Letters written by Celestia A.(Burch) Moore.
Lucile Kimball, San Luis Obispo, CA. possessed the original letters. Transcribed by Howard Hickman III, April 1994. I changed letter capitalizing and added periods and paragraphing for easier reading. I did not change the spelling.
------------------------
Letter written by Celestia Burch, age 19, to her older brother, Charles, who was fighting in the Civil War. She was living
with her parents in Pennfield, near Battle Creek, Michigan. The following April she was to marry a Civil War soldier, John Moore, during his 30 day furlough in Battle Creek.
Pennfield October 1st 1863
Dear Brother Charlie,
Dont you see I have taken a large sheet of paper to write this letter on and I am agoing to fill it if nothing happens to prevent and I dont think there will. You see I have got a great long story to tell you about the State Fair but I must tell my other news first or there wont be any room for them.
We are as well as usual now. Father has got the wheat all sowed except the orchard. I dont know as he will sow that though he wants to. It is such hard work to get seed. We have a great many peaches this fall and are drying them as fast as we can. Mother has just finished fixing the wool to send to the factory to be carded. Now you must send in your orders for winter socks and gloves if you need them and they shall be tended to immediately.
Rebecca was some better the last we heard from there. Little Charlie has the agne[?]. James is well. George is so that he can work though he is not well. Abbie and Hattie are out to John Campbells at Kalamazo. I am sitting here writing and Eliphalet out doing the chores. Father made out to get him started at lst though he wanted to stay in the home and talk a while longer. Austin Hunt is out here on a visit. He looks very natural. Martha White and her Aunt Mrs. Johnson started for York State yesterday. Carrie and Emmi are going to school to Battle Creek. Calvin Willet and Arthur are going there this winter. Mary Parsons is living at home this fall. Ellen is at Battle Creek with Hattie. They have a shop and make dresses and cloaks. Mr. Hull, Hatties husband is the editor of a paper in town. Purm[?] White is building a cider mill between his corn house and the road. Father and Mother were over to Madalies Sunday. They were all well over there. They had not heard from Uncle and Aunt but once since they went away. They were in Minasota there. Aunts Mother died a short time before they got there. Nellie Shipman boards to Mrs. Baldwin.
The draft for this county took place yesterday. When the names of the drafted come, I will send you a paper. I havent got hat lack of your hair yet for my wreath, and I hardly think you have got the five letters that I have written to you before this, and since I have had one from you, Abbie had a letter from you two weeks ago and we all claim a share in every letter and we had all sought to answer them but that we fail to do.
Well now all about the Fair. Want it from last Thursday morning. Abbie & I and old Mrs. Campbell went to the depo to take the cars for Kalamazo, where the State Fair was held. I intended to come home that night and they were going out to John Campbells. Well when the cars came along, they were so heavily loaded that they could not take but a few and there was about five hundred left to wait till the noon train and we were among the rest. When the noon train came it was so loaded that all the Battle Creek folks had to ride in second class cars. Of course we were glad it was no worse and got aboard as soon as possible for fear we should loose our chance again. In a short time we arrived at Kalamazo and went straight for the fair ground. Went in and saw all the wonders of the stait I suppose, though I do believe that I have had dreams that amounted to a great deal more than the whole fair put together. Their Floral Hall was nice. They had a beautiful life size picture of the Empress Engenie? and other nice pictures. There was a large fountain in the center of the hall.
We had only a short time to be on the grounds that afternoon for it was late when we got there. We looked all around for Mr. Campbell but could not find him. So before night, we went back to town and went to the Burdick house for we knew that he always put up there. We had not been there long when he came along. He and his son John, you remember him, were down with a single buggy. They said that I must not think of going home that night for I had not had a chance to see any thing of the fair or the town either, Mr. Campbell said he would go and get a large buggy and take us all home with him. They live 12 miles north west of town, but after looking nearly two hours he found that it was impossible to get a buggy or wagon of any kind. So he came back and said he would take Mrs. Campbell and Hattie home with him and John should stay there at the Burdick House with Abbie and I. John's wife had gone out of town aways to stay with some of her friends.
Kalamazo never saw such times before in all its life. There was not a room nor a bed to be had in all the town and they said we would have to try camping out. I thought that would just suit me for I had always wanted to try camp life. John took us to supper and then we went back to the siting room. He went out in the streets and said he should be back again in about an hour. We sat in some chairs by a window. There was three sofas in the room, all of them occupied at the time. After a while a Gentle man and two Ladies got up from one of the sofas and went to supper. We crossed the room and took possession. The sofa stood right across the corner of the room, leaving a space behind it. I laid down on one end of it and Abbie on the other and composed ourselves for a nights seat. I was awful tired but it was no go. I could not sleep in such confusion as that. Opposite us were two ladies trying to sleep on another sofa with no better success than myself, while on the third was a w[oman who kept fretting and grumbling about the hard ___[?]. Two corners were occupied by Gentlemen ____dding in their chairs. About a half a dozen men lay sleeping on the carpet. A young fellow came along, hit them a kick and told them it was two shilings extra if they slept with their boots on. This produced a confused grunt and he went on to bother some one else. Close by one of the windows was a company of three Gents & Ladies drinking hard cider or some other hard stuff and just as noisy as they could be, some of them thought it was real funny to laugh, while one lady said she was sure they should act silly if they drank much more. A sour looking man sat by the table reading and a lady with a very large nose and a high crowned spanish hat with a red feather in it was marching up and down the room.
I for one was glad when the cars came and took a good share of the population of our bed room. We should have been quite lonely if it had not been for the groaning lady and a comic gent on the floor. If she fretted more than he thought was nessary he would say, "Hark from the town a doleful sound". If any one came into the room and left the door open he would say, "The Lord unto his temple came". When the three o'clock trains came in, there was a new arrival. One of Uncle Sams boys came into the room, looked around, marched streight for our sofa, went in behind it, took his overcoat for a pillow and laid down, saying that was a nice place for he had not slept for two nights. Well the morning came at last. The soldier turned out to be a nice little Captain from the 1st Michigan Infantry.
We had breakfast. John went and got his wife and walked around town a spell. About 10 o'clock Mr Campbell came with the horse and wagon. Then we went up to the fair ground, saw all that was to be seen, and went home. Monday morn he brought Mrs. Campbell and I to the depo and we came home. Abbie and Hattie staid. We had a good visit. They are nice folks but I dont want to go to another Stait fair this week. The Fair commences at Battle Creek next Wednesday. I suppose it will be the best we have ever had. I will write and tell you all about it.
I dont have many rides in Billy now for he has to work, but by and by when they get through using him, I shall make up for lost time. We have had three or four awful hard frosts here. They make it seem quite like fall. Nate Briggs is not very well. He has the ague[?] or chill fever, I dont know which.
Abbie and one of Steven Bryants sisters talk of getting a house to live in in town this winter. Miss Bryant wants to go to school and Abbie was to take in sowing if they go. I think I shall go with them . Now I have filled my pages and can write no more this time.
Good bye.
To Charles Burch Celestia Burch
Letter written by Celestia A. Moore, age 40, to her parents Carolus and Nancy Burch. She mentions her husband John and her children Fred 17, Willie 14, Myron 8,and Winnie 3. John and Celestia Moore had just moved in 1883 from their home in Michigan and homesteaded a claim on open land in the Dakota Territory [now near Britton, South Dakota].
Miller, Day Co. Dakota Nov 8th, 1883
Dear Father & Mother,
I will try to write to you again tonight. We are as well
as usual. John took some cold soding up the house. The sod were so wet and cold and he and Willie hurried for they thought it was going to freeze up, but we are having a beautiful weather here now. Fred and Willie have been to the hills twice this week for wood and are going again in the morning. The wood is mostly elm, but it burns well when it gets dry.
Winnie sits by the table talking about Grandpa & Grandma. She remembers all about living there and riding on the horses and chasing the old gobbler. She says Grandma gives Winnie and Myron fride cake and apples to eat and Charley let her ride on Nelly.
We are putting a partition through the house and we will live in the south end of it this winter. There is a family north west of us that came from Missouri. They staid in Dakota last winter and they said they did not feel the cold anymore than they did there when it was the coldest. The wind does not blow
December 11th
Well, after so long a time, I will try to finish my letter. We have got about 10 cords of wood all worked up and piled up back of the house besides some chunks that they pound away at when they have the chance. They will have to go for 18 miles after it, if they get any more. The place where George went with them is all cleared out.
Five weeks ago, last Sunday, Aunt Mary fell out of the buggy and broke her left arm above the elbow. They were just starting to come down to Edwin's. There is a Doctor from Detroit, Mich. lives on Section 20 in the town south of us. Fon[?] went and got him to come and set it. It is doing nicely so that she can take it out of the sling part of the time.
We have had one cold spell. The thermometer was down to 10 below zero one morning, 8 once, 2 once and zero twice, but it is warmer since and some nights it doesn't freeze at all. There was two mornings in October that the ground was just white with snow but it melted off when the sun shone on it. Last Friday, it snowed a little. That is all gone now, but a few drifts.
The station is to be 4 miles east and 1 1/2 south. The Railroad Co. bought 80 acres, 20 off of each section 23-24-25-26. The surveyor came last week and surveyed the town and staked out the lots and the railroad buildings and yard. It is to the first division station with round house and shop_as[?] is named Britton. But remember it isn't built yet, but every one thinks the road will be laid through here next summer. There is to be another road about two miles west of us, an extension of the North Western from Columbia to Waupaton[?].
Next summer, I am going to save some of all the different kinds of grass. I might have saved them this year if I had known that I should have a chance to send them.
Fred and Willie went up to Oscar Churches two weeks ago and got seed, wheat and oats. They were gone 4 days. It must be nearly 45 miles. The first night they slept in a claim shanty. They had hay with them and a thick quilt and Edwin's Buffalo robe. It was pretty cold and they took the oxen in with them. Stayed to Em's the next night. Got there at noon and started back home next morning. That night they stayed at Black Stone and got home about 4 the next afternoon.
I haven't had but one cold since I have been here. That was when George was here. It is getting late and I must close for I want to write some to Abbie. With love from all to all.
Celestia A. Moore
Letter from Celestia A. Moore to her sister, Abbie, in Michigan.
Britton, Day Co, Dakota Nov 21, 1884
Dear Sister and friends,
I will try to write to you once more. We have thrashed. Had 234 bushels of wheat and 162 of oats. Willie has been to Andover once with wheat and brought home coal. Was gone a little over two days and a half. He got 46 cts a bushel. It is 42 now, but we are in hopes it will come up some before long. Fred got home day before yesterday. We have had beautiful fall weather but it froze up Sunday and is snowing now for the first time. 25th it was quite cold, down to 18 below zero, but is warmer now. Fred went to Andover Tuesday morning with a load of wheat and got home last night a little after midnight with another load of coal. He bought 25 hundred. John sent 20 bushel to Columbia mill by one of the neighbors and got 600 lbs of flower for it and we thought it was a good trade for we had paid 3 to 4 dolars a hundred for all the flower we had bought since we came here.
I dont think we shall have school much before spring. The school house is nearly done. It is a half mile north of here. The children will only have a half mile to go.
John will send 10 dollars in this. I was in hopes to have sent it all but will have to wait. It is getting late and I must stop. Write soon. Good bye.
Celestia A. Moore
Letter written by Celestia Moore, age 45, to her son Fred, who had moved back to Michigan.
Burch, Marshall Co, D.T. Feb 26, 1888
Dear Fred,
I dont wonder that you think I leave you to do all the writing but I am so tired most of the time and the boys have been writing quite often. We havent sold any the stock. It is to early yet to get what they are worth. They are all looking well. Pa was going to drive Prince and Dick to town last week with butter. When they hitched them up, Prince threw himself twice. The last time he broke the tongue and they had to put him back in the barn and take Dandy. Got Edwin's sleigh and took the tongue down to Franks and got it mended. The next day they took Dick and Prince again and he started all right and went all right.
A weasel got into the coop and killed 17 chickens and a turkey. Ned shot it. It seems strange to have such warm weather and have it thaw as much in the winter. Edwin only comes home a little while on Sundays. All the rest of the time he is in the store. Winnie hasnt been to school since it came on cold. Myron goes most of the time. He has had two or three bad spells of head ache. Local option seems to work pretty will. I havent heard of any one trying to oppose it and I think it saved a great many lives during the big blizzard. I wish you could get the receipt of old Docks lineament while you are there.
Help Hattie all you can. I hope Aunt Abbie will be better when you write again. Take good care of her and Grand Pa too. I wish he was well enough to come home with you and stay all summer. Guy Lewis was here last evening. They are all well. He said he left Maw and Paw playing checkers. Georgie Law[?] and Clem are at Britton at school. Law[?] has some wonderful experiences at Church and School. We heard that Jim Stokes and Bettie were married but there was nothing of it in the paper.
Mr. Pierce did intend to have another srte[?] with the Bund rocks but I guess he has given it up. I do hope Aunt Abbie will be better when this gets there. I commenced a letter to her long ago and will try to finish it.
from mother,
Celestia Moore
Letter from Celestia Moore to her son, Fred.
Burch, Marshall Co, D.T. April 13, 1888
My Dear Fred,
Your letter came last night. We were glad to hear from you. Ned took the measles of Albert. He has had them very bad. They are beginning to go off now, but he is sick in bed yet and I have to keep a mustard poultice on his left lung all of the time and he coughs bad. Myron and Winnie will come down with them in about two days. I hope they will have them lighter.
The snow is all gone except around the stacks and stable, but the ground is hardly fit to work, even Phons where it is so sandy. The old man Tank dragged a little on his hill but gave it up and went to drawing manure. Annies husband works for him this summer. Pa and Myron have got the seeder together and are putting the drag together today. The last time I was over to Britton, Willie gave 4 dollars to finish paying Fenie and he told Pa yesterday that he would hire a man for a month to help do the seeding for Ned wont be able to do much in that time. If he had not been sick, I think he and Pa would have got along with it all right. Myron thinks if he wont have the measles to hard, he can finish that plowing with Dandy and Old Bill. They got 60 bushel of wheat of Rosmas to finish out the seed.
Alva is mooving back to his place today so as to be ready for work. Em has been quite sick with the fever but is better now. Pa saw Mr. Hubble in town and wanted to know your address. Did he write and send you pay.
We shall be glad to get the taxes of you for we shall have to hire it and you know what sharks they are here. I wish that you were here to help do the seeding for we might as pay you as any one and we should know ____ was done good. Mr. McCoy has sent in Pas papers for a pension. If he gets it he is to have 25 dollars, if not he has nothing.
We have had one hard rain the only one since Will and George were here. I shall have to stop writing to get the dinner. I will send that note in this if you will send the money as soon as you can would like it for I suppose there is a percentage on them all of the time now. You had better send it to Britton. Give my love to all the folks. I will try to write to them soon. From you mother,
Celestia A. Moore