March 1872, Albany Normal School Letters

by Louise Smith Posted on March 9, 2015

Edith Emogene (Emma) Austin when she was younger.

Saturday, March 2, 1872
My dear, dear Mother,
I get so lonesome as it seems to me I must write to you as I can not live without going home. Yet I like it here very much. But you know it is my disposition to be discontented.

I have had the teethache all day today and this afternoon, I went to the dentist and had one drained.

This morning Mr. Bigelow, a teacher from New York, and a graduate from here, came in for the girls to go up to the legislature. He gave Carrie and I an invitation to go, too. We accepted the invitation and went. I hoped to see Gov. Hoffman, but in this I was disappointed.

I had the pleasure of seeing Senator Madden and hearing him speak. But did not observe anything remarkably brilliant either in his looks or conversation. They spent most of the time in which we were there in disputing the time in which they should meet again and finally decided to adjourn until Tuesday next.

They were rather more dignified and orderly in the Senate than in the House of Representatives. But I did not receive very exalted impressions of either.

We went from the Senate to the State Library and took a look at the books. It is a large and nicely finished building and contains 82,000 volumes of standard literature. We have the privilege of going there to read whenever we please, but are not allowed to take any books from the building…

We are going up to the Observatory before long. Dr. Alden thinks it very desirable that we should visit it once during our stay in Albany, but has forbidden us to go more than once as he considers it a very possible place for flirtations and he decidedly objects to anything of the kind among the students of the State Normal.

Mr. Wright tells me that it is the only or at least the principle object of the school to make old maids, and that we sign a contract to remain single when we enter the school, but Dr. Alden says a lady is always entitled to the privilege of changing her mind. So it is not so bad after all. Continue reading →

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Albany Normal School

by Louise Smith Posted on March 8, 2015
Dr. Joseph Alden, first president at Albany Normal School.
Professor Albert Husted, the math instructor at Albany Normal.

Albany Normal School, now the University at Albany, was the first Normal School in the State of New York and the third in the United States.

Opening December 18, 1844, Albany Normal offered a two-year teacher preparatory program, modeled on l’Ecole Normale Superieure in France. The goal was to educate and train school teachers in the science of education and the art of teaching for teaching positions in New York as well as the rest of the U.S.

In her letters [some of which will be in the next posts] from Albany State Normal to her parents, Emma Austin mentioned Dr. Alden and Professor Husted.

Dr. Joseph Alden
Dr. Alden was the first president of Albany Normal School from 1867–1882. He wrote more than seventy books, including—Christian Ethics or the Science of Duty, The Science of Government, and Thoughts on the Religious Life.

Alden was a firm believer that the study of the English language was just as important as the study of Latin and Greek.

President Alden is perhaps best known for his championing of women faculty who, he believed, should be “paid for the work done and not for the sex of the worker.” Alden was also concerned about improving the living conditions of female students.

Albert Husted
Albert N. Husted, was appointed a math instructor about 1855, but then resigned his position to join the Union during the Civil War, and mustered into Company E, on September 6, 1862, as a 2nd Lieutenant. Captain Albert N. Husted returned as a Math Professor in November 1864, at a salary of $1,000 per year.—albany.edu.

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March 27, 1865

by Louise Smith Posted on March 7, 2015
Charles Mortimer (Mort) Austin when younger.

Twin sons were born to William Henry and Mary Ann Eldred Austin on March 27, 1865.

With typical Austin humor, Henry and Mary Ann discussed calling the twins Abe and Jeff after the leaders of the North and South.

They settled on Charles Mortimer Austin, for my grandfather, and Edward Augustus Austin, for his twin brother.

Sadly, Edward died in July.

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March 13, 1863

by Louise Smith Posted on March 5, 2015
“Siege of Vicksburg: Assault on Fort Hill” by Thure de Thulstrup, 1883. Intense fighting between Union and Confederate forces on June 25th, 1863, at Fort Hill. John C. Pemberton’s Army of Vicksburg were able to stop the assault of Union Forces which lasted 26 hours.

Port Royal,
South Carolina
Dear Brother Atwell,
In answer to yours of Feb. 22. I am glad to hear that you are all enjoying good health.

We have just come in from a drill that is new to us. It is to embark in surf boats off of the transports and land anywhere along the seashore, whether under the fire of the enemy or not. We did it good for ones that are calculated to be green hands at the business.

The surf boats will hold from 30 to 50 men. We started at 11 o’clock a.m. and got back to camp at 5 o’clock p.m. We expect to have to drill it more before we leave here before long.

You say there was a surprise party at our house. What kind of a party is a surprise party? Write who all was there.

I seen one of the Monitors today. I do not care much how soon we leave here. I will soon have two years of my time in.

We hear here that there has been certain propositions about drafting being made up north. If so, I suppose it stirs up the minds of the cowboys to the highest pitch of excitement.

Write how Isaac Bradley gets along. Write if you hear how James Sergeant likes soldiering.

We expect to hear of some fighting up towards Richmond soon. We heard that we were to go back to Virginia from another report. We heard that we were to wait here till spring time set in, then attack Charleston or Savannah.

Coe and Miller is well. It is purty warm here. The sun, when it rises and sets, looks just as it does in Indian summer. We are to get fresh bread today. We have not had it only once or twice since we left Newberg. The sand drifts like snow down here.

We hear the reports of heavy artillery off towards Savannah once in a while.
S.S. Leavenworth

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March 1862

by Louise Smith Posted on March 3, 2015
U.S.S. Onondaga, a double-turreted monitor, on the James River, Va., 1864. Photo: National Archives photo no. 111-B-368.

Washington, March 1, 1862
Dear Friends,
One thing you wrote that you had about made up your mind to enlist. You had better take my advice and not come.

You would likely have a nice ride coming here, but you would get nothing but a hardboard to sleep on and we do not have a good living as we got up to Newburgh. If you will mind what I write, you will be better off. Besides, it is purty certain we will move after payday which is in a few days.

We was mustered in for pay yesterday. I intend to send 40 dollars home. Vanwyck has left his seat in Congress for to take charge of his regiment.

I received that paper you sent to me and was very glad to get it. That box has not got here yet. We can get cake and such things, but it is better what comes from home.

You must not enlist for anything. You will be sorry if you do. You could get in this company. If you did, you would go in the company that you enlisted in. You had better let it alone. S.S. Leavenworth

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February 1904

by Louise Smith Posted on February 27, 2015

Joseph Maier kept records of the costs of rebuilding his Pine Grove Farm boarding house on Crawford Road. The cost of freight to Shohola, Pennsylvania, and the bridge toll was also added in. Mr. Maier first wrote for quotes on the cost.

Joseph’s list of costs for building courtesy of the Bosch Family.

Joseph Maier, Eldred, to Andrew Paye
February 7, 1904
Dear Sir,
Will you please give me a price on 3,000 Shultz hard brick, the same kind I bought of you once before and the same kind you furnished W.F. Proctor a boat load.

The price is to be delivered to Shohola. You pay the freight. I will draw them myself from Shohola.

Give me your lowest cash price money ready when the brick arrives at Shohola.

Also, how soon could you get these brick for me.

The sooner the better. Let me know at once so I can give you the order if everything is OK, and oblige.

Yours respectfully, Joseph Maier

More of Joseph’s costs for building, courtesy of the Bosch Family.

Joseph Maier, Eldred, to Robert A. Greig.
February 15, 1904
Dear Sir,
I write to you to come back. I wanted to see you in regards to some dry white pine lumber.

I want to commence to build, but I cannot as I have no dry boards. Could you let me have 2 or 3 thousand feet? I want some wide boards for Cornish casing and face boards. Please let me know if I could get the lumber right away.

I will get Mr. Daily or if you like your sister to count the lumber for you.

I want to take it to Mr. Daily to have it planed so I can use it at once. I could go up and get what I want and take it to the mill.

Let me know what your lowest cash price is per M, and I will pay you at once as I cannot commence to build until I get dry lumber.

So please be so kind as to answer this at once by return mail and oblige.

Yours Respectfully, Joseph Maier Continue reading →

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February 1941–1945

by Louise Smith Posted on February 25, 2015

I hope everyone is staying well, safe when they travel, and drinking lots of nice warm beverages—tea, hot chocolate, or coffee. I lived through almost 40 winters in Michigan, but this winter in the midwest and northeast sounds major.

If you would like to read the February entries of the 1940s, I have included the links to the posts I did last year.

February 1941

February 1942

February 1943

February 1944

Winter 1945

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February 1940

by Louise Smith Posted on February 24, 2015
Bradley’s Restaurant and Bar with Ed Rider’s 1933 Pontiac. Photo taken around 1940 (in warmer days), by Mary M., courtesy of Kevin M.

February 1940
Thursday, February 1, Ella wrote, “Children in except Stella. Oliver Dunlap called.” Friday Jim visited Roy Horton in the evening.

Monday, February 5, Garfield put his sister Charlotte’s wood in for her. Bill and Anna took Garfield to get the last of his teeth pulled on Wednesday. Bill and Anna each had a tooth filled. Lottie Meyers stopped by to see Ella for a second.

Friday the men stoned Garfield and Ella’s well up to about five feet from the top. Sunday, February 11, Garfield visited Charlotte.

Monday Lee, Charlie Sergeant, and Garfield finished stoning the Leavenworth well; Lee worked some on his place; Anna and baby Jimmy visited Ella all day; Goldie stopped in; Jim worked at Wormuth’s; and Ella found out that George Crandall (Jennie Crandall’s husband) was in the hospital. What a day!

Tuesday Garfield and Lee laid out Lee’s cellar lines. Mary Sergeant was there all day. Lottie Meyers visited in the afternoon.

The blizzard on Valentine’s Day (which would have been Sherman Leavenworth’s 97th birthday) had started raging early the previous evening. Bill Meyers Sr. and Jr. plowed, which was awful difficult. The blowing and drifting continued into the next day. Continue reading →

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February 1939

by Louise Smith Posted on February 23, 2015
Herman Bosch’s ice truck, on the east side of Eldred. Photo courtesy of the Bosch Family.

February 1939
Monday, February 6, Goldie worked for Mr. Tether cutting blocks of ice (icing) to put in the ice house.

Tuesday Anna and Bill became proud parents of James (Jimmy) Meyers. Wednesday Garfield and Ella went to see their first grandchild.

Thursday Jim Leavenworth visited his friend Orville Clark.

Saturday Frank Bartle enjoyed dinner with the Leavenworths. Goldie and Stella were in. Lee worked for Harry Wormuth.

Wednesday Anna was still in bed. Thursday and Friday Clara helped Anna. Thursday Lee worked on his place by Echo Hill, and at Harry’s on Friday.

Sunday, February 19, when Garfield and Ella visited Alvah and Mary Sergeant, Garfield put Alvah’s front room ceiling up. Lee and Clara visited Bill and Anna.

Monday, February 27, the meter man came—cost: $3.46.

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