Augusta County: John D. Imboden to Annie Lockett,
November 17, 1870
Summary:
Imboden writes to his fiancee to express his eagerness to marry her and tease her
about how her acquaintances react to the news that she is engaged to an older
man. He also describes some of the experiences he and his daughters were having
in New York.
Nov 17. 1870
Grand Central Hotel N.Y.
My little darling.
I will not wait for a reply to my Keysville letter, but write to you because I am thinking about you all the time. I wrote a long letter to Sister Lou last night in reply to a sweet, but half scolding letter I found here from her of date the 11th inst. It was in answer to my note from Richmond sending her my picture before I went to Mecklenburg. I again urged her to command you to say March. And if she does, you are bound to obey your older sister. If you do not I shall conclude you are not "a good child" as she said you were, and will not be a good obedient little wife, and you know that would be very distressing to an old fellow like me, who has been used to command - men - for I know well enough women don't require it.
I reached Richmond Monday morning at 11 oclock, & left for the city at 3.30 P.M.
The girls Jennie & Russie are with me.
[page 2]
How I wish you were of
the party. They are enjoying the sight seeing hugely. Tonight we were at
Hallack's Theatre to see the Serious Family, one of the very best comedies I
ever saw. The girls were so much entertained that they are not yet in bed at 1
oclock. I too am wakeful for I was sick last night & slept a good part
of today, recovering from a bilious sick headache, the result of a cold I took
in the lovely woods of Mecklenburg.
When a woman promises to marry a man she gets very complete control of him. I
feel that I belong absolutely to you, and you could make me do the most absurd
things if you were a mind to do so. I shall not be fit for any very serious
business till this state of things is reversed and you belong to me. I think the
most sensible thing I could do would be not to see you again till I am to bring
you away. For I find after leaving you it takes me several weeks to think of
anything else. But on the other hand as I could hardly exercise enough [added: self] control to stay away four months, I
suppose I shall have to take the consequences, and ar
[page 3]
range my affairs
so as to spend some time in our company business in your wilderness region,
having headquarters at Lombardy Grove. I can't yet tell when I am likely to get
away from this City - not in all probability for several weeks, as I shall await
here the return of Col. McKaye our President from
London.
You don't know how anxiously I look for a letter from you. Now that your heart is mine I want to read loving words from you. I want to hear all about how you feel. What people say about us, for all such matters are a nice day's sunder & the source of infinite gossip in the neighborhood. Tell me how your old loves stand the dreadful news that you are lost to them? How many more threats are made against my life? Or will you keep the matter secret and enjoy the few remaining weeks of your freedom to flirt with the unhappy youths your ilk? I don't care how many men fall in love with you, provided you don't return the compliment - and I am not much afraid of that, as I have such unbounded confidence in your fidelity & truth.
[page 4]
Tell me that you wrote to Sister Lou - and above all tell me
everything she says in reply. Mr. Strong has promised her to spend next summer
with her in V
a
& the North. I wrote her to come on herself, if he
could not leave so soon, early in March, and join our bridal party. I should so
much like to have her along with you to prevent the natural feeling of
loneliness you will have for a little while if no one of your family joins us
when I bring you away. An elder sister, and above all a married sister is a dear
sweet companion to a young bride in the first pangs she feels in severing
forever her ties of childhood & youth & going away amongst
strangers. I never see a young bride without feelings of the deepest sympathy
for her; for it is a great trial to part from all she loved so much and trust
her life & happiness to the keeping of untried hands. How loving
& how tender should be the husband when he remembers the sacrifice made
for him? You may come to me with all trust and confidence for I rightly estimate
my obligations and my duties to you & no act of mine shall ever bring
one tear to your eyes.
With love to all, I am with my whole heart devotedly yours
J.D. Imboden
Can you read this scrawl? My pen is execrable.
