Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Letters Sent

I love the Letters Never Sent album and it reminds me of letters which have been sent so I'm going to sift through my boxes of letters I've saved and share them with you.


To start, I'm going WAY back in the past to a letter sent by my great-great-great aunt, Margaret Bunyan, to my great-great grandfather, William Bunyan, while she was away at college in 1844. This was sent from Granville, Ohio where Margaret was a student at Denison. The handwriting was hard to read and so there are some dots to indicate where I couldn't make out the words.


Granville Dec 6th 1844


Dear Brother

It was not because I did not want to hear from home that I have delayed writing for so long but because I had nothing to write and thought it might be that I would hear from home first. but have waited so long that I have given up all hopes of that and think I will try and scribble down something rather it will pass for a letter or not.

After you left I set in the parlour until nearly night when they fixed up the room west of the one you set my trunk in (they thought I would like it better than a corner room) and then I went up there and stayed all night with no companry but a severe headache. in the morning Mary Stanton Davis niece came and made a ... for me She is a very fine girl I soon got quite well aquainted with her

At five oclock every morning they ring a bell to awaken us and then come and light a candle in about an hour after there is another bell rings for breakfast and then another at seven for study and at eight for school and so on every half hour all day for recitations school is let out at five in the afternoon And then we with the teachers generaly go out a walking we some times go out before daylight and walk a mile or two dont you think it is fun for us to be runing over the Granville hills so early in the morning if you do I dont. About eatable for breakfast we have toast pancakes or potatoe but no any meat (I wish they did) then for dinner we have meat. (Generaly chickens) potatoes pudding and so on and for supper bread butter and cheese O yes and cake most forgot.

I roomed alone for three weeks and then one of the young ladys moved in with me she was very anxious to come and as it would save some work as well as mony I thought I had better take her. There is twenty two schollars in school now and two teachers one of which I should think was very good. I believe I told you in that catalogue I sent what studys I had taken I think I might as well have one more as not but dont know what to take perhaps Father or you can tell what it had better be.

I went with the rest of the fold to church once but have went to the Methodist the rest of the time the society is not very large I believe but we have there sermons a day I would about as leave hear Snider is one the the ministers we have but the other is much better - The baptist Minister is considered the best minister in the village I have been there some times in the evening to hear him shout I quite for to night I must be allmost 11 oclock for I did not commense til after 10 I will quite by biding you all Good Night

Saturday 7th. How I would like to be at home this morning and see you all going about your work Martha Ann scrubbing Mary scouring and little George what is he doing tumbling about on the floor I guess. When have you heard from David and the rest of the Illinois folks have you heard from George lately when you write to him tell him to direct his next to Granveille. Tell Martha Alice Jane David and yourself the same how is Fathers health how does he appear to enjoy himself has Bishop got a school this winter and tell all that has been d... at home since I left.. I wish you would send papers or something often write on the wrapping with milk You see I have not got my paper near filled but don't think of any thing else to write at .. I hope you will write soon immediately and be sure to write one of your full letters.

Give my respects to all friends.

from you sister Margaret.

P.S. please excuse the akward way in which this is got up and also the spelling.



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful family treasure!
-Karen

Anonymous said...

This is very interesting. However if all the words you transcribed were the ones that were clearly legible, she had greater problems than mere spelling errors. "write on the wrapping with milk" is an odd request, unless it is secret sibling code.
I've tried to fill in some of the mising words where you put dots.
"Mary Stanton Davis niece came and made a dancing monkeyfor me"
"and tell all that has been doing my drugs at home since I left my stash there I wish you would send papers or something" she need ed rolling papers, I assume)
"You see I have not got my paper near filled but don't think of any thing else to write attacked by dancing monkey can't form thoughts must get help"