This letter was written by Clarissa Johnson Taylor (1818-1885) to her sister Emily. She mentions that she was aware of Roderick’s death and later in the letter she cannot image how Emily is dealing with her husband’s suicide since ‘friends’ who are ‘deprived of their reason’ are twice the ‘affliction’ than if they died by sickness. She is also concerned about Lizzie’s husband who is fighting in the Civil War. Lizzie is Elizabeth “Lizzie” Elinor Dwight (1838-1906), Emily’s daughter. Lizzie married George Ames (1839-1918). After the Civil War George opened a ‘Tin Shop’ (hardware store) and was a successful businessman. It was tragic to find that Lizzie gave birth to her son ‘Roderick’ three days after her father’s suicide.
My dear sister – Emily Johnson Dwight (1808-1886)
- – Roderick Dwight (1802-1863), Emily’s husband
Esther – Ester Ellen Taylor (1845-1911) Clarissa’s daughter
My baby – Carrie Lizette Taylor (1861-1924), Clarissa’s daughter
Eunice – Minnie Eunice Johnson (1841-1898), Carlos Johnson’s daughter and Clarissa’s niece
Cynthia – Cynthia Taylor (1815-1877), Clarissa’s sister-in-law
Olivia – Olivia Clarissa Taylor (1855-1917), Clarissa’s daughter
- – Unknown
Mother – Betsey Elmer Johnson (1785-1870), Clarissa and Emily’s mother
Lizzie’s husband – George Ames (1839-1918)
Maria – Ellen Maria Johnson Proctor (1826-1889), Clarissa and Emily’s sister
Her 3 girls – Emma Proctor (1848-1903), Flora Proctor (1849-1892), and Julia Proctor (1850-1903), Clarissa’s nieces, Ellen Maria Johnson Proctor’s daughters
Br Woods – Theodosius Wood (1801-1884), Clarissa’s brother-in-law and Betsey Johnson Wood’s husband
her mind – Betsey Johnson Wood (1812-1889), Clarissa and Emily’s sister
Wellington, W – Wellington Johnson (1815-1888), Clarissa and Emily’s brother
Austria – Austria Johnson (1849-??), Wellington Johnson’s daughter. Her mother was Elizabeth ‘Betsey’ Wallace
Julius – Julius P. Brittan (1835-1912), son of Juliette Johnson (1812-1835) who died as a result of giving birth to Julius. Julius was raised by Betsey Johnson Wood, Clarissa and Emily’s sister.
his two boys – Julius Brittan’s sons Francis Brittan (1858-1929), and Theodore Brittan ( 1861-1949)
his Father – Ira Brittan (1813-1840), Julius Brittan’s father
Elmer – Gad Elmer Johnson (1819-1901), Clarissa and Emily’s brother
Josiah – Josiah Johnson (1848-1925), Clarissa and Emily’s nephew, the son of their brother Carlos Johnson
Charles Dorconh – Unknown
Lucy Ann – Lucy Ann Johnson Allen (1837-1924), Clarissa and Emily’s niece, the daughter of their brother Carlos Johnson
Her husband – James W. Allen (1827-1915), Lucy Ann’s husband
Melvin – Melvin Johnson (1831-1871), Clarissa and Emily’s nephew, the son of their brother Carlos Johnson
His son – Carlos Melvin Johnson (1862-1830)
Northfield Sept. 14th, 1863
(written upside down): I have a poor envelope.
My dear sister
I take up my pen once more to try to write you a few lines – I have ever since we heard of R. death been thinking of writing. At the time I was quite unwell myself and my children have been sick a good deal since I thought I would wait till Esther got home but when she came home she was sick, so I did not get time to write then; and she thought she would write before she went back to school but did not get time. She said I must write for her — My baby is crying & I must stop and take care of her 15 Monday I have finished my washing & got my baby to sleep I will try to write some more My dear sister I can sincerely sympathize with you in your affliction when our friends are taken from us by sickness it is very trying but when they are deprived of their reason & left to take their own lives it is doubly so; but there is one to look to for support to carry us through these trials. Mysterious are the ways of Providence no doubt all these trials and afflictions are for some wise reason! I have often thought trials were sent upon us show us the fraility of human nature & to wean our affections from the world & to feel more our dependence on our Maker, 0 may we make a wise improvement of these things Our family are now in usual health Mine I cannot say is very good but so I get along with my work and take care of a sick baby most of the time Esther you have probably heard has been away to school the year past, we did not expect to have her go any longer but she was so anxious to keep on another year we let her go back she
boards at the Institute now. The 3 first quarters she boarded with Eunice who lives in Cleveland No. 29 Cheshire Street. We wanted to go to Mass. this fall very much but could not without E. stopped going to school I hope if our lives are spared we shall be able to go sometime My family has never so small as it has the past year only ourselves & the 2 children Cynthia told you about our sick baby she has improved somewhat for a few months past she can walk and begins to talk Olivia is a great girl of her age She has been to school most of the time for six months past C. was much pleased with her visit in Mass. She has been at work at Cuyahoga Falls this summer Mother has been quite sick some time She has not been out but once since the fourth of July I think it has been four or five weeks that she has been confined to her bed suffers a great deal of pain it is Chronic disease of the Liver and Stomach —— I fear sometimes Mother has not long to stay with us but the Doctor says she will get up again he thinks, you know she has got so old there is not much left to build on I wish you could come and see her once more but I suppose you could hardly leave your children how are they all & their little ones has Lizzie, husband got home from the war? Oh! this dreadful war it is making a great many widows and orphans, and the end is not yet come. I hope the coused Slavery will be blotted out of existence before it ends so that the next generation will not have to go through the same trouble again Maria health is quite poor this summer She seems to be all broke down She has got to stop hard work — her 3 girls are all about as large as she is but they all go to school I think she ought to keep one home to help her Br Woods folks are well as usual I dont think her mind has been quite as well the past summer Wellington is making brick this summer they have no children but Austria she is as large as her mother and looks very much like her———-¬Julius has worked for W this summer he lives at Macedonia he has two boys his health is not very
good I think he will go as his Father did with Consumption Elmer folks were well a few days ago. Josiah
is going to live with Charles Dorconh(?) this fall. Lucy Ann lives in East Cleveland her husband is in the army Second Lieutenant in the 105 regiment Ohio volunteers he is in Rosecrans division he was wounded in the battle of Perryville but recovered in a short time Melvin has a son twill be a year
old in Nov. he lives in [xxtney] where he married Another day has [past?] and this is not off
I will try and finish this scribbling Mother felt more comfortable last night I hope she may get well again_We have had very strange storm very day but little grass cut this season. We shall have few peaches and apples for own use some grapes Wheat generally good oats also Everything we buy very high cotton cloth 37 cts to 40 yd. Calico 25 brown sugar 15 cts butter 20 cts Cheese 10 cts Olivia has got ready to take this to the Office and is a great hurry I am so little use to writing I dont know as you will be able to read this I wish Lizzie would write to Esther she gets homesick now and then her address is Cleveland Institute Cuyahoga Co. Ohio Write soon. My love to all My family and send their respects
(written up the side): Esther school commence the first of Sept & closes the first of July.
Clarissa Taylor
In the next letter, we hear from Betsey. She does give a brief update on family members before being Betsey again.
