Wheatland N.D. April 12^th 1899

 

Capt. N. S. Wheeler

 

                        My Dear Old Comrade

                                                                        I have not heard from you directly for a long time but from a recent letter from Knapp I understand you are still at Enfield and that Capt. Day is also there. About all the information I get of the officers of our old regiments is through Knapp and this is limited Gerhart, Knapp, Kepner, Wheeler, Day, and Dame of the 125^th and Gage and Lombard of the 121^st. Do you know of any others of the 125^th? I lost track of Seran at Omaha about ten years ago. He was trying to get a pension and said he was poor in everything but children then.

 

            You know my wife dropped dead about her work in December 1897. My son is married and lives on my old farm here, my daughter born at Ft. Bliss lives ten miles out on a farm, each has a child and are in good circumstances. My daughter Ida 25 years old is a book keeper / and has worked for one man here five years. Her health is not good and she has just started for Grand Forks British Columbia which is close to the international line north of Washington State She is offered $65. per month which is better than she can do here. I am willing she should go in the hope her health may be improved. My daughter Ella twenty one years old will soon graduate from our State university. She is a teacher with a special interest in music. She may teach here or follow her sister to the distant north west. If they are to be away from me I hope they may be together.

 

            My wife's death has broken me up badly I am not contented anywhere. I have a good furnished home here but I can probably rent it as it is I can't think of breaking up entirely. I intend to visit N East this summer. I belong to the old Society of the Cincinnati which meets in Boston on the 4^th of July. I have never met with the Society but once

 

            I was away nearly all winter visiting my old home in Minnesota where I lived twenty two years and where I found my wife / Nearly all my kinfolk live in southern N.H. and Massachusetts. My Burnham ancestors settled in Ipswich Ms. in 1635. Nearly all the Burnhams in the country are descended from three brothers who then settled there

 

            When I was in my native town of Derry N.H. some years ago I found Washington Burnham who lived at one time at Enfield. His nephew Franklin J Burnham lived at Moorhead Minn, was an officer of the 9^th N.H. in the war. The old man came out and lived with his nephew until F.J. died when he went back east. I see he has lately died and been buried at Derry.

 

            I hope to hear from you. Write about any of our old comrades that you know.

 

            I hope you are well and prosperous and blessed in your family and friends

 

            I think all old soldiers like us deserve their blessings. I am well satisfied with what has come to me

 

 Your friend and Comrade

John W. Burnham

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