Archive:Letter, Bert Whitney to Hugh Whitney, 1886
Archives > Archive:Old Letters > Letter, Bert Whitney to Hugh Whitney, 1886
Egbert Dumont 'Bert' Whitney to Hugh Monticello Whitney, 21 November 1886.
N.B. H.M. after getting this letter if you write nu address E.D. Whitney 182 East Eagle St Buffalo N.Y. Ask me or Fannie all questions dont bother Pa 2nd the Third and Fourth on Nov there was services at the pabtist [sic] Church for two days (Simi anual association) Mother attended both day and evening taking her meals with others at the church but she did not work much there only in prayer took no responsibility upon herself although the minister told me (Burt) that she was consulted in everythink [sic] and her wishes and views complied with on Friday Nov 5th she invited Mrs and Mr Robert Bennett and 2 children here to tea they were down from Three Rivers Michigan visiting Everything passed off pleasantly and Mother 3rd Remarked after they had gone how well she felt on was feeling and "How much she enjoyed the visit with them" The next day Saturday the 6th she was taken with diarrahoea [sic]. It continued but she kept doing what she had been accostomed to do in such cases but without receiving much benefit She kept about to work saying she felt much better when stirring except one day she lay in bed and Lute did the work. in fact Lute helped all the time all Mother would let her - The next morning she got up as usual 4th told Lute she did not need any of her help (This was Wednesday 10th) Lute thinks she went over as far as Chas Smiths on Monday previous Thursday morning 11th- Mother got up at 4 30oc got Fathers Breakfast as usual he ate at 5oc and went to the mill as usual Mother called Lute before 5oc when Lute came down stairs she found mother on the bed feeling worse Vick went after the Doctor at about 8oc am (O.S. Pratt) he came from once to five times pr Day thereafter 5 (Saturday 13th) she mother was much better all day toword night she came out in the parlor and sat up some - she had at no time been considered alarming -ly ill we might say only about as sick as usual for her only different cause - and Saturday 13th she was so much better that we expected her to get right up. but just before dark she began to get sick to the stomach Vick was going to sit up with Mother that 6 night as Lute was very tired - so Vick lay down fore part of Eve to get some rest while Lute was up - Father Having walked to the mill and back through 1-6" snow was to near played out to sit up - about 10:30oc Mother told Lute she would take her medicine then She Lute could goto bed after calling Vick he got up at 11oc Mother comc'd to vomit and the diarr ohea comc'd again both continued evry few moments - 7 about One oclock Sunday morning 14th Vick called Lute to get up and see what she could do But she Mother could not keep anything down atall at 330 AM sent for Doctor O.S. Pratt he injected some mor- phen into her arm Stayed till 6oc said for Pa to wire Burt and Fannie - the M.D. cam back at 9oc said She was Danger- ously ill and asked for Council (George St John) they both said there was no 8 help for her she had ran down so fast they doubted her living till Sunday noon when Burt came but she did then they doubted her lasting till Sunday Eve at 7oc when Fannie & Baby came but she did - Her will power did it - For Physicians said to me - Burt N.B. Previous to now has been from Lutheria ??????? Previous to my 9 arrival at Sunday noon - now what is said is from me Burt - I came Doctors both said no help - said Diarreaha 1st cause - 2ndly System or Constitution all played out any way not so much Heart or Lung Difficulty as General Constitutional Debility - said her stomach was perfectly inactive said it did not absorb anything Sunday 6oc Eve said added to stomach difficulty conjestion of 10 the smaller Blood vessels has set in Circulation is stopping fast - Hands lim - at Monday morn 10oc said the pulse could not be found she had none - yet she spoke with as much vine [?] as she did at Sunday noon in fact from Sunday noon to Monday night 10oc her voice was of one strength apperantly yet she talked little seemed to live her seemed to prefer to lay quiet or not 11 to talk any way for she had sent her messages to Everyone Sunday P.M. and Sunday Eve had made her requests to Fannie in regard to Burials and to the House hold stuff and the clothes &c &c - Each one of your Fa???? has same lettle token lotted to you some frinds some lettl gift - What Free gave her goes back to Free what Hugh gave her goes back to Hugh 12 what Gene gave back to Gene Burt same Vick same but All to be left in House here as they hang or stand As long as Father shall stay in same house then Burt Fannie & Vick to take charge and send to each thir girfts- make out your lists and send to me what you Remember having given her in way of Books Pictures keepsakes &c 13 the clothing you need not try to remember as there is not much and none is very fine and moreover Aunt Sarrah has one peice Aunt Em another and Fannie the Rest tis were so - Fannie needs will need it worse if she lives But Remember nothing leaves this house except the clothing as long as pa lives or chooses to stay in the house - which wont I think be many months he is old must go too 14 well - Mother after Sunday Eve 10oc had finished with all her plans - again Bid all good bye absent as well as present - saying - "I am ready I am waiting now only to go I am willing I am positive I am going soon too - I feel it - Oh may I go before I suffer more May I not see the sun rise again &c and now those who weeping stand Oh you are wicked to wish me back I have suffered so much" 15 true words - and let he who wishes such under circumstances of past 8 years feel himself wicked after Monday Eve at 11oc She only said to Burt - "Be good to Pa - Be good to Vick Pa be good to Both - Vick be good to all tell the Boys Gene Hugh - Fremont all I hope they will live still as their Mother tought them to live so when they die we may meet over there Do not mourn But think how nice to die so - happy - Good Bye to all and be 16 good All to Mothers Baby - and Father - then calmly folded her hands and for 6 Hours lay quiet breathing only a little slower - slower shorter - shorter each time but apperantly without any effort untill at 530oc Tuesday Morning November 16th 1886 she passed away without a struggle She was never for a moment that we could detect out of her right mind all the time appranty 17 sane as the sanest day of her life - at 10oc or 1O:20 next day Wednesday Uncle George - Warner Cousin Lewis - Our cousin Voll Cook & Frank Smith Mrs Geo Shull and S.E.F came also George Boulton aefHeorice [?] came tuesday night at 9:50oc - at 12:25 P.M. Wednesday Nov 17th 86 we 18 filed out of our house in the following order Minister Rev M.H. DeWitt Director Janus Craig Undertaker Geo R Hurlburt Bearers Henry or ("Cap") Miller E.B. or ("Lige") Leonard Edgar Boylan Wm Scott Sr Eddy Mundy Norman S Fay All Old Friends 19 Mourners Father and Vick Fannie and Southwick Burt Whitney and Aunt Sarah Uncle Worner and Uncle George Lida and Uncle Bert VJ Cook and Frank Smith Lutheria and Coz Lewis H Elias Fritz and Grata Dick Geo Boulton Alfttearm[?] then in no reg- ular order enough to fill the church at 12 45 the family took as look of Remains in our Parlor then to the Baptist Church at one then Friends saw remains 20 at 2:30 was at Grave All Returned to House at 5:10 S.E.F Fannie & Baby left for home Vol Frank Worner George Lewis Mrs Shull at 5:10 also at 8:20 Boulton and he?rne for Buffalo at 6oc Elias & wife for home at 430 Lida Green for Dalton sickness there- at 5oc Aunt Sarah Uncle Bert home so at 8:30 Eve we found ourselves alone 21 Snow Tuesday was 16" deep Wed it was raining & muddy Wed Eve rained fearfully and snow went off Text was Mothers own choise told to Burt Sunday P.M. - "She hath done what she could" St Mark XIV-8 today Sunday - Nov 21st 86 Father and I went to Ch Text was St Mark XIII-4 they draped the Pulpit Church and Mothers seat for 22 the funeral a token of Respect not ever before shown to anyone in this village - it was yet the same today he speaks of her as the By Far best woman ever in the church holds her up as an example for all the rest - says the church has lost its head &c &c and it all does us much good I tell you Good Bye Love to all yours Bro- Burt
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