Lyman J. Willcox to Harriet Willcox, Nov. 3, 1833

Description:

Dear Sister It is with an aching Heart that I know Sitdown to write to yow Thare shall I find words to exspress the Grief I now feel I feel that the Hand of the Lord is Severe with me in afflicting He has Sevred from me the dearest object of my Heart. He has taken from me my companion He has taken the Wife of my She in whom the joy of my Heart was Sentered. She has gone to that Being in whom she Trusted and left me with three Infants to mourn the Loss of an affectionate Wife and a Mother. About the twentieth of July last she was seized with the Acute Rheumatism with Which She suffered all the distress and pane that Human Nature could endure for Several weeks when She recovered from this disseaze So far as to be able to doe some light work until four weeks Since When She took a cold and fell into a state of relaps which defied all the power of meiein and baffled all the Skill of her of her physicians. She sffered great distress through her whole illness yet She bore it with great patience and resignation, until Thursday Evening last at about nine oclock Her Struggles became to hard for for human Nature to bare and the Bandace of Mortality Ware Berst asunder and then Immortal Spirit, took its flight to the arms of that Jesus In whom She trusted a few moments before She exspired She paired her hands and exclaimed I am almost there yes said she there is Glory In Heaven I can see it I shall soon be there Yesterday at one oclock I followed Her Remains to the grave And now Dear Sister I know not what to do on which way to turn When you read this you will view me left alone in a strange Land and among Strangers with three Small children the two eldest one twin boys three years and a half old and the youngist a girl seven months old Without a Brother or Sister near me or any other Relatives (except by Marage) to cosole my aching Heart In this hour of trial Dear Sister It would be an unspeakable Satisfaction to me if you could see it right and feel looking to come and Live with me and help me take care of my little motherless Children It would be the greatest thing you could due for them and me while we remain in In this friendly world. Hopey often requested me dureing her illness to write for one of my Sisters to come and live with me being Satisfied She Should never recover I Cannot bare the Idea of giving up my Children and have them Scattered abroad If on the recit of this your Scircumstances and engagements would permit and you should think proper to come I think there would be no danger in crossing the Lake if you could get to Buffaloe by the twentieth of this Month for it is altogether touberable it will be Safer Crossing the Lake for a month than it has been for any part for what ouer exspence you might be he in getting here I Will make up to you. You may be asuned you Shall never loose anything by coming Remember me to Sister Angelina if you know where she is also to all enquireing friends. It is twelve at Knight and I must leave to [bid] Adieu Rochester November 3d H Willcox Lyman J. Willcox [1833 in a later hand] It will not proberablely cost you more 3 or 4 dollars to cross the lake I live in Rochester 25 Miles North of Detroit. Doe not fail to Write me as Soon as you Receive This Whiher you come or not

Date Issued:

1833-11-03T00:00:00Z

Data Provider:

University of Michigan - Flint

Collection:

Lyman George Willcox Papers

Rights:

© University of Michigan - Flint. All Rights Reserved

URL:

http://digitalarchives.umflint.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p16210coll1/id/99