March 18, 1872 letter to Sarah Keith from Nancy Betts

March 18, 1872

To:  Sarah Keith

From: Nancy Betts, Omro, WI

Talks about Robert and family as well as Prosper, who has not been feeling well. Mentions that Aunt Jemima Comfort has been married fifty years in February and celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary.

Scan of 1872-03-18 Nancy Betts to Sarah Keith

Omro March 18 1872

My Dear Daughter Sarah,

I take my pen in hand to answer to your last letter wich was gladly received. I was happy to hear that that you all had got a long in your sickness as well as you have. I hope that the good Lord will restore you all to good health again. I should have written before now but I have ben waitting and looking for som letters from the boys before I rote to you but I have not receive non as yet. Lousia[1] and famly is well. She had a letter from Robert[2] last satterday. He was well. He expects to come home next weeke but dont think he will stay a grate while. One weeke ago last satterday Prosper and wife[3] was here and took dinner with me. They where well. He was here last weeke. He complaind of not fealing well and said that Bell was quite un well. My health is not very good but better then it was som weekes a go. I still take the vinegar bitters but only twice or three times a weeke. They have help me but I dont expect they will cure me. Robert is takeing them. He sais they have help him very much. If he hadent got help he couldent work. There is a good meny rond here that is a takeing the bitters and thinks they are a helping them very much. I have thought if Ethen[4] could get them and persavear in takeing them I thing they would cure him. He is young. There is a better chance for him then for older folks. We have had a very cold winter and deep snow. Good sleighing. Febuary was the plents months of the three winter months but March has come in like a roaring Lion. So far it has ben cold and blustering wether. To day it is cold and winday. There is not meny sick at present but there has ben quite good meny deaths. Erva MacCall Dr M Call son is a going a decline. They think he has the consumption. He is a fine young man. He is a bout Ethens sise. He made me think of him often. I would like to know how you have got a long with Chapans or if you have got any thing to pay Osker Keith[5]. Do write the perticulars when you write a gaine. Dont waite so long befor you write as you did. Tell Nancy[6] to write to me and tell me when she is a gone to get married if she knows and I will send her a colla to be married in. Tell Hannah[7] to write to me and tell me if her bow has got back from Ohio and if they are a gone to get married. I would like to know it and if they are I will send a nice littel present. I have nothing that is very interesting to write. Tell Ethen I wich he would take a tramp out to Omro. We think it would do him good and improve his health. All of the boys sais they would like to have hime and stay a few wekes withe us. Tell Sis and Jim[8] that I would like to see them if I could I would give them some canday. I would like to see you all very much. I wich you and Luke[9] could come out and make us a viset. It would do you both good to get a ride on the cares. My love to you all.

From your mother

[to] S. C. Keith                       N. B. Betts

NB Your aunt Jimima Comfort[10] she sais they have ben married fifty years in Febuary and they had Golden Wedding and they had all of there children but Alford[11] and grand childred. He could not leve. They had menny nice presents. She did not say what they where. They wich that could ben there. They ware all well but your Uncel Frank[12] is troble with a bad pain in his head the most of the time. Write soon.

[1] Louisa (McCann) Crawford, Robert’s wife

[2] Robert Crawford, Nancy’s son

[3] Lucius Prosper Crawford, Nancy’s son, and his wife Bell (Steele) Crawford

[4] Ethan Keith, Sarah’s son

[5] James Oscar Keith, son of Harvey Keith, who was Charles Luke Keith Jr.’s brother

[6] Nancy Keith, Sarah’s daughter

[7] Hannah Keith, Sarah’s daughter

[8] Louese and James Keith, Sarah’s two youngest children

[9] Charles Luke Keith Jr., Sarah’s husband

[10] Jemima Wilcox was married to Nancy’s brother, Francis Comfort

[11] Francis and Jemima Comfort had a son, Francis Alfred Comfort. Perhaps this is who this reference relates to. See also a reference to Alford Comfort in the January 30, 1869 letter

[12] Francis Comfort