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Christmas – 1866
To continue the Christmas theme, this excerpt is from a letter Mary Howard Affleck wrote to her sister Sarah Howard Forrer on January 20, 1866. Harriet has not been here since Christmas. Mary Howard stayed with us several weeks and would willingly have remained longer if her mother, who has no girl, had not needed…
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A Christmas Letter to His Sister
Monday, Dec 23, 1861 – From Camp Lyon Civil War Soldier Howard G. Affleck wrote to his sister, Harriet: I have been thinking all along that I would be permitted to spend the holidays with the “loved ones at home” but owing to the changes in my prospects I suppose I will have to forego…
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Discord over Inheritance
Below, is an excerpt from a letter, postmarked Jan 13, probably 1834 – a few months after the deaths of Horton and Hannah Howard in the Cholera epidemic. The letter is written by 20 yr old John Howard to his brother in law Samuel Forrer, and refers to John’s half brothers Henry (41,) Joseph (36,)…
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Scarlet Fever – a Fearful Disease
Before antibiotics, diseases were serious – sore throats and scarlet rash (or scarlet fever) were often fatal. It is hard sometimes to read these old letters – I find myself growing fond of my ancestors, their siblings, their friends, and the friends’ families, and grieve for their losses. In December 1870, Joan Murray (a friend…
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A Soldier’s Complaint
My great-great-great-grandmother, Mary Howard Affleck was not alone in criticizing the government over management of the Civil War army. The following excerpt is from a letter written to Sarah Forrer by Joan Murray (a close friend of Mary and her sister, Sarah F.) Joan’s son-in-law, Charlie, was a full Major in Company S of the…