Augusta County: D. V. Gilkeson to Gilkeson's brother
(probably Hugh Gilkeson), November 4, 1867
Summary:
Gilkeson briefly discusses the harvest, then goes on to write about his health,
about the children, and about his faith in God to help him raise them. He
mentions his election to church office; and he closes the letter by complaining
that African-Americans have again voted "for the yankees." Gilkeson hopes that
the tide is changing against the radical Republicans in the North.
November 4th 1867
Brookfield
My Dear Brother
Yours of the 22
nd
came to hand in due time and a little sooner or a little shorter time on
the road than usual and ought to have been answered sooner but for the fact that
I have still been very busy and have not had time hope that I will get time
after awhile to write in daytime a thing which I have not had time to do for
months past the children have had their letters written for several days waiting
on me I tried to get them to write as much more but it is a right smart task to
them to write and I dont think they have done it I have
just gotten through with the threshing machine not quite either have had it
three times since harvest will have to get it again at the clover
[unclear: Hulled] which is pretty much the same thing to thresh my
clover seed, I am happy to inform you that we are all well I have been better
this summer I think than usual have had less of my pain I think than usual have
a slight attack of it at this time but not near so bad as usual, Lillie
complaining a good-deal which makes me feel a little uneasy about her complains
very often of head-ache Willie and Emma are quite well Willie looks quite thin
as you will see from his likeness but dont complain is
hearty enough and seems to be a little more fleshy now than he was a week or so
ago Emma is quite fat and saucy but I cant get her to
quit stooping her shoulders I have been and sallie too a good-deal discouraged
about their arithmetic
[deleted: they] it seems to be so hard for them to understand little
examples Willie particularly things that they have been over they seem to get
bothered and cant get it in their head. I frequently
have some little trade give them to them to work out for instance was at a sale
the other day and brought a little table at [illeg.]
[unclear: 37 1/2] five hogs at 4 dollars a piece and 5 more at
[unclear: 3..12 1/2] a piece gave it to them to see how much I gave
[unclear: for] all Lillie and Emma done it pretty soon
[page 2]
but Willie bothered over it a long time before he got it I believe I had to show
him before he got it, but I heard Sallie examining them to
night in mental arthmetick and they got
along very well She would ask the question and allow either of [added: the] three to answer them which
ever could do it first Willie was as quick as any of them and they
would answer some questions nearly as quick as I could
My Dear brother dont give yourself any uneasiness about your children I know it is natural but we will try and take as good care of them as you would I dont think we are at all partial we try to treat them exactly as we do ours any accident or misfortune that [deleted: ] happen them here might happen them there, We are all in the hands of an overruling providence nothing can happen us without his permission, there is one thing that disturbs one a good-deal I feel that great responsibilities rest upon me the children are very fond of running about through the orchard yard & and playing about on sunday I dont permit them to do it and yet I dont like to keep them confined too closely for fear they get to dislike the day I always thought I was confined too closely on sundays when I was small but perhaps it was best for me, My dear brother remember me in your prayers that I may have grace given me to discharge my duties I have been elected to an office in the church which I dont feel like I was capable of filling at all at the same time the duties of an elder in the church are but little more than the duties of a private christian I hardly know what I ought to do yet I must decide before long [unclear: O for] grace to teach me my duty and to assist me in the faithful discharge of every duty incumbent on me, three others were elected at the same time but dont know whether any of them will accept Mr Raymond a brother-in-law of John Guthrie W m [unclear: Shing] and Brown Patterson
We had a dozen of the childrens likeness taken home many will you take will send some in this can send others again if you want them Our election is over the negro side has carried [unclear: for] the convention they vote almost a unit for the yankees hope they may learn more sense, I am affraid we have hard times ahead of us although the Radical are losing ground terribly in the north I must close as it is nearly ten o Clock Send love to all friends
from your attached brother
D. V. Gilkeson
