Martha A. Criswell to Julia A. Criswell, 24 November 1861
City of Barnesville
Sabbath morning
Nov 24th/61
 
My Dear sister
              I feel as though I was humbling my self very much indeed writing to you after you said that you thought I was no better than a nigroe indeed it was the meanest thing I ever heard of in my life if you had have writen to me and told me but you had to write to Father a now I am going to write to you once more and if you see proper to answer all write right and if not all right I should like / very well to hear from you I got a letter from Tommy last week and Father and Rufus got one since I did he was at fort Hatteras then but he is at fort Monroe now he is well and doing well Rufus has been home about three month he has been going to school but that did not suit him and he is carring the united states mail from Barnesville to Woodsfield eighteen miles well I think this a very dreary looking day indeed it commenced snowing last evening and is snowing very fast yet but the ground is not frozen it will not lay very long well this is the third letter that I have writen this morning and I have one to write to Tom and then I will be through for / to day and I am going to write that in double quick I tell you now well Mr Lane was here last night now perhaps you do not like that and if you do not what are you going to do about it he told ma if I did not write to you he would and I thought I had better write for it might offend you very highly indeed if you were to get letter from your intended Brother in Law now perhaps you dont like that I have not heard from sir Criswell for a long time I do not know what is the matter nor wether it is any thing well the family join me in sending their love to all the family and except the largest share for yourself so I believe this is all I have to say at / present so good bye
 
 if you want to write to tom I will send you one of his letters
 
Mattie A
T
Julia
8274
DATABASE CONTENT
(8274)DL0925.008109Letters1861-11-24

Tags: Mail, Racism, School/Education

People - Records: 4

  • (3034) [associated with] ~ Criswell, Thomas J.
  • (3035) [recipient] ~ Criswell, Julia Ann ~ Bidleman, Julia Ann
  • (3037) [associated with] ~ Criswell, Rufus W.
  • (3038) [writer] ~ Criswell, Martha A. ~ Lane, Martha A.

Places - Records: 1

  • (717) [origination] ~ Barnesville, Belmont County, Ohio

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SOURCES

Martha A. Criswell to Julia A. Criswell, 24 November 1861, DL0925.008, Nau Collection