Brought to you by the Historical Society of Old Northfield
Addressed to Mr. Hooker Taylor Northfield, Summit County, 0hio August 9th, 1840, from Richland, Michigan The address is crossed out and Mrs. Emily Dwight is written instead, with no address.
This letter was presumably sent by Sylvia Johnson Buell to her sister, Clarissa Hooker, in Northfield and was then included in a letter or hand carried to Emily Dwight.
Hooker Taylor (1811-1884) – husband of Clarissa Johnson Taylor, sister
Joseph Elmer – Joseph Elmer Buell (1840-1854), son of Sylvia Johnson Buell, sister
Aunt Pat – unknown
Tecumseh Mr. Bills – unknown
Doct. B. – unknown
William – unknown
Delia – unknown
Doct. S. – unknown
Richland August 6, 1840
Ever dear sister
As you have again reminded me of my obligations and neglect I will show you the cause. I received your first letter in due time after it was written but aversion to letter writing prevented my answering it as I ought to have done. Your last came to hand day before yesterday I was glad to hear from all the folks especially yourself I can sympathise a little with you. We had a son added to our family the 15 of March He is rather small of his age but we think he is a pretty smart boy call him Joseph Elmer. I took cold when he was nearly a fortnight old which settled in one of my breasts it has been lanced twice and broke once itself & still discharges I never had anything take hold of my mortal frame like it about a week before it was lanced I had to breathe like a person in the pleurisy It so affected my lungs it is difficult to do anything to it & still every thing has been done but does not effect a cure it has drawn me over so that I am as crooked as aunt Pat used to be I am able to be about the house & take careof my babe. The day that my breast was first lanced I was attacked with the inflamatory rheumatis which caused me a great deal of suffering I never went out door until my babe was six weeks old. I will leave you to guess whither I can imagine any thing of your suffering in such a case. I am sometimes almost led to wonder why I am made to suffer so much but when I look at my own disobedience to God it seemes but small compared with what I ought endure no doubt but all this is designed to prove my heart to know whether I will glorify him in afflictions or not but it seemed if it there were in me an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. I united with the Presbyterian church two years ago last Feb. I do not think a profession or a particular sect is the necessary qualifications for heaven no nothing but Approve principels of holiness & love to God our ?? heart can fit us for heaven.
The last I heard from Tecumseh Mr. Bills & wife were teaching school there he was married a year ago last fall. Doct. B. family were well they like Mich. As well as ever. William has gone to York St. where Delia lived to be clerk in a bank. I have not seen any of them for two years Doct. S lives in Kalamazoo is sevn miles from here I have not seen him yet but have often heard him spoken of his health is very poor he has now gone east Some think after a wife he is not very popular in that village I wish in your abundance of wool you would remember me & sende me a bundle of stocking yam & as much more as you are a mind to tell mother I often think of home & should like to go & make a visit but do not know as I ever shall. You may just set your faces this way if you please instead of going to Mass. What has becom of ??? & his pen I should think he was very mute nowadays I know that I was not punctual as I ought to have been because sickness prevented don’t know as he ever got my last letter which was written in Nov. if so he is not excuscable. I should like to have you send a paper often We do not take any paper Tell Elmer I got his paper next time he must write a letter you must excuse my brevity this time on account of my breast I am expressly by my physician to do any thing to irritate it. Do write often not wait for me much love to all the folks
Yours, etc. Sylvia Buell
In the next letter, we learn that Emily Johnson Dwight’s brother-in-law, writes to his brother-in-law, Roderick, who with Emily are visiting relatives in Northfield.
