LETTERS OF JOHN D. MOLER, Letter from Hannah (Moler) Anderson to her brother, dated 18 March 1864 Transcribed and submitted by Marysue Eulitz, (c) 1999 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- KSGENWEB INTERNET GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY COPYRIGHT NOTICE: In keeping with the KSGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Providence, March 18th 1864 My dear Brother, I really had no thought that such a long ___ before replying to your very welcome letter received while at our old home a few days before the death of our old Father, but is had not been for want of inclination that has caused the delay I assure you but numerous pressing duties, but when I received the Photograph you were kind enough to send me it seemed to bring my "elder brother" so forcibly to memory and I longed to once more have a conversation with you as in the olden tomes when we used to gather around the kitchen fireplace when our family circle was unbroken. Oh, how sad was my last ___ familiar scenes. I had so much ___ about our Mothers last ___ and hear him tell of old times as he used to do ___ permitted to see him once more, but his "right had had forgotten its cunning," and it was distressing to see the efforts he made to make us understand what he he said. When I went in th took my hand while the tears rolled down his cheeks but he could not speak. I talked to him of you and Henery and he would let me know he understood me but that was all he could do. He was cheerful and entirely free from paid which was a great consolation to us all. How peacefully they are sleeping side by side and I felt a reluctance to leave the place. Nelia wrote me that Mary's health was quite poor which I was very sorry to hear but I hope she may be better by this time. I suppose Nelia will soon be with you now. I understood she expected to leave home about the last of March. I have not heard from her for sometime, she said she had heard the day she wrote that Dan had sold his fame and if so of course he will soon join you in the far West. Mr. Anderson was in Washington yesterday and went in to the Capitol to see the "great men of the nation" nothing seemed to be doing however, he thought the members rather an ordinary looking body of men. Well our country's prospects do not seem much brighter than a year ago, and I fear a great amount of suffering must be yet endured before it is over. There has been considerable excitement here for the last week on account of the enlisting of slaves. There is a very few left no, none scarcely but women and children and they cannot earn their support. But one has gone from here yet, but a boy of nineteen years old. He is in the army. All of the others are women and children. People here are learning the art of waiting on themselves now. But the Unionists are few and far between I assure you. The Emancipation Convention is to come off here in May, I believe. Most persons think the object will be defeated but I doubt it as the northern part of the state is filling up so fast with people from northern states, while a great many who oppose it are in the "Confederacy." There is talk once more of recognition by France, but I have learned to not put much faith in such rumors. William Carpenter and his father met with cruel deaths as you have of course heard. That country must abound in savages I think. Henry and Mary seem to be much pleased with Kansas, or were when I saw them. Henry has not written to me since I saw him. Mary's greatest objection (as I believe was the case with Griff) was the high winds. Griff says if he was taking a walk and the wind was in his back, all he had to do was to move his feet and the wind would take him, and Mary says she has to watch her chance to get a still day to hang out her clothes, and has then had the hems whipped out of sheets, etc. I suppose you have had comparative quiet since the Lawrence massacre as I have seen no account of further trouble. I should think it would requite "eternal vigilance" there to keep from being surprised in the same manner again. Henry gave us a history of the awful transactions there. I fear sometimes that they may come across you and Henry. We have heard the sound of several battles here, but Washington is between us and the enemy. We do not apprehend any danger of being overrun. I should like so much to see Mary and the little fellows, as well as yourself once more. I suppose Nelia and Allie are quite large girls by this time and have almost forgotten their big Aunt Hannah. I wonder if Nelia remembers the crab apples she sent me once. I have no doubt they are good girls and learning fast. Johnny I expect is nearly large enough to plow. I never had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of the other little fellow. I was sorry to hear of the loss of the other little one. I know it is distressing though I have never been afflicted in that way. Our little ones are growing fast, the oldest is now seven, and I have to teach them at home as our nearest school is three miles distant. Susie can read very well and is learning the Multiplication Table, and writing. Lizzie is just beginning to read. Cornelia who is three year old had the ague since last summer. We stop it but it invariably returns in about three weeks. I am afraid it may keep on until it destroys her health. I hear from our relations in Virginia a few days since. They are about as sure of the success of the rebel cause as ever. Uncle John is once of the most ardent rebels there is about there. George is at his Fathers on a visit now I believe. Mr. Anderson talks of selling out as his farm is too large and I try to persuade him to go west, but I fear it is in vain. He seem to be out of the notion of raising tobacco as it takes so many hands, and going to sow consuderable Timothy. He has succeeded in getting a kind of wheat which the fly does not hurt and sowed a larger quantity last fall than for several years. He has also taken to sheep raising which he thinks about as profitable as anything else. Corn sells very readily here for $1.25 a bushel. There was a small crop raised here last year. I must close as I have nothing interesting to write. I wish I could see you and have a free discussion of matters as we used to do, but such wishes are vain, so with much love from all to yourself and family, I will say Good Bye for this time. Your Sister Hannah. Write soon.