Page Two of Hard Copy
(They moved to Montello, WI. This is an April fool’s letter to Ann)
Montello, Apr. 1 1855
The company of Mr. & Mrs. Paul Stowell and daughter is respectfully solicited at the house of C.S. Kelsey to attend a social visit... There may be music and running of children. Talking of the old folks to be held under consideration. Riding on land and perhaps water. Looking into the woods and not seeing anything but woods, going to the grist-mill, saw mill, and such like places, will form a part of the entertainment...It won’t be best for the company to offer excuses for not coming, as no such thing is allowable....
(Lucretia had a third child, Julia, b. 1854)
Montello, May 15, ‘56
Julia got knocked over yesterday by one of Ned’s (Lucretia’s brother-in-law’s) cows that we had in the yard milking... I left Julia not far from her heels and went to open the gate. Instead of following me as I expected, she (the cow) turned round and knocked Julia, the end of the horn striking Julia’s forehead, and broke a vein which bled freely. I think if you could have seen her with the blood streaming all over her face and clothes you would have pitied her rather more than if she had been playing with a cat. We soon bandaged her up and today it looks like a very small affair... Tomorrow we start for our new house. Just about a year ago we started for Perry (for a visit). Another year we may start for some other place and now I start for bed. Good night.
(To sister-in-law Lottie)
Montello June 8, 1856
We are safely lodged in our new cabin which is much more comfortable than the old one... The rooms are high, giving us air that we can breathe without being obliged to take it right from a sun-burnt roof. I have the nicest kitchen that I ever had. It is a shed moved from our other place... I feel perfectly independent in it. There is no plastering to care for and I can drive nails anywhere. There is a south window and a north door and a big oak tree close by it.... I have received a letter from M.B (an ecstatic newly-wed cousin, who listed every cup and saucer and so on of her wedding presents, in great detail). I hope you are half as happy as she seems to be. You may think strange that I do not say “quite as happy,” but I think her cup of bliss is filled to the brim and running over, scripture measure to be sure, but I fear there is a siphon attachment that will be more likely to drain the cup than that she will have a lifelong enjoyment of such unmeasured felicity.
(To her brother)
Montello July 13, 1856
We are all flourishing, after the usual ratio, Father Kelsey being quite an object under consideration. We have him here when we can’t help it. We have just had him here a week. He is helpless with one side and pretty much so with the other — can’t talk to be understood, and it is something of a task to take care of him. Dr. Baldwin is doing it for six dollars a week. He has failed a great deal in a few weeks. (he died on the 25th).
(from Charles S. Kelsey to Goodell, his brother-in-law)
Montello, Oct. 15, 1856
... I was sorry to learn ... that you ... have gone over to the assistance of our ancient enemies; I am afraid Horace Greeley has been the means of your defection. I, however, still hold fast to the faith once delivered to the saints, that all men are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, and amongst these are life, liberty, and if they choose, may pursue the chimera, happiness. At the South any voter who owns five slaves equals politically three northern gentlemen like myself, who feel no whit inferior to the best of their chivalry though he own a thousand slaves. I consider ... a vote for Buchanan as a vote for extending this great disparity of rights — not to argue here about the state of Society, and the deterioration of the ‘humans’ which is ever an accompaniment of slavery. On the other hand, a vote for Fremont is everywhere understood as an expression of opinion adverse to the policy of extending the area of slavery. I guess it ain’t worthwhile for me to write “politics,’ so I’ll only remark that I feel as did Patrick Henry when he said: “Give me liberty or give me death.”
(Charles to Goodell, his brother-in-law)
Montello April 17, 1857
(the following paragraph follows half a page of other news) ... Lucretia is making a fuss about cutting up a pig that we had killed today, and I suppose I must go right off and attend to it, as I am for “women’s rights” when obstreperously promulgated. All well, Yours, C.S. Kelsey
(at this point Lucretia takes the pen) I wasn’t very obstreperous but then tomorrow will be Saturday and I must have the lard tried, and I rather didn’t want the pig in the kitchen any longer. So I merely agreed to finish the letter for him...
(Lucretia to Goodell and Lottie)
Montello Dec. 20th, 1857
...I have received a letter from Aunt Rebecca containing a specimen of her hair wreaths, being of her hair and her granddaughter’s. She says that I may send a lock of hair from each of my family and she will arrange it according to the best of her economy. I can hardly realize that she is nearly forty years older than I when I see such fine work and penmanship None of my nieces will ever see anything of the kind of me — in fact I may as well own that I can do nothing of the kind now.