Dear Coz, Seat yourself in that big easy chair and prick open your ears, Kimber Letter 21

Lucretia Bennett writes to Cousin Eliza Jane (Kimber) Seely in Troy, Pennsylvania from Unionville, New York Nov. 16, 1856. There’s talk of Aunt Ann, Cousin Hannah Loree, Josiah Bennett, Lucretia’s Dad David Bennett, and little sister Pamela. Three of the Kimber sons-in-law, John Decker, William Clark and Caleb Jones, are mentioned too. I know Eliza Jane Seely must have enjoyed hearing the local doings of the folks back home in Orange County.

You can read the letter transcript or listen to my narration by clicking below on the YouTube video.

Kimber Letter 21, page 1

Kimber Letter 21, page 2

Transcripts provided by the late Edna Raymond, Town of Minisink Historian.

Father and Mother, Now is your Time to Come, Kimber Letter 20, August 31, 1856

Kimber letter 20 reflected urgency about the well-being of Keziah (Bennett) and Benjamin Kimber. Keziah must have written her daughter Sarah and husband William Mackney letting them know the matriarch and patriarch were not happy in their new home.

Keziah’s letter galvanized the family in Troy, Pennsylvania. As soon as William and Sarah Mackney read it, they sent word to Moses Seely and wife Jane Eliza Kimber. Moses and Jane came to the Mackney home that evening to discuss what could be done to help.

It was unusual for the sons-in-law to write, but each of them penned a letter to Benjamin and Keziah inviting them to come live with them and pledging to help. The Kimber daughters, Sarah and Jane Eliza, sent words of encouragement too.

Sometime in 1856 4^th Great Grandparents Keziah and Benjamin left Orange County, New York behind them. I didn’t know where they were living. I got a clue when William mentioned Mark in his letter; the only Mark I’m aware of who has a family connection is Mark Congleton, husband of Mary B. Kimber. Mark and Mary lived in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania and I suspect the Grandparents had been living with them or nearby.

You can read the letter for yourself or listen to my narration by clicking below on the YouTube video.

Letter 20, page 1

Letter 20, page 2

Letter 20, page 3

Transcripts provided by the late Edna Raymond, Town of Minisink Historian.

  

To The Memory of our Beloved Daughter Ethel G. Doty

Thank you, Brandie Stacey, for sharing Ethel G. Doty’s memorial card with me. When Brandie sent me the card, I didn’t know who Ethel was. The baby only lived six weeks passing May 7, 1898.

I was curious, so I snooped around and located a death notice in a Middletown, New York newspaper. Much to my surprise I found the baby girl was the daughter of my Great Grandparents Lewis Penny Doty and Emily (Wight) Taylor.

Death Notice from

Middletown Daily Argus, Middletown New York

Monday, May 9, 1898

Ethel had died three years before my Grandfather Frank Leroy Doty was born. I recall no one in the family talking about her and imagine this little girl’s loss was too painful for the Great Grandparents to discuss.

When we see the precious blossom,

That we tended with such care,

Rudely taken from our bosom,

How our hearts almost despair!

Round the little grave we linger,

Till the setting sun is low,

Feeling all our hopes have perished,

With the flower we cherished so.