Lake County Ohio GenWeb

Rosco (Davis County, Iowa) March 25th 1866

My dear friend

   I now sit down to answer your very welcome letter received on Thursday last. Words cannot express how glad we were to hear from you again and to hear that you are well. We have passed through great trials and much sorrow since I last wrote to you.

It was very sickly all through the West last fall and we did not escape it. Mother was the first to take her bed with a fever and before the week was over Esther was obliged to go to bed also and the children all had the aggrieve but were able to be up about half the time and wait on themselves. My babe was born on the 17th of Sept(ember, 1865) and Mother was taken sick the 18th. So you see we had a very hard time of it. But Henry was there so they made out to get along as he took it upon himself to do the most of the cooking and took a good deal of care of the sick ones. When my baby was eight days old I put on my dress and went to work helping what I could. Noah washed for the baby and Henry for the rest and when baby ten days old I washed some for myself. Mother and Ett soon got better and Ett went with Henry to Ceder Falls and then came fathers sickness. Doctor Kelly pronounced it typhoid fever but he soon brook it up and he got quite smart although he complained of his limbs feeling very weak. But soon he took a relapse again and was much worse than at first. But again he got able to walk out and everything seemed favorable to his recovery. But in less than two weeks he begin to complain of his limbs aching and he kept his bed more and more every day. Coming out only to his meals and on the eleventh day after the pain commenced in his limbs he died. He suffered no pain other ways that he complained of. The Dr said it was a case of dibilty and the cause of it was want of assimilation in his food. It did not digest and nourish him and nothing he gave him could regulate it. He died November 15 (1865) and was buried beside our little one. Mother was taken sick again and was unable to do but little for him during her illness and confined to her bed a greater part of the time and was so sick the night he died as not to know anything about it till morning. She was better the next day and we ascertained as near as we could her wishes but at times her mind was not clear enough to realize anything. On the morning of the burial she was assisted by Noah and Martin to leave her bed and walk into the other room and take a last farewell of all that was left of one we loved so well, one whom we had watched and cared for, for six weary weeks with all the solitude hearts can feel as we feel that slowly but surely they are drifting away from us and our love and care cannot keep them here. Henry and Et were both taken sick and were unable to get home until after he was buried. We were blest with a skillful physician and in him we found a true friend amidst our great sorrow. May God bless him for his kindness and sympathy for he is one that carries sunshine in his dear old face and a heart full of love and sympathy for all his fellow creatures. I was the only one that was not obliged to take more or less medicine. At one time there was five of the family sick Mother Father Noah and two of the children. Mother was very sick from the day Father was buried for several days and did not seem to realize anything suffering no pain that she was sensible of, but she commenced getting better about the time Henry and Et Started for home stopping in Ohio visiting our friends in Lake Co(unty) there going to Mahoning County and visiting relatives there and reached Keithsburg on the 22nd of August. About the second week in Sept(ember) he & Father went in search of a new home and selected one in Davis Co(unty) Iowa and was to take possession about the first of November and we sold our place and prepared to come with them but did not get here till December. Mother had not left her bed and was unable to walk alone across the room when we started but she gained rapidly on the road but Ett kept growing worse and quite bad when we got here and was very sick for several weeks and has had very poor health all winter. Mother kept well for a short time but has been sick a good deal of the time and many times I feared she might never get well. She has bad chills and fever and dysphoria. I think I never saw anyone suffer more than she has a good (deal) of the time. But she is getting quite smart now and rides out every pleasant day. Ett is better too. We live in a part of Mothers house. It is a double log house. They manage to do the greater part of their work with what Henry and Etty helps them and when they are sick I do for them so they get along very well. Henry's health is improving but I don't think he will ever be very well again. We have not bought yet, shall stay here this summer as Noah is going to help Henry. I don't know yet how I shall like living here as I have not been anywhere but once I came here. I have very good health except a lame back caused by working so hard when my baby was so young. You thought we had better trade one of our girls for one of your boys so that we might have a son. Well I wouldn't object to it if all parties was agreed. But we have a nice boy six months old weighs 15 pounds. The girls thought they should like a girl better at first but now they think he is the finest baby known. He looks much as Etty used to. His name is Milo Caldwell we call him Milie. In my next (letter), I'll tell you about the country and how I like it. I (will) send you a curl of babies hair. Now will you trade your girl for my boy. Adaline

   To Emma This week prices here are about the same as at Keathsburg. What do you call your girl and you may kiss her for me. I am partial to girl babies. Yet give our best respects to Marirns?? family and all that inquire after us. I want you to write oftener and Emma too and Oscar