter of Lucy Tappen, 1850


Email to a friend
Printer friendly

Letter of Lucy Tappen, 1850


Vanburen [New York] April 14, 1850

Well now if I haint got me down to write to Brother and Sister Young I am really surprised at the position I have taken for it has been over a year since I have thought almost every Sabbath that I would stay home from church and answer your kind letter and never before have I caught myself making the attempt and indeed it is so long since I have written a letter that I hardly know how to form the letters. We have been trying to come and make you twice glad. Pa & Ma and Munson and Lucy was coming with us but we never started and so never got there. But you may be sure of seeing us some day when the roads get a bottom to them. Munson has had the California fever pretty bad but is somewhat better at present. Brother Seth Burke I suppose sailed on the thirteenth of this month. Munson would have gone with him if he could have sold his horses but I tell you there is no money for anyone to buy with. You may be sure I opposed him for I do not see any use of his going away. We can work as hard as we are a mind to all summer for the privilege of freezing to death all winter and I cannot see why we are not pretty well off. I do not know who has any more children than we have accordingly.

We are enjoying first rate health. Everyone is able to eat his or her rations and I tell you the eating business goes off most beautifully. We have made two or three little maple [sugar cakes] and I assure you that we had great times eating those [sugar cakes]. Oh dear me that aint all we have to eat. We have salt and taters and hens and roosters and I got three cups and three saucers tother day you know. We have not had one warm day here this spring. At any rate there is not a spear of grass on this part of the footstool the eighth of an inch long and this day caps the climax. There is considerable snow and a northwest wind that drives it in every direction. The ground is froze quite hard and it is a severe cold day to say the least about it. You see of course it is so stormy that we cannot attend church the reason of my writing. We have had no school this winter and I assure you we have had a squally time of it but the little dears did the best they could though. Your Fathers family are well I believe. Dalenta is in good order never looked more promising but then her man is going to the diggins. I suppose that will take the taller off a little. Mother says the hens lay remarkably this spring and all the horned critters seem to be doing tolerably well. They send their best respects to you and want you to kiss the baby or haint you got any. I suppose Wallace has told you of the accident that befel Mr. Sexton; he was chopping in the woods and cut his knee very bad indeed. He is reduced pretty low but they think he is on the gain. The rest of the family are well. The Chases family are well. People generally in this vicinity are healthy. I went to a sugar eat last night. I reckon I stuffed somebody a little. I really wish you would come home and be somebody. Both of you and fetch sis along write a soon as you can.

Lucy E.B. Tappen