Augusta County: Mary Pastor to John Cochran,
Sr., July 6, 1859
Summary:
Pastor writes of a gathering of Virginia companies for the Fourth of July
celebration and exchanges updates about family, friends, and
acquaintances.
July 6 1859
Folly Farm
Dear Father
I will vary the general rule by writing to you instead of Mother & thereby give you the pleasure of [deleted: w-----] opening the letter before you get home.
First I know you want to know how we are. I am very well only a little too
cold. Georgie is out here with me & as well as ever. Mr Smith has
taken a great fancy to him & says he likes him better than any
Cochran he ever saw. Willie is in Staunton I believe he is very well
& intended going to Mr Swopes today- Howe
Peyton I saw yesterday
[page 2]
he had been a little sick but was getting
very well He had not been in bed at all.
The 4th was celebrated here in a grand style. The
Winchester company were here & their uniform was that worn in 1776.
Buckskin pants & large boots & ruffle shirts. I admired it
more than any I saw at all. The Charlottesville company was very pretty
& the best drilled by far. They were so much pleased that the Captain went off &
left them all in Staunton. The dinner was in the bottom of Mr Grey's yard & he invited us up to his house
where we took our dinner & saw everything without being in the crowd at all
[page 3]
Of course
there were a few fights All the Mickies, Harmans, & Garbers got in
a fuss with the "West Augusta Guards", because a
[deleted: Garber]
[added: Harman] got drunk & tried to
force through the guard & the officer pointed his musket &
threatened to fire. Brother Jimmie said out loud
that "he thought Mr [deleted: Garber]
[added: Harman] ought to be put in jail
& his father heard it & told Jimmie that he [deleted: inter]
[added: took] that as a personal insult
& would see him, but Jim in his way laughed it off & said
it was nothing but the truth.
Everything was very quiet when we left town yesterday evening I suppose the Charlottesville company left this morning-
The [unclear: Carringtons] got here Monday
[page 4]
and are staying
at Mr Imboden's. We all went to see them.
Cousin Sue Baldwin invited them to her house last night. I don't know how
long they will stay in Town The Peytons are quite delighted with cousin
Campbell & cousin John Preston; so much so that they have invited
them up every day & evening since they have been here.
Aunt Sarah & Lizzie are fixing to go to Bath. They will go some time next week.
Has Monty Lewis ever sent the curls or has he
written about them. Maybe he is
waiting for the money-I
wish you would send them on by express to Uncle Ben Crawford -
[page 5]
Last night we had to have a large fire & this morning it is still
cold, a very great change from the 29th of June in
Charlottesville.
Aunt Maria got a ripe tomato out of her garden yesterday.
Georgie says he would have written before but could not get Pen, ink, or paper at Uncle [unclear: Miffetts]. He will write while out here, as I can supply him with those articles.
Aunt Sarah says you had better send Georgie his winter jacket to wear out
here How is the gas gotten on - Have you gotten the [unclear:
chandelier
] yet[unclear: ?] & what kind are they to be? I do
not like the brass ones
[page 6]
at all. I like bronze ones with green
enamel let in -
The people in Staunton talk of nothing else & last Sunday cousin Sue Baldwin wanted us to go to the Presbyterian Church to see the gas -
Well I believe I have written all I know. I hope to hear from home soon.
Your affectionate
daughter
Mary Pastor
Mr John Cochran Senior
I was introduced to a Major
Washington who showed me General
George
Washington's ring. It is very much like the one our John wears
- only instead of him it had G W. in little pearls
-
