January 14th 1867 :: Sarah Greene to Lizzie

Rootstown, Jan 14th 1867

Dear Lizzie

I received a letter from you and one from Mary last Saturday and we were glad to hear from you. we had not recived but just one letter from home since we left their. Lydia and I wrote you a long letter about four weeks ago and had not heard from you since. but I suppose you did not get it. I was sorry to hear that you have all been sick but hope you have got well by this time. how long has father and mother been sick and is it any thing more than a hard cold. people around here have all been having hard colds but are getting better now. we have been having very coald weather and real good sleighing for the last two or three weeks. we do not have much snow at a time but what we do have stays.

You wanted to know if my health was any better than it was. it has been a great deal better. it has been far more than a year since I have got home from the west untill within a week or so. I do not feeal as well as I think I have over done but if I keep more quiet I will get over it soon. Lydia has been gone three weeks and was not able to do much. last week she went to Mr. Gorleys to sew a few weeks and was taken sick with a cold but has got better now. she washed to day. George has been doing the washing and ironing for the last three weeks. Mrs. Barlow does not take in washing any more and there isnt any girl around here that we could get to stay a few weeks. tell Mother that she need not worry about me for I am getting along well enough. I have done more work since I have got home than I have done in a long while by doing a little at a time.

Susie is well and is as full of mischief as she can be. she can walk any where she wants to go and can say a number of words. she can say grandmama and Aunt Lydie and Ant Mazma. the other words seem to be two hard to say. she tryes real hard to talk. some times she will come to me and say ma, ma, and look around and tell a great long mess of stuff no body knows what it is. I suppose she thinks she is telling us something. she can say ho, horse, and boy and chair and a good many other words. the first time she got up alone in the midle of the flore she tried to walk and did not give up untill she had walked three or four steps and in a fever she went all over the floor. We went to the concert Christmass eve and took Susie with us and she behaved real well and when Fletcher got up to speak she knew who it was and yealed at him. when we talk to her about you folks out there she looks around and seems to wonder where you are.

I have not been any where since we got home but up to Cap’ Whippies place. Georges Mother has not been able to go out any cince I have got home. she has had an awful sore leg. it has been so sore that she had to sew two stockings together so as to make it big enough for her foot. I think that she is a real good woman. Jim is here. he thinks that he is getting better. he is real good an is full of fun.

You told where you was New Years and Christmas. I was at home all day alone. How are those pictures coming on. have they been finished or if they have not been did Sol have to pay any thing and if he did let me know much and I will send him the money. Mrs Converse had been down to see me. she has got well. they have named there baby Edward Henry after Mr Lamby and one of Nells brothers. we have got our pig kill and have got our work all done. we butchered the day after Christmas.

tell Mary that her pillow caces are twenty-nine inches long and twenty one inches wide. I wrote it in my other letter but you did not tell her. I will write to her soon. Lydia is writing to her now. tell her that some of us will get that money for her. George said that Bankcraft spoke to him about it last friday and told him that if any one was atherized they could draw it. George said that he would get it for her but Lydia has got the note now and says she can collect it. so I suppose she must have her own way. you know she is so terrible abused any way and has not got any home. I shall have to stop as it is late and I will write soon again and tell what I do not think of now.

I suppose you know Lydia Beans and Mike Leach is married. my regards to Ben and Leyde and wish them much joy. tell Ely and Lovin to write and all the rest of the folks. I can not write all the names. George and I send our best wishes to all the family and some of you write sooner and let us know how you are. give my best wishes to Sam and remember me to all the friends.

Good Night Sarah Greene

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Sarah's daughter, Susie Greene was born in October 1865 so she would be about fifteen months old at the time this letter was written. Evidently, Sarah and her family made a recent trip to Indiana to visit the family.

It sounds like Mary, Sarah's sister, may have gone to live in Indiana.

Ben and Leyde might be Benjamin Yarian and Eliza Coppes who were married December 25, 1866. Eliza was a sister of Samuel Coppes.

Ely and Lovin is a reference to Eli and Lovina (Berlin) Yarian who were married September 22, 1866. Eli was a brother of Benjamin Yarian.

See The Berlin Family :: List of The Letters for a complete listing of all of the family letters.