Franklin County: Eliza R. Stouffer to Catherine and Amos Miller,
November 26, 1862
Summary:
In this letter to Catherine and Amos Miller, Eliza Stouffer describes the physical state of
those at home, a visit from Daniel Dash's family, and the importance of maintaining religious
faith.
Nov 26th 1862
Chambersburg, Pa.
Dear Children
After a long silence on my part, although not through forgetfulness
as my mind has been often with you and would much rather speak to you, face to face then write,
but must at this time be content and thankful, for this privilege, We are all pretty well, with a few small ailments, Papa I think is in a
better way now than he has been for over a month, he could not get any thing to relieve him of
diarrhea, since Sunday he has taken [deleted: taken] spirits of turpentine and it
made a change directly, so that we Think he will soon be quite well again Amos has a sore carbuncle on his Knee, so that, he walks quite lame, did not grind last
night, & Emma has a sore finger something like fellon. Our men are thrashing with the
separater, The girls are washing, I just finished soap boiling had a big job of it. got nice
soap, (I feel pretty tired) Brother Martin
[page 2]
Hoover stopped with us, on monday took
dinner here, said you were all well, but Mother Miller, was not so well, hope she is well again
said he enjoyed his visit very much felt strenghened in Spirit, Our Neighbours and friends are
well as far as I Know, Abners too, he was just in, while I am writing, On Sunday John Frys were
here, we went with them to Joseph Ryders' Lizzie is quite well again, but looks pale her baby
is growing some, has not much suck for it, must feed it, In the evening Daniel Dashes family from Cincinnati were here, they have
three children, had only the youngest one along, a little girl named Sallie, eight years old,
he looks well, and by all accounts is doing well Elizabeth Dash was also along, she said Molly
Laufman was very poorly, I thought I would go up to see her as soon as I get time, Phillip
Hoover was here on saturday evening for a few chickens, he is well, and looks hardy, yesterday
some of the Cumberland County men passed here (Several hundred) to Gettysburg
[page 3]
our
men said Phillip, was not along they were all from the lower end of Cumberland Co It is pretty
quiet now, about the rebels coming over here, last week, every few days there were new reports
of their coming, Uncle Daniel & Jacob Lehman were down at Shippensburg last Sunday the meeting was there, this Sunday coming it is at our
Schoolhouse, now I have written all that I can think of that might interest, and perhaps more,
will close but yet say a few words more concerning our eternal welfare which is of far more
value than all these passing events, Yet when I look to myself I have very little to say, and
feel that I need to be admonished myself, rather than to admonish
others, and all the encouragement, I have for myself & others is to be given up
rightly, and to be humble and nothing in our own estimation, So that Gods Spirit may work and
dictate for us
[page 4]
poor short sighted creatures, Oh that we might be given up as tools
in the Lords hands, and not choose for ourselves, For we must so often see that ours ways are
not his ways,
and we must acknowledge, when all goes according to the desires of the flesh that the Inner man is weakened and the soul suffers loss, Oh when we look at the reality of our being here and the uncertainty of things belonging to this life should we not be willing to forsake our all, and alone cling to him who is mighty & powerful, to save to the uttermost if we put our trust in him, and why should we not, when there is no other to save from utter distruction,
No more at present, ever remaining your Mother
My love to you all Let us ever remember each other at the throne of grace
A & C Miller
