Letter 47 Original Front
Letter 47 Original Reverse
Letter 47 Enhanced Front
Letter 47 Enhanced Reverse
THE
CORRESPONDANCE BETWEEN ROBERT BOND JR. (1819- 1894) AND WIFE SARAH ANN (MAIDEN
NAME “FISK”—1823-1909) BETWEEN 1862 AND 1868
From the Mary/Sue collection
From the Mary/Sue collection
Transcription of Letter “47”—from Robert to Sarah AND from Sarah
to Robert
12 February 1867 and 26 February 1867—Dates Provided in Letter
Transcribed by William B. Bond—November, 2013
FRONT OF THE LETTER FROM ROBERT TO SARAH:
Wood Co in the
Pines
Feb th 12 18671
Dear wife I have gest2 gote3 a letter
I was glad to hear that you was
as well as you are I have not time
to write you a long letter I sent in
my last letter for you too4 get a
order of E KingsburyA for
twenty Dollars I dont know
weather5 you got it or not
I am well and hope the
lines will find you the
same
my truest6 is
in the
Lord
R B
(Written on the
side in the margin)
R Bond
NOTES ON THE LETTER FROM ROBERT TO SARAH:
1. February 12th, 1867
2. just
3. got
4.
to
5. whether
6. trust
LIST OF FAMILY MEMBERS MENTIONED IN THE LETTER FROM ROBERT TO
SARAH:
There
are no family members mentioned in this letter.
LIST OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THE LETTER FROM ROBERT TO
SARAH:
A.
“E Kingsbury” may be the same Kingsbury as “Kingsbury place” referred to in a
letter written by Robert to Sarah dated January 30th, 1863. He is certainly the same Kingsbury as “Mr
Kingsbury” which Sarah referred to in the second half of this letter written to
Robert and dated February 26th, 1867. “Kingsbury place” may have
been rented land since Sarah writes in the January 30th 1863 letter:
“I have paid Mr Cowan
five dollars twards that plowing on the Kingsbury place…” In
addition, it is possible that the “E Kingsbury” referred to in this letter as
well as in letters dated January 30th 1863 and February 26th,
1867 is the same as “King Note” referred to in a letter from
Sarah to Robert dated December 18th, 1863, “King” referred
to in a letter from Sarah to Robert dated December 20th 1863 and “E. B. King”
referred to in a letter written by Sarah to Robert dated May 24th,
1863.
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE LETTER FROM ROBERT TO SARAH:
NOTE 1:
Letter #47 is two letters written on the same sheet of paper—the first
dated February 12th, 1867 from Robert to Sarah, and the
other—written upside down and starting on the reverse side of the sheet—dated
February 26th 1867 from Sarah to Robert. Robert’s letter is on one
side of the sheet only, while Sarah’s is on both sides of the sheet. Both
letters were probably written on the same sheet because—as Sarah writes in her
February 26th letter—“paper is scarce.” I have treated these
two letters as separate in this transcription, but refer to them together as
“Letter #47.”
NOTE
2: It should be noted that Robert’s handwriting and spelling in this
letter are much improved over that found in letters 2 and 3—but still
irregular.
If
anyone who examines a scan of the original letter can better make out what the
words are or can see anywhere that there is an error in the transcription, I
would welcome their input.
The
following is my attempt at a transcription of the letter with spelling and
grammar corrected:
FRONT OF THE LETTER
FROM ROBERT TO SARAH:
Wood Co in the
Pines
Feb 12th
1867
Dear wife I have
just got a letter
I was glad to
hear that you was
as well as you
are I have not time
to write you a
long letter I sent in
my last letter
for you to get an
order of E
Kingsbury for
twenty dollars I
don’t know
whether you got
it or not.
I am well and hope the
lines will find you the same
my trust is in the
Lord
R B
(Written on the side in the margin)
R Bond
NOTE 3: There is
no “embossed seal” at the upper left of the front side as was common for the
time.
NOTE 4: This letter was found loose
and not in an envelope.
NOTE 5:
In this letter, Robert indicates that he is glad that he received a
letter from Sarah, informs her that he is well and his hopes that Sarah is also
well. In addition, Robert asks Sarah to “get a order of E Kingsbury for twenty Dollars.”
It becomes clear in the second half of this letter from Sarah to Robert dated
February 26th 1867 that the term “order” is a loan of money.
FRONT OF THE LETTER FROM SARAH TO ROBERT:
Lyndon Feb 26th/671
Dear husband, on returning
from meeting
on Sunday I found a letter from you which
Mr HallG had left we were all verry glad
to hear from you and that you were well, As
to that order2 I have not got it, But Mr KingsburyH
offered me one, as I had then got the boots3 to the
Station4, I thought I would not get an order, if I
could get along without it we have had rather
poor luck with the stock this winter our little
yearling lamb has died and the old sow has had
her pigs an and eat them up so that
we don’t gain in stock but raather5 decrease
I think the sheep are rather poor6 we have two
lambs left one our own, and one Sister AikensI
her ews7 had three and lost two we milk
the old cow yet she give about a teacupful
a day I think she is coming in8 our hens
are laying well now, we are having 12 eggs per day
I sold seven dozen I could not get the wheat
hauled when you wrote but expect to, today or morrow9
for VaughnsJ Stock have got to it AugustusA was
up 22nd and took SarahB to the Masonic Ball at
Kilbourn10 I have not seen AlvaroC or LouisaD
since I wrote last but little AllyE has had the
lung fever since he was
REVERSE OF THE LETTER FROM SARAH TO ROBERT:
smart11 the last I heard we are about as well as usual
WillieF has had a hard cold and considerable fever with
it but is better now Father BeaumanK was not able
to be at the prayer meeting on sunday Sister CopeL
and I called to see him he has a severe cold
I must draw to a close for
you see paper is scarce
so hoping you will soon return I will say good bye
from
your
ever
true wife
Sarah
A Bond
NOTES ON THE LETTER FROM SARAH TO ROBERT:
1. Lyndon, Wisconsin February 26th,
1867
2. an “order” is a loan
3. Presumably Sarah sent Robert a pair of boots.
4. Lyndon station—a railway
station.
5. rather
6. “poor” in this
context means sick.
7. ewes
8. “coming in”
probably refers to coming in season—ready for breeding.
9. tomorrow
10. Kilbourn is
about 8 miles south east of Lyndon.
11. “smart” can mean
to endure sharp pain.
LIST OF FAMILY MEMBERS MENTIONED:
A. Augustus Stephen Boughton (1846-1933) Husband
of Sarah Elizabeth Bond (1847-1912)--daughter and second oldest of the 4
children of Robert and Sarah to survive to adulthood. Augustus and Sarah were
married December 25th, 1867.
B. Sarah Elizabeth Bond (1847-1912)— Daughter
and second oldest of the 4 children of Robert and Sarah to survive to
adulthood.
C. Alvaro N Griffin (1838-1916) served—along
with Robert—in the 12th Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers Company E
during the Civil War. Husband of Louisa Maria Bond (1845-1896)—Daughter and
oldest of the 4 children of Robert and Sarah to survive to adulthood.
D. Louisa Maria Bond (1845-1896)—Daughter and
oldest of the 4 children of Robert and Sarah to survive to adulthood. Married
to Alvaro N. Griffin (1838-1916) who served—along with Robert—in the 12th
Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers Company E during the Civil War.
E. Frank Alvaro “Allie” Griffin (1865-1929)
Oldest child and only son of Alvaro N Griffin and wife Louisa Maria Bond.
F.
William Othello “Willie” Bond (1860-1928)—Son and youngest of the 4 children of
Robert and Sarah to survive to adulthood.
LIST OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THE LETTER FROM ROBERT TO
SARAH:
G.
“Mr Hall” There is an “Oscar Hall” mentioned in letter #9 dated March 8th, 1863
and a “Mr. Hall” mentioned in letter #46 dated February 1st, 1867.
The Mr Hall mentioned in this letter and in the February 1st letter
is clearly the same person—who seems to deliver mail back and forth from
Lyndon, Wisconsin to “Wood Co. in the Pines” or “camp.” But it is not known
whether or not this is the same person as “Oscar Hall” mentioned in the March 8th
letter.
H.
“Mr Kingsbury” may be the same Kingsbury as “Kingsbury place” referred to in a
letter written by Robert to Sarah dated January 30th, 1863. He is certainly the same Kingsbury as “E
Kingsbury” which Robert referred to in the first half of this letter written to
Sarah and dated February 12th, 1867. “Kingsbury place” may have been
rented land since Sarah writes in the January 30th 1863 letter: “I have paid Mr Cowan five dollars
twards that plowing on the Kingsbury place…” In addition, it is
possible that the “Mr Kingsbury” referred to in this letter as well as in
letters dated January 30th 1863 and February 12th, 1867
is the same as “King Note” referred to in a letter from
Sarah to Robert dated December 18th, 1863, “King”
referred to in a letter from Sarah to Robert dated December 20th
1863 and “E. B. King” referred to in a letter written
by Sarah to Robert dated May 24th, 1863.
I. “Sister Aiken” is presumably part of the
session of the church that the family attends. It is not known which church
this is.
J. “Vaughn” is probably Ira Vaughn—a close
neighbor according to the 1860 U.S. Federal Census.
K. “Father Beauman” is presumably part of the
session of the church that the family attends. It is not known which church
this is.
L. “Sister Cope” is presumably part of the
session of the church that the family attends. It is not known which church
this is. James A Cope—who is probably a
relative of Sister Cope—served in the 12th Wisconsin Infantry
Volunteers Company E with Robert during the Civil War.
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE LETTER FROM SARAH TO ROBERT:
NOTE 1:
Letter #47 is two letters written on the same sheet of paper—the first
dated February 12th, 1867 is from Robert to Sarah, and the
other—written upside down and starting on the reverse side of the sheet—dated
February 26th 1867 is from Sarah to Robert. Both letters were
probably written on the same sheet because—as Sarah writes in her February 26th
letter—“paper is scarce.” I have treated these two
letters as separate in this transcription, but refer to them together as
“Letter #47.”
NOTE 2:
The writing in this letter is quite clear and the words are distinct. So
the transcription should be quite accurate. But if anyone who examines a scan
of the original can better make out what the words are or can see anywhere
that there is an error in the transcription, I would welcome their input.
NOTE 3:
The spelling and grammar in this letter
are reasonable so I do not believe an overall transcription is necessary.
NOTE 4: There is
no “embossed seal” at the upper left of the front side as was common for the
time.
NOTE 5: This letter was found loose
and not in an envelope.
NOTE 6: Sarah’s letter to Robert starts
with Sarah saying that she had returned from a meeting on Sunday—presumably a
church meeting—and being glad that she had received a letter from Robert. She
goes on to say that she did not get an “order” (loan) from Mr. Kingsbury and
that she hopes to “get along without it.”
Sarah describes the troubles she
has had with the livestock on the farm and that “Vaughn’s Stock” have gotten into the
wheat. She mentions that her daughter Sarah attended a Masonic Ball in Kilbourn
with Augustus (daughter Sarah’s future husband) and that she had not heard from
her oldest daughter Louisa and Louisa’s husband Alvaro. Louisa and Alvaro’s son “Ally” is sick with “lung fever”
and Sarah and Robert’s son “Willie” has a “hard cold.” Farher Beauman is sick with a
severe cold, and Sarah and Sister Cope went to visit him. Sarah closes by
saying that “paper is scarce”--hence the need to
write two letters on one sheet.
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