St. Catherine's. [Canada]
June 22nd
[1800/06/22]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
We are snugly settled in delightful airy rooms and feel glad to be at our journey's end although we left the great falls with reluctance. The air is fine & wholesome here, and agrees better with Lizzie & Cumpy than the air of Niagara - the one is now free from rheumatic pain & the other from asthma. We took the baths this morning and think they will prove beneficial. We are at present the only guests at this House but we are in every way satisfied. I beleive Cumpy is about to indite his views of the situation for your benefit. Will the floods in the north west prevent your extended trip to Devil's Lake? Give to dear Elly & Rachey & Mr. Thackara my best love.
As ever yours,
Ellen.
[EES]
St. Catherine's.
June 23rd Wednesday Morning.
[1800/06/23]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
I go this book out of the Library & I know it is safe but I cannot tell exactly where it is. Please ask Mrs. Spofford to let it remain a month longer & then I will be there to get it myself. It may be on a shelf in the cedar closet which I left locked for a reason known to you.
I enclose also a letter which came here to your address.
From the papers, or rather in the papers I have seen several notices to the effect that the President is going to California with the Secy of the Navy in July or August. Recalling the ominous silence of Mrs. Hayes when you & Lizzie were there & speaking of the trip & also the fact that the President himself was rather noncommital Lizzie thinks the newspaper notices are correct & that they do not intend to go in September as you expect. In that case you & Rachel could make the trip on an ordinary car & have more pleasure and independence & more comfort & less expense than if you went with them. In a letter just received from Elly & anxiously awaited she fails to tell us what news came in a letter which she had previously told us came from Admiral Clitz & was sent to the Navy Yard to Mr. Thackara - From her silence I judge that the letter was not an agreeable one to her.
As ever,
Ellen.
[EES]
Stephenson House St. Catherine's
Friday. June 25th 1880
[1880/06/25]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
We are very pleasantly situated here & really think we shall be benefited in health & therefore hope to remain the full month for which we engaged our quarters. I will not go home then unless dear Elly is really to leave the country in which case I would not be happy without seeing her before she starts. I shall learn from her before very long what his prospects and his orders are. The landlord is very ill from chronic trouble which seems like Col. Audenried's but his wife is quite competent to run the establishment. We have Mr. & Mrs. Ulrici from St. Louis here and a few gentlemen but I am told that guests seldom come up before July.
I was surprised last evening to hear of Hancock's nomination & I think the Army is all right and you are sure of proper consideration with either Hancock or Garfield in the White House. How much better than Tilden or Grant.
We have not yet been to the Lake - Lizzie & I - Cumpy was invited to drive there with a gentleman & we are going quite soon. Today it is rainy & blessedly cool. I hope you are feeling well and that you will keep me advised of your progress and health & tell me always how Rachel seems. Has she gained any flesh? She was very thin when she left home. The papers now say that the President is going to California in September, so I suppose it is all right. We are all very well and all unite in best love to you. Cumpy has the privelege of some cherry trees which he enjoys to the fullest extent. He has found some playmates & feels very happy.
As ever yours,
Ellen -
[EES]
St. Catherine's Canada
Sunday. June 27th 1880
[1880/06/27]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
Yesterday I received your letter with the $300 draft. I had already addressed letters to you & to Rachel, to Genl Terry's care - no, I addressed them to the Grand Pacific Hotel Chicago where you will receive them tomorrow morning. We are getting on very well, enjoy the baths and have a quiet pleasant time to ourselves. Mr. & Mrs. Ulrici are here from St. Louis. She is confined to bed from rheumatism & came for the baths. Mr. Ulrici is very good company & takes meals with us & we exchange newspapers. Now that they are on the same floor with us we do not feel afraid of nights as I certainly did before they came. Give my best love to dear Rachey and tell her I will write to her tomorrow morning. I dread to have her go to Devil's lake. Lizzie & Cumpy send best of love to you both. Present my regards to Genl Terry. You are very grand to have one of your subordinates running for President.
As ever yours,
Ellen
[EES]
St. Catherine's
June 29th 1880 Tuesday afternoon.
[1880/06/29]
Dearest Rachey,
[]
I was delighted to receive your letter this morning & especially to learn that you are in such good health & have gained flesh. With you, I am sorry dear Elly has to remain in the hot City but I hope that a cold wave from the north has reached it by this time & given them a little breathing spell. Elly writes me that Ada Slack has left the City which is well for her as her health certainly required it. We have so much here to read and to do that the days really seem short & we never feel lonely although we are the only guests in the house besides Mr. & Mrs. Ulrici of St. Louis. After the 1st of July the house generally fills up & I am told that all the best rooms are taken. To-day Cumpy has gone to Lake Ontario with Mr. Chilton's sons; one a young gentleman & two little boys. They went by Steamboat on the Welland Canal. It is a very short distance & they will be back early. Cumpy is very happy with these boys & his health is very good here, so we have every reason to be satisfied with St. Catherine's - We get all the papers we care to see and get news enough to take the place of visiting but as yet we have heard nothing startling, except your announcement that John Connell failed to pass examination at West Point. It is very difficult to get a child taught the rudiments at the Public Schools - boys that are appointed from Catholic schools always pass I warrant. When I was young they taught reading spelling & grammer & now they are too busy teaching music to darkies & skimming over a variety of branches in order give employment to as many thousands of men & women as possible to attend to having any part of the work done honestly & well. They are very careful to collect the taxes from those who are not represented at the schools but they fail to teach the children to spell taxes or bibles whilst they defraud us of one & whine through their nose of the other. But poor things! they are fast becoming heathen & so are to be pitied. I hope & trust you will not be much exposed: take precautions against mosquitoes. I will write your Papa tomorrow. I got a nice long letter from him yesterday. Tell him I will have money enough - Give him best love from all & suggest to him to write to Lizzie.
Your ever loving Mother
E.E.S.
[EES]
Kind regards to Colonel Bacon -
817 15th Street, Washington, D.C.
Thursday, July 15, 1880
[1880/07/15]
[WTS]
Dearest Cump, As soon as I learned that Mr. T. [Thackara] had been ordered to leave this month I hastened home & find that the orders were contrary to the instructions of the Secy of Navy and have been rescinded. He is now on leave & started this hour with Elly for Phila and from there they will join us at Oakland whither we go on Saturday. Genl McCook has just sent me your telegram & knowing a letter will reach you I hasten to write having only a moment before time to mail the letter. Elly asked me to say that she wd have written had she known in time where to address you. Give best love to dear Rachey to whom there is now no time to write. All well but the heat excessive.
Yours as ever
Ellen
[EES]
Cresson.
Aug: 5th 1880. Thursday Morning.
[1880/08/05]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
We were all charmed to get your letters this morning. I do not know exactly what to do about dear Tom* & must leave you to decide. He has written to me that he will sail from Liverpool on the 12th inst: in the White Star line steamer Germanic & after spending a day or two in New York he will make us a visit in Washington of a few days & then go to Woostock for a course of Philosophy. Now the question is where & how shall we see him? Shall we come home to meet him? or shall we let him make you a visit & then come out with you to see us? We will leave it for you to arrange. Please let me know as soon as possible what you think we had better do.
Rachel has her heart set on a little visit to Morristown & if a good opportunity occurs I have promised to let her go over next week from here, unless you forbid it. She and Gordon can meet Tom in N.Y. and Rachel can go over with him to Wn and come out with you. If she does go to Washington - & she thinks she has to go there before starting to Cala - she can stay with Mrs. Audendried, the few days she will be there. Please let the clerk send me your Post & N.Y. Herald when you have read them. Pat can take them over. Also the Sunday papers including the Sunday Republic -
All well and send best of love. We go today on an excursion to Loretto to visit the grave to Galletzin - Prince & Priest. I wish you would send me a draft for $10. ten dollars & charge it to my account. Please pay out no money on my account except for your washing beginning this week. I paid up to this week & I paid at the McPherson -
I hope you keep well.
As ever yours,
Ellen -
[EES]
Altoona
Aug. 19th, 1880 Thursday Morning
[1880/08/19]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
I have your two letters & shall put in my tin box the one which relates to property in St. Louis.
Before deciding where I should receive dear Tom, I wrote to you for your judgement & opinion and you decided that I should remain here & let Tom come here to see me, whereupon I made such arrangements as cannot well be broken up unless by some imperative cause. I had expected to return home, open the house & be there to receive dear Tom, but when you decided otherwise I gave it up as I thought you would not be pleased if I went. Now it seems to me almost impossible to re-arrange again & I have gone about so much this summer that I am very tired & feel incapable of the exertion for so short a time. All things considered - and they are too numerous to mention I think I shall stay here until the middle of September before going to Minnie's even if I go then I am very anxious to see how she is situated & my heart years to be with the children especially Willy but I feel a little afraid to go for fear I amy be in some way an encumbrance and in Mr. Fitch's way & disagreeable to him. I have a notion that I am rather a bore to gentlemen & that they are rather better pleased with my absence than my company - nothing tangible but it is a pity to be an intruder or one too many in a home. I amy go however to stay as long as I shall find I am not in any body's way. I might even go via Washington to stop a day & get clothing &c but I think that will not be necessary, and I could not open house there and then close again.
I think Rachel had better come this way as it is to me important that I should see her again before her long journey - Let the McCook branch stop over a day here.* Mrs. Audendried ought not to travel under your pass even a mile - not under the pass that is for the family. Even if she could not abundantly afford to pay her way she should not pass as one of the family. Please send me the B. & O. pass, for except for you & the children it ought to be for me, it being the only one and I have any part in. If other ladies than your own wife & daughters are passed on it they will not make it a family pass another year & so in the end I shall be paying Mrs. Audendried's expenses, or shall pay the consequences - If when you shall decide to go to St. Louis you should care to live on that Morris place I think perhaps I should be willing to live there. I certainly would be willing to try it if you should prefer to go there. I think you have not stated to me the precise amount of property in Ills.
I have written to Tom, (wrote yesterday) a letter to await him in New York in which I have told him that you decided we should remain here & let him come to see us - so I shall expect him here after he has spent a few days in W- I have written Mary directions to put a room in order for him &c. &c. Rachel can come on here with him if Genl McCook & Mrs. A. do not care to stop & she can be ready to join them on the train as they pass through. I am very anxious to see her again on account of her physical condition for which she requires some advice and admonition & some little remedies to take with her. I would not have allowed her to go to Morristown had I not expected her to stop here on her way west.
When you send me my money please send two or three certificates or drafts. I would like it in drafts on New York & not in checks on Riggs bank for they charge me high for cashing them.
Cumpy has a return of fever which proves the Doctor's opinion to have been correct at Cresson; that it was malaria & not simple asthma that ailed him there. He has a good riding horse here & has no asthma. He & Lizzie send love - I suppose you hear from Elly. They have a room engaged and are coming here by the time Tom comes.
As ever yours,
Ellen -
[EES]
[About Aug. 20/80] Saturday
[1880/08/20]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
Can't Mrs. Audenried & Genl McC- go this way & let Rachel join them here? It seems hardly worth while for her to go back again to Washington when she will be eight hours on the way to Chicago & on the high road to that City. If they cannot come this way I think I can find an escort for Rachel to Chicago to be there on time. All her arrangements have been (based first on your decision that we should remain here) to stay three or four days in Washington where Emily is to help her get her dresses &c in order and then to come here (according to your arrangement still) en route to the West. She will find it necessary to stay there & put her clothes in order & then she would not have time to return after coming to me. If they cannot come this route I can find her an escort to Chicago, but I am sure they would be well pleased to come this way. I am sorry to interfere but really it cannot now be avoided. I do not suspect Mr. F. would be unwilling to have me come, but with no fault of his I might prove to be disagreeable to him, but I will go.
As ever yours,
Ellen
[EES]
Altoona,
Aug. 23, 1880
[1880/08/23]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
I am delighted with the latest arrangement given in your letter to Lizzie. It will be delightful to have all the party here a day & we shall look for you Monday at 4. p.m. I hope Tom & Rachel will come out by Thursday or Friday at the latest. Rachel will be all ready to go on with Genl McCook and Mrs. Audenried. I think it will do Mrs. A. good to spend a day here. Genl & Mrs. Brisbane are here now & Col. & Mrs. Wilson but the latter couple for only a day.
Now that the party are coming this way, please send me the B. & O. pass because you may forget it in the excitement & engrossment of the trip. If other ladies use it I will be considered a fraud when I present it. I am very glad they are not going under it. Elly & Mr. T. come here this evening to remain -
As ever,
Ellen.
[EES]
Sherman Place. Cote Brilliante St. Louis.
Oct. 2nd 1880.
[1880/10/02]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
We have had a lovely visit and no one has been happier than Cumpy, but I feel that it is now time for him to be at his studies and have arranged to start home on Monday night. We will be all ready for the return of yourself and dear Rachel and shall be ever so happy to have you both back, again. Col. Bacon sent me a Treasury check for my money in time for me to pay my taxes before the 1st inst: and thereby save six or seven dollars. Having used it for that and for travelling I shall be quite ready for the next month's money but shall not be obliged to anticipate it before your return the first week in November. Should you be delayed longer you can send another check.
The last letter from dear Elly was from Phila and they were about to start for Boston, to which place I have this day addressed her a letter - "South Boston Iron Works".
All are well here and join me in best of love. Cumpy has gathered apples wheeled them to the cider press and made a barrel of cider of which he is very proud. The place is delicious but I fear I shall have to return to 912 if you retire for it will not bring $15000. now - It would be suicidal in you to retire but should you, I had perhaps better go there & keep a close carriage as I cannot walk any how - but "sufficient for the day" &c. &c.
I have seen the Turners but I have gone in to the City very seldom being content and happy here - Do not purchase or arrange for us without first letting me know what you contemplate. I hope you will have returned in good condition to San Francisco, when you receive this.
As ever yours,
Ellen -
[EES]
817. 15th St. Washington D.C.
Oct. 16th, 1880
[1880/10/16]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
Yesterday I received your letter of 2nd inst. & therefore address you now at Sante Fe. I wrote you from St. Louis more than once & indeed have written quite regularly. I came home sick & was thankful to get to my bed & send for the Doctor. Now I am well again. I left Minnie in bed from a wound in the foot she having run a nail almost entirely through it as she stept on the nail in going down the cellar steps before it was quite light in the morning. The nail was in a strip of wood & was straight up. She is still in bed or in her room the Doctor forbidding the use of the foot.
When you were leaving I asked you what I was to do for the next month's money - you simply answered that you "had made arrangements" - After I went to St. Louis I wrote to Bacon to ascertain what your "arrangements" were and send me $800- in time for my taxes ($500-) before the 1st of Oct: as by paying before that date I could save six or seven dollars. If you had told me what your arrangements had been I would not have been left to the disagreeable (to me) necessity of writing to Bacon - Your check to him came in time & my taxes were paid in time.
I sold my Easton Ave. property during my stay there getting a very good price for it. Dr. Hawley bought half & a German woman who wanted all, got the other half - The latter gave 60- & the Dr. 65-. Altogether it makes $3000- clear after paying cost of sale. I signed the deeds & left them with Casey who will bring them for your signature. Please be sure to sign them as I have made every pledge for the sale & I want the money & the notes. I beleive there is nothing new. All are well & Lizzie & Cump unite with me in best of love to you.
As ever yours,
Ellen -
[EES]
Washington, D.C.
Oct. 26th, 1880
[1880/10/26]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
I have just received your letter of 18th inst and feel just as grateful to you as if you had gone to Santa Monica to see Tom. I received your telegram stating that he was in San Francisco. Col. Bacon sent over my check this morning. I am delighted that you are to be home so soon - sooner than you supposed when you wrote last. Mrs. Colket & Florence are in the City. Lizzie saw them yesterday & says Florence has grown very much and looks remarkably well.
Cumpy has had another asthmatic attack but he is bearing up well. Elly writes cheerfully from Boston & Lizzie & I are well & getting everything ready for you & Rachey. Poor Minnie has had a siege. I hope you will not find her still confined to her bed. I have written to Casey to watch out for you. Please do not leave without signing the deeds (which I have signed) for the Easton Ave. lot - I shall be terribly out in every way if you fail to sign as my word is given there and I want the money I shall get in first payment - Office of Green & La Motte 8th & Chestnut is where Casey is with the deeds, but he will come out if you notify him. All send best of love -
As ever
Ellen.
[EES]
Boston
Jan. 24th 1881
[1881/01/24]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
I am astonished to hear that Genl Van Vliet has been retired & in that summary manner. It seems as if the President were cutting at you through your friends, but I hope he has had no such unworthy feeling. I am sure they all feel it keenly. It will make Gen. V. V. ten years older in a year's time. It is a great thing to have hopes anchored above this world for all is delusion here & no true happiness to be found - a little vanity & pretended friendship - then the desolation & isolation - Cumpy is enjoying Boston as if he were really in his native place. He has just come in from a long walk - the morning is bright & not severely cold. He & Harry Sherman went to Saturday to pay their respects to Longfellow. Harry had his card & Cumpy put his name on it & sent it in. The Poet received them in his parlor. Cumpy told him that he was General Sherman's son - and they seemed to have plenty of topice of conversation until on the arrival of other visitors they had the good sense to leave. He is now going to Bunker Hill with John Boyle O'Reilly & Mr. Thackara. Your dispatch announcing Lizzie's acceptance of invitation to stand for the +baby did not arrive until Saturday but it was just as well because on account of the storm the baptism did not take place until yesterday. Elly sends her best love to you and she will write as soon as she is up. She & Thackara have a great deal to say about your visit here, which they enjoyed very much.
*Julia Huggins is here - & I must close. I hope you have sent me the Sunday papers.
As ever yours,
Ellen
[EES]
*Gen. Shermans niece.
+Elizabeth Thackara
Bostonn, Mass.
Jan. 27th 1881.
[1881/01/27]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
Yesterday Elly was very unwell; had chill followed by fever & it being the 9th day (from noon commencing) we felt very uneasy & the Doctor was quite apprehensive. This morning she is better but it is still necessary to keep her very quiet. I shall of course write in the morning & should she have no further back set I shall hope to be home soon. Cumpy & Harry Sherman took their breakfast at half past six this morning & started for the early boat for Fort Warren. On Saturday they are to visit Lexington & Concord & tomorrow Cumpy will go to Memorial Hall &c &c. He will be able to tell you all when we get home. Mr. & Mrs. Rice go on Friday night to Washington to be present at the unveiling of the Statue of Mr. Collamer, Mrs. Rice's Father. They were here last evening & Mrs. Rice had called before. I invited them to attend next Tuesday's reception & hope Rachey will call & invite them. I wish you could call on them. I am anxious to get home but shall not leave until Elly is better than she is today. With love to all, as
ever, yours,
Ellen
[EES]
Boston, Mass.
Jan. 29, '81 Saturday 3. p.m.
[1881/01/29]
[WTS]
Dearest Cump, I have received and answered your dispatch about Elly. I have also written you each day since she became so ill. Yesterday she began to improve, her pulse went down thirty or more and her temperature was four degrees less. This morning she was still improving but now there is a slight rise of fever. In the morning I shall write you before I go to Church, if indeed I go, but should she be much worse I shall of course telegraph you promptly. She has the best of Physicians. Dr. Chadwick stands at the head of the profession in that specialty. I have had the baby so many hours every day that I have not found time to write much. I keep her in my room in order to have Elly very quiet. Mr. Thackara, the nurse & I have been kept in constant attendance and the Dr comes twice & three times a day. He felt very comfortable about her this morning but I fear the rise in her pulse which Mr. T. has just found to be considerable.
Mr. T. called on the Secretary but he was at lunch & sent word for him to wait which he could not do. He attends the dinner at 6. this p.m. given to the Secretary. Please shew this letter to Lizzie & Rachel for although I shall write a line to Lizzie I have not time to write in full.
As ever,
Ellen
[EES]
Oakland.
July 31, 1881. Sunday,
[1881/07/31]
Dearest Cump,
[WTS]
We do not get any mail on Sunday, until evening so we are quite in the dark about the President. Your letter of Friday came yesterday with draft enclosed which I herewith return to you endorsed to your order & shall ask you to take the trouble to give out some checks to Pat to pay bills & then send me three drafts. The one for $200. is for myself - $50. I shall send Rachel for an order and $40 is for Minnie as a balance towards Cumpy's expenses and to furnish him something for traveling as he has to pay through Ohio. I shall want him to come on by the 10th or 11th of August when we shall join him & go on to where Elly is, and perhaps stay, & perhaps go on to Altoona & Cresson.
I am glad he has kept so well and yet I think a change would be better for him now.
I paid up my heavy fuel bill in March & now have none to pay. Being obliged to buy the fuel as we need it & having no place to store a supply makes it very high. The Druggists (Thompson's) bill seems large, but it is for six months & much of it is for disinfectants which we have to use all the time. Magruder's Cornwell's & Huntley's (two Grocers and Green Grocers) bills I will leave for next month because they are for only a part of the month & I always pay them monthly when I am at home. The balance I may want you to check against for small amounts and as, for instance James will want about $6. for chimney sweeps and I shall want another draft for myself before the next pay day. Please do not give any one a dollar on my account unless I write you directly or indirectly, except the money for the chimney sweeps of which I have written to James. Can you not go with us when we join Elly?
I am thankful to hear you have had an offer for the Morris farm for I regard it as a sign that you will rent me the Patrick place [?] (by) Minnie and perhaps when we can sell the Garrison Ave. place we may care to buy it. We can tell after renting awhile whether we would like to buy. If you will rent the Patrick place of course the rent of the Garrison Ave. place will go towards it and it may cover it. I would like to have the house we keep now out there for then we can spend the summers at our own place & need not go among Strangers. And I can keep our wordly goods papers &c there and you can keep pleasant apartments in Washington during the winters & curtail expenses there in the Summer. It will suit me better to have a place of my own for summer & be better for Cumpy, and you will enjoy the place and the care of it & watching the growth and putting forth of vegetation &c. &c. And gradually we shall want to stay there the most of the time & never care to leave. With the Garrison Ave: house we are still driven elsewhere for summer quarters and the winter months are the time the family would be most in W. My suggestion would be to rent the Patrick place (Mr. Patrick is just dead) for awhile and test how we shall like living there. We have to be with Minnie a good deal & we have to be a good deal out of W- in Summer.
Think of this dearest Cump, and I shall hope that it may be settled so as to bring us near Minnie & the children.
As ever yours,
Ellen -
[EES]