My Trouble Has Been So Great, Kimber Letter 9

The Kimber Letters are writings exchanged between the Kimber sisters and their mother, Keziah (Bennett) Kimber. The letters found their way to the sister’s descendants. They’ve been saved and shared among us for over 150 years. I treasure them and am grateful to the late Edna Raymond for giving me transcriptions.

In today’s letter Jane Eliza Kimber and husband Moses Seeley wrote to Sarah Bethia (Kimber) and William Mackney. The Seeley’s lived in Minisink, Orange Co., New York and addressed their letter to Sarah and William in Troy, Pennsylvania.

Seven weeks earlier Jane and Moses Seeley’s baby boy died. Jane apologized for not writing sooner but admits she wasn’t able to compose herself. Jane shares her heart wrenching pain over the loss of her little boy, Willie Emit.

        “O sister it was like tearing my heart from me to part with him …”

Jane’s grief will touch your heart.

“Her First Born”

Painter Robert Reid, ca 1888

Courtesy Wikipedia Commons

In earlier Kimber letters the health of Kimber sister Julia Ann Elston was a concern to family members. Jane worried Julia Ann would “never be any better”.  Another sister, Abigail, remained with Julie Ann to care for her.

3^rd Great Grand Aunt Jane included a short letter to her niece Mary Holly. As far as I know Mary wasn’t related to the Kimber’s. Perhaps she was Moses Seeley’s niece. Anyway, she was a close family friend and live-in help for Sarah and William Mackney.

Moses’ letter to William sounds like he's planning to leave Orange County. He tells his brother-in-law about his auction sale and says he will see him in March.

TRANSCRIPTION: Letter 9

January the 21, 1855

Dear Brother and Sister

I set down this morning to write a few lines to

you to let you know we are all well and I hope

this will find you alI well and better than you

was when I last heard from you   you must

forgive me for not wrighting to you before this

for my trouble has been so great that I could

not compose my mind to write but by having faith

in God   I have given it up in a measure    you

have no doubt heard that little Willy Emit is no

more for Phebe has written to you the

particulars and Mother to    so it will be no use

for me to wright but, o Sister it was like

tearing my heart from me to part with him    if I

had not looked up to God for his help   I could

not went through it but I have the hope of one

day meeting him where parting will never be

again    that is all the comfort that I have in

thinking of Heaven but O sister I miss him

wherever I go and whatever I do    when I lie

down and when I arise enney place reminds me of

him    his little prattling voice is no more

heard nor his little hands patting around the

floor    I look around and say where is he    he

is gone home    gone home from this world of

trouble and affliction to rest in his fathers

bosem forever and ever    but O sister you have

passed through the same affliction and can feel

for me but I hope and trust that it is all for

the best that God has taken him from us but I

must drop this subject    I want you to wright

back as soon as you get this and wright if you

get Phebes  letter and if you have not  I will

wright you the particulars about the death    I

will now tell you about the rest   Julia Ann was

still getting worse the last   I knew from her

the dropsy was getting worse in her stomick and

I fear she will never be any better    Abigail is

with her yet    John folkes are well   I have

been to fathers and spent a week with them

they are well but I must close my letter    but

do wright to me as soon as you get this    if all

is well we shall be there with you soon    so no

more at present    but my love with you now and

forever    so good by

Jane Eliza Seely

Dear Mary

I received your letter and the note and have

sent it to them but I have not got it yet    I

thought that  I would get it and send it to

you and then there would be no danger of your

getting it    Mary Brink Courtright is married to

Emly Marsh and Mary Manners to John Haden

Josiah Seely wife has got a young son    I dont

know of anything more to wright to you at this

time so no more but remain your aunt til

death

Jane Eliza Seely to Mary Holy

Dear Brother

I will write a few lines to you    I had my

vendue december 27    my cows on an average 25

dollars per head    I sold 120 dollars worth of

hay and have got more than half of it yet    I

did not sel enny of my horses    horses is very

low out here    125 dollars for Ginney but I wont

take it for she is so fat she cant hardly see

grain is verry high out here    rye 1 shilling

corn 2 shil    buchwheat 10 shillings    Oats 5

shil   potatoes 100 dollars    money is verry

scarse here    I traded old bob away in Goshen

January 11   I got a gray horse for him even

they say he is worth 80 dollars    I told him she

would kick and strike so we traded so he took

her as she stood and I took gray as he stood but

he has got a case    he lict her til he was tired

out   he give three men 3 dollars to lick her

till she give up but my  gray is all right and

sound   but William i will come out some time the

first of March but writ as soon as you get this

so no more at present but remain yours

Moses Seely

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 #9 of 31.

To read earlier Kimber Letters click on the label 'Kimber Letters' at the bottom of this post