3rd
Great Grand Aunt Sarah (Kimber) and Uncle William Mackney arrived in Troy,
Pennsylvania after traveling by train from Orange Co., NY. One autumn Tuesday evening
Aunt Sarah wrote to her parents Keziah (Bennett) and Benjamin Kimber along with
her sister Abigail to tell them how they were faring. A transcription of her
letter follows my post.
They
stayed at the Troy House until their belongings arrived from home. Aunt Sarah
describes her new home as a pleasant place and thinks they’ll be happy after
they get settled.
The
Mackney’s brought Mary Holly, a 21-year-old domestic servant, to Troy with
them. Mary was well known to the Kimber’s. In 1850 she was living in Jane Eliza
(Kimber) and Moses Seely’s home at Wawayanda. (Jane Eliza and Sarah were
sisters.)
Aunt
Sarah closes her letter hoping her family will come for a visit.
I
want to tell you a little about Mary Holly. Aunt Sarah spoke of her warmly in
her letter. Mary remained Aunt Sarah’s domestic help in Troy. The 1860 federal
census enumerator found Mary in Sarah and William Mackney’s home.
Image copied from
1860 federal census
Troy Borough,
Bradford Co., PA
Enumerated 2nd
day of June 1860
William Mackney
household
Page 888, Lines
26-28,
I
mentioned in an earlier post Aunt Sarah was dealing with health issues. Ten
years after arriving in Troy, she died March 22, 1864 just 39 years of age. A
deeper friendship developed between Mary and Uncle William and they married the
following year on April 11, 1865.
Letter
5.
Troy,
Pa., Tuedsay night Oct. 10, 1854.
Dear
Parents and sister,
I shall embrace this privilage
of
writing you a few lines in order to let you
know
how we are getting along in this land of
strangers and
you will excuse me if they but a
few
at this time for I feel to tired to write
much
In the first place we are all as well
as
usual
and like the place very well so far We
havent
got settled yet have to take it slow
as
we
are young beginners and but little strength
We
arrived in Troy the same day we left
Middletown when
we got to Elmira the cars were
just
leaving for Troy and so we thought we would
come
on and see the worst of it but Mary and I
were
so tired that we did not know what to do
with
ourselves that night We came right
through
safely without any trouble We got here
at
half past five that evening but our things
did
not get here until the next Thursday they
were
a week on the road We staid at the
Troy
House
until our things came I tell you we
fared
sumptiously there we had everything
that
heart
could wish and they were very kind to us
When
we came away they gave us enough bread to
last
us two days Mary thought she would not
like
to board there very long for they lived so
high
that it made her sick We have a very
pleasant
place and I think we shalI be very
contented
when we get settled and get acquainted
The cars run right back of our house and we
can
see them very plain We have four trains
a
day
two each way We have a new table, stove
and
six chairs and a bed stead but we cant find
a
feather in the place We shall have to
send
or
go to Elmire I expect to get them We
got a
tub
of butter and paid 20 cents for it it is
very
good we paid at rate of 9 dollars a
barrel
and very good flour 10 cents a dozen
for
eggs and 4 cents a quart for milk sugar
for
3/6 seven pounds potatoes are 50 cents a
bushel
wheat is worth 13 shillings a bushel
We
all went to church last Sunday morning and
Mary
went again in the evening heard a
very
good
sermon only it was so long that it tired
us
out They dress very fine here the silk
has
to fly Mary has got a new shawl and
brock
and
I dont think she could have bettered herself
in
New York for the price it is very
large and
very
pretty she gave 9 dollars for it has a
new
bonnet also paid $3.50 for it I tell you
she
looks up now when she gets dressed for
church
Mary says she is not ready to come
back
yet
she hasent felt home sick at all They
wanted
to know at the Troy House if she was a
dress
maker they said there wasent one in
the
place
I should think a dress maker would do
well
here William says to tell you that he
has
got
his old trick of lying on the carpet in the
evening
snoozing our things all came good
nothing
at all broken I have a bunch to say
but
I am so tired a sleepy that you excuse
me
until next time for we feel anxious to
hear
from
you Tell Caleb that he must come and
see
us
If he comes out this fall when he gets
to
Elmira
take the Williamsport and Elmire Railroad
and
it will bring him right to Troy it is
only
24
miles I should be very happy to have
you
all
come and see us and I shall live in hopes
that
you will yet Mary will write some next
time
she said she hadent anything to write
about
yet No more at present but remain
yours
in
love now and for ever write without
fail.
from
Sarah B. Mackney to her parents and sister
SOURCE:
Edna Raymond, a past Town of Minisink historian, gave me typed transcripts of
the letters exchanged between the Kimber sisters and their parents. This letter
is 5 of 31.
It was
many years ago when I visited Edna and learned of the letters. Edna has since
passed away. I believe Edna told me a couple from Illinois visited the Minisink
Town Hall and brought the original Kimber letters. The Kimber descendant
allowed Edna to photocopy the letters in his/her presence. Edna worked quickly.
In those days copy machines were slow and the quality left much to be desired.
Edna spent many hours studying and transcribing the letters as the ‘old time’
handwriting was especially difficult to read.
To read
earlier Kimber Letters click on the label 'Kimber Letters' at the bottom of this post.
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