Old letters from 1860

Correspondence of Beaumont TX and Galveston TX, 1860
I posted some of this before on my old blog, but want to share it again...to re-consider, myself, the lives of early immigrants to Texas.

The following letter was written in 1860 from Mary Granger Phillips to her mother Lucy Pulsifer Granger. Transcription is below the photos of the copied documents.

So the text is this:

Town Bluff, June 24^th, 1860

My Dear Mother

        It is a week today since I wrote Lizzie’s (her sister Elizabeth) letter and I have had no chance during the week to send it to the office.  I will have two now to send, as I note in my letter to Lizzie I would write you if I did not get down too soon.

        The weather is very warm up here I miss those beautiful sea breezes I used to enjoy last year at this time.  I feel as if it would be quite a long time before I enjoy them again.  I do so long to be over my confinement   I am dreading it more than before and I fear Zulie (her 2 year old daughter) will be so much trouble I can in a measure control her and she fears me a little and so jealous of me I must not caress 

(page 2 of letter)

anybody or anything but her – William to my surprise has the utmost patience with her has not even yet spoken sharp to her. She is smart I can tell you and it is impossible to cheat her, no indeed, she will catch you in a minute.

        I was glad to hear your health was so good this summer  I trust it will continue your cares must be diminished enough now since you are by yourselves to give you quite a quiet time.  I know you must all be happy to hear no slams and insults I think I could never borne it as well as you did.

        I suppose Father & George get along well in the business line as no one spoke to the contrary in letters.  I often think how much it took only for W. & myself while living in Galveston that everlasting rent due it seemed to me always was our greatest chain.  I like Galveston 

(page 3 of letter)

above all places to live in but it does cost a heap to live any way at all respectable there.

        Do you ever hear from Uncle Joseph (Joseph Pulsifer) I have written him and so has William two or three times but no replies.  I wish I could hear what he is about.  I think he must almost a Hermit by this time that is if he is by himself.  I hear from the Pass once in a while.  I suppose you heard of the dreadful murder of Bill Shaw by Pike (?) Smith.  I never was so horrified at anything how much trouble they must be in and dear Mrs. Gill has at least got Ella Edwards married to Charley (?) Colmell(?) too I suppose Laura is her next victim for business.

        We think what does Mr. Bradbury do with his house. I never heard whether he rents it or not or if he considers he has left Galveston.

(page 4 of letter)

I hardly can find anything to write which is worthy of interest so if I write a fussy letter you must excuse it.  I wish you would urge up the girls to write me oftener they surely are not very busy now. I know they have had to be in the kitchen lately but if they have been adopting Mrs. Bingit (?) hul (?) two meals a day they have some little time.  I often look for a letter from you two but often am disappointed about you think so.  I excuse you though of course.  

        Love to all I think of each one when I am writing home Father George. Lizzie & Lucy.  Zulie pulls me to the Piano and says Mama play.  I must close of course. William sends (?) love also Mother Gainer.  I hope next letter will be written by William with news of another member born in the family.

                Yours with much love,

                        Mary

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Author's note: Mary's next and final child was not born until Sept. 15, 1860.  My own grandmother (Ada Phillips Swasey Rogers) often said her aunt Ada had been an 11 month baby, because it was so long that Mary was pregnant.  I've since learned from mid-wives and nurses that a mother can miscarry and become pregnant again without knowing it sometimes, early in the pregnancy, so it would seem like she's pregnant longer than the standard 9 months. But I am not sure...