THE WATSON LETTERS OF TULLY AND ONONDAGA CO., N.Y.

[Interesting account of Christmas celebrations in Tully.]

Tully Dec 25th 1872

My Dear Son I received your Letter of the 22nd Inst and I was glad to hear that you was well and I hope that this Will find you Still the Same / on teusday We Went to the Church and had singing and Speaking in Concert and Just at the right time When your father and Mary Cately and Mrs F. Wooster and Mrs Bennett and Tom Hoages Brother was singing the Christmas tree in Came Santa Clause and the Sleigh bells Jingles and he had a great big Wig and beard on and a cocked hat and you would not know that it was Grove Barnett / he was all hung with presents / Millia called a package for Geo Watson by the united States Express and I could not think what it was till I came home but when I Saw the Writing I knew then who Sent it / I thank you kindly for my gold pen and you may rest asured I Shall ever keep it as Long as I use a pen / you made a Splended / your Father was much pleased With his book and he thinks that We have got a good Boy and you know that I think So Long ago / there were 4 prizes given in School one gold Doll. and a littel Steam engine Worth $1.00 & a 50 cent Silver peace and a 25 cent Silver peace / F. Cummings got the Doll. and Ida Vail the engine and 2 of the Littel ones the other prizes / all the presents Were very nice / the Church and School gave Milia a present of Some Silver Ware. I Saw Charlie Trowbridge come in But did not get Speaking to him also Charlie Smith / your Father Was Saying that they had indited this Road / We have Some the Coldest Weather here at present / I even Saw it Commenced on Satarday and I tell you it is Cold / We have to run our Stove full blast / ever thing frose in the Citchen on Sunday Night and my Vineger Jug brok / Delay Vail is Married to Green that they used to blame Mrs Tick With / yes Allia Smith married Slivers / I Saw them in the Church Last Night / Goodrige has his donation nixt Monday Night / all three Churches meet to pray together now / So John Skeels did not Stay Long at Binghamton / Edel Hall went to See him / Esther Hall is at home on a visit Just now / I will mail your paper with this Letter / the fellow that married Thad Kings girl has bought the Old Richerd Fleming farm up at the Lapadon / Patrick Dunavon is not on the road now / I had a chickin Pie for dinner today / the horse distemper is abating round here But Some off the Folks [h]ave taken it / I think that Robert Dunlop is very Carless not to Write to you neither do I get any word from [my] Brother John Stephen but they will write before I do I gess. John Vail has a dance tonight / I think that I must now Close Wishing you all the happyness that can fall to your Lot / accept best Love from your affectinate Mother Margaret Watson

PS your Father wishes me to Say that he thanks you very much for his present and he thanks God that he has given us Such a good and dutiful Son / if you can get home soon perhaps We could make you a visit nixt Month

Your aff Father George Watson [signature]
 

[This letter from J.G. Watson’s friend was forwarded to him by his mother with a few notes added at the end. The letter mentions John Stephens, Margaret’s brother. It may have been that the Dunlop family were Scottish friends that emigrated with the Stephens and Watsons.]

Mount Airy [Pa.] Jan 5th 1873

Dear Friend

I now take pen in hand to write you a few lines and let you know that we are all well hopeing this will find you all the same. We have had a very quiet Christmas and New Year. The weather has been very Cold and then two days after Christmas thier was a very heavy Snowstorm and the farmers went to market on Sleigh and now it is raining. We have had dull times and the mill is only running by daylight but Dobsons mill at the falls are puting up a new
mill and they are takeing a number of Necalums [ ? ] hands. I guess you are haveing winter in earnest. You spoke of being in a Commercial house I suppose they do a large Lake business. I see by the paper that P.T. Barnum has been burnt out again makeing four times in all and he intends to build again. We had a fire in Germantown on Friday night and a woman was burnt to death. the man went for the roof and they got him down with a rope and when they put the
fire out they found her dead. The man is insane since. John Stephans and family are all well. I will have to close now as it is getting late. No more at Present but remains your Friend.
R.P. Dunlop

[the following was added to the bottom of this letter]

if you hear before I do how he is let me know / Our donation Comes off nixt teusday
Mother M.W.

your Father says to give us a surprise and Come to donation.
 

[Many Tully names are mentioned in this letter.]

Tully Jany 28th 1873

My Dear Son I received yours of the 26th today and I am Sorrey that you have a Sore throt / you must do some thing for it / take about halfe a tumbler of good Sharp vineger and put into it 2 tabele spoonfuls of Ceyene peper and then gargle that in your throat 3 or four times every day or oftener and let a littel over every time and if that dont help you then get a bottle of Jayes Expectorant and after taken it a day or 2 lake a littel physic and I gess that will help you / it did me good / I may now tell you that Hiram Tallman is dead and they are on the way with his Corpse / he died of heart desease / they got a dispatch I supose / Littel did he think when he was here Last Fall that he was to be so soon brought back but Truly in the midst of Life are We in death / J.B. Hall was telling your Father that he thinks that by & by P.E.S. Will not have mutch to do With the Office of the S. & B. R. R. as they are going to move it to Where they have Built the new freight house. David Davises Soninlaw has Sold out and is going to move out West where they are / Johnie Vails Wife has got a Son. I was at home Last Sunday with Sick headache but it is better now / your Father is Well / Mrs Ousby is Still very Sick and the doct. Says that there is no hope for her / Mrs Millia Trowbridge is very unwell all Winter / H.K. King has got home but how he found the property I dont know / the meettings are Still in full blast and I gess there are about 40 forward for prayers / the Water is all out of the Celler but there is plenty frose on the ground and We will have plenty when it thaws again / I think that I never Saw any more snow than what we have had this Winter and it blows now like all hands / I tell you I was Kind O glad when the Rest had a littele of the Water as well as us / I will Send your paper with this letter / has Converse got a place yet / Now I will Stop for the present With best Love to you from your Affecnate
Mother Margaret Watson

Mr Morton bought Margaret a nice gold Watch When We Ware there / $58.00 for Watch and gold key and seal

[The following was enclosed in the letter as a separate attachment. The list probably pertains to the 40 church members mentioned in the letter.]

Some of the names William Paine Ryan Green & Wife H. Scamble & Wife Steve D[ ___? ] Wid Wooster John Cartwright Frank Eams[ ? ] 2 of the Strail girls Steve Baldwin & Wife Mrs Clegg Idia Vail Neeltre Trowbridge Georgie Hayford Orsion Bugbee Ellis King Mrs Derrewell and Julie and a great many more that I dont know / old Mr Jones Abbe Vanburgen and Wife / Margaret Vail is expected to go forward
 

[A few deaths are reported. A cold winter and Margaret deals with frozen ink.]

Tully Feby 5th 1873

My Dear Son I received your Letter yesterday and the paper came to hand to day / I have not read much of it yet but I think that it will be quite a paper / Hiram Tallman was not as Old as he looked / his head and whiskers have been quit grey for many years--66 years of age in this 67. yes both girls were in Hamilton / Isabella could not come / She had been sick about 3 weeks before / She is getting better but the Baby is dead the Second Child / She has one living / Hiram was Buried here on Satarday and and Lue Willis yestarday / he died on Satarday night or Sunday Morning / he had not been well for Some time But was at meetting a week ago Last Sunday and on Monday After noon about 5 o clock P.M. George Warrens Wife died / She had only been sick a few days / Was at meetting Last friday night and they thought that She had taken a Littel Cold but Seemed better on Monday and George Went to the City So he was not at home when She died / A great many in town did not know She was Sick till they heard She was dead. I feel Sorry for her family and Indeed for all / Mr Tallmans felt bad and so did Mr Wills family / he Left a wife and 3 daughters / his Littel Son died a few years ago / he was in his 48th year / No my Son I was not jocking When I told you about Bill Paine / they Say he is realy happy and went up and brought his wife down to Church for the first time in twenty years. And George Warren in one of the converts and Ellise King and your Father was telling me that Mart prays in his family now / I hope they are all hopfuly converted. I am glad my Son that your Cold is Better that what it was and I hope that it will Soon be gone / We also had Some very Cold day here Last week / I heard your Father Say that the Themometer was 10 below some days this winter here. I See I will have to get Some new Ink for this that frose dont write very well. Yes this road is drifted some and often the trains are Late but they seem to Like their new Supt. / they Say he advises more with the hands on the cars and dont wait till the train is drifted in before he sends out the Snow plow / it must make it much pleasenter for the hands that work for him to have him in Sloans place for I believe from what I hear that he can keep sober any way and that makes it better / Mrs Warren was buried today / We have had another Storm and then a freze and the Boys have quite a rink in Kings Lot / the doct Says that there is no help for uncle Millo’s Wife that She is Wasting away / they have Truman from Homer and Mrs Ousby / the docter say that all he can do for her now is to give her quieting powerds to keep her easy till the change come / the goin is not good or I would go up and See her / I dont know of anything more to say at present / accept of Joint Love While I remain your affetnate Mother
Margaret Watson

I will [ ? ] your paper with this So good by for the present
M

Thursday
 

[Ghosts in Tully?]

Tully Feb. 13 1873

My Dear Son I received your letter and I was glad to hear that you was well and I hope that this will find you Still the Same / We are both well at present. Mrs Ousby was buried on Monday and She had a very Large funeral / the M.E. Church was full a great many English folks was there / I went up to the house with Obed’s folks / Dady Huffs wife is buried to day and Phlitis Egbertson father is dead / Mr & Mrs Caven was out at Mrs Ousbys funral / Mrs Caven was telling me that the ghosts has caused a great deal of excitmant in the City / She says that Billie did not use his first wife well and that She is dead and that is the way he is hanted / the ghost was seen to come to him on the street and demand the ring and that he damed her and gave it to her and that the ghost left the Cars on the road and then came on again at Tully / I will send your Satchell tomorrow get it by Satarday / I have got my ironing all done but they want to air some yet. Emia Jane Nearing was married a week ago last Sunday / the meetings are stoped now and the M.E. is to have a donation tomorrow night for the Fox. Call Peters has run for debt / he owes Mrs Mason $400 and Mrs Benett the same but Fletcher about $500 / J.R. Cavin has to join the printers union before he can get steady work as they Call all them that dont Run and dont give them Steady employment / he has a littel work now and then / She says that if he had all he could do he could make from $25 to $30 doll. per week perkaps he could / if I Can I will send both your papers in your Satchell So you will not get one nixt look if I do / Robert Dunlop is very  carless indeed / Mrs Trowbridge is a littel better / Mrs Ousby was 54 years and 10 months of age. She was wasted all away to nothing / I think that I will Close as I do not think of anything more to Say only We have very Cold weather here yet / We are getting in a lot of wood / Wal Vincent is drawing us 10 cord and we had one of 4 feet wood dry so by the time we get all that in the wood shed wont be empty / accept of Love from
both while I remain your afft. Mother
Margaret Watson
 

[It’s interesting to note that the expression, “OK,” apparently was in common use by the 1870’s. Another derailment on the railroad and town election results.]

Tully Feaby. 19th 1873

My Dear Son I have Just Received a letter from Mrs Dunlop and I fear Robert is dying / the doct gives them no hope that he will ever be any better / he say that he may live till Summer but that it is doubt full and if he should that he will never be able to work but she wants us when we Write not to say any thing to make him think that he is not going to get any better for he thinks he will Soon be well again / his complaint is Infamitery Rhemitisums and absceses on the Lungs / So I fear that Will run him into quick Consumption / Mother says if he lives till Spring that they will perhaps Come up this Summer and make us a visit / She says that he has talked a great deal about you and us Since he was taken Sick and he had a letter wrote for you before he was taken but was not able to finish it So he Requested her to find it / So I will enclose it in this to you and you can write him a Cheerful letter and you might Say to his Mother that I will Write this Week or nixt to her / if I go to meetings it may be nixt before I can write to her / I may now tell you I rec’d your letter OK on Teusday / on meeting day John Alderman Ran for Collecter and got it by 2 votes / H.K. King for Supervisor and got it against L. Dow Trowbridge by Some 80 or more votes / John was on the Repb. ticket and H.K.K. of course on the Demt / I gess by the Slander Mrs House is below par as well as her daughter that is She is not very well Liked did she Sue the Slander / the cars was of[f] the track on Monday Morning Last So Fay did not get home to eat his Breakfast till a quarter to 12 o clock A.M. / it was the morning train going north / if a fellow had been down there they might have had coal for the Lifting / they ran off near Wid Ryans and the timbers at John Gilberts Culbert gave way but no one was hurt / I heard them in my Sleep make a Strange noice / Jo Winters Says this Supt. is worse that P.E.S. but he always took his part only when he delayed the pay / but the mail got along at Last and Mrs Chapen Says that if the Valentine had been for George She would have opened it but it was for Mrs Geo. / My [muse?] will not work Since I hear of Roberts Sickness So what I composed in answer has gone as I did not put it on paper but I wont forget you. You are ever present by night and by day / accept of Love for this is full / I will Send you paper / I thought I could not but it came early
Mother Watson

your uncle John’s folks are all well / Now remember write a Cheerful Letter to Robert / I feel bad for her / She has seven dead already
M.W.

I would Send you her letter but it would make this to heavy
 

[The Watsons apparently belonged to the Baptist church in light of references to immersions in their church.]

Tully March 3rd 1873

My Dear Son I now Write to Let you know that I will Send your Satchell on Wensday So you Will get it on Thursday if all is Wright With the cars. I may now tell you that the Elder got over $140 clear for a donation and he seams to be Well pleased With it and on friday night they took What oysters and Ice Cream Was left and went down to James Cummings house and had a party there / it was 2 oclock A.M. before they got home / I did not go but your Father Went / there was about 90 there it was a perfect jam / they got about $9.00 for the [mit ?]/ Last night Sunday there was 5 received into the Church 4 by emersion and one from the M.E. / William Cummings and his Son Franklin and Mrs. Daker from the Hollow and the Elders daughter / She Was not Emerised that time at Hamilton / Widow Smiths daughter Hariett that was Emerised a few years ago by York. C. Cummings did not come forward / he was pritty badly hurt that time / his eye is quit black yet / today Was Church Meeting and your Father has taken the Church again to take care of / it is thought that Mrs Baldwin Will Leave and go to the M.E. and Mrs Marten Will / the praying band is at Fabius now Raising excitment there / Harvey Fellows and Ben Vanhousen Boy Left to day to go to Sea / they are going to Liverpool England / I think that Harvey Fellows will need all the Religion he can pick up to bear him through the See / I have got [ ? ] from Mrs Dunlop yet Wither Robert is better or not have you / I think my pen writes better when I bear on light / I will Send this tomorrow night and then your Satchel on Wensday / We have a great deal of Snow / if all sings[signs] are true We will not have much Rain this Spring / did you take the Independent With as I cannott find it / I
will close for to night
This From your ever Loving Mother
Margaret Watson

March 4
I did not get your letter till after dinner today / Chapen put it into the Wrong Box / I will Send that Book / there will be plenty of room for it / would have sent your Satchel Last night but wanted to Let you know first / Will Send it Wensday 5th / I have a hard Cold and Still it blows and snows. They have Locked up Ryan Green in the O.P. for debt / ought to keep him there / that fellow Waters that was at the donation the one that I said has been drinking was emerised on Sunday by the desipels / I hope they gave him a good wetting and soaked him
 

[Windy weather does damage to Tully churches and a hint of friction between Margaret and her brother.]

Wensday
Tully March 19th 1873

My Dear Son I Received your Letter of the 16th and was glad to hear from you. Your father also received a paper from you on Satarday and Charlie Smith was at the Shop to See your Father and told him that he had been at Oswego and Saw you. We had quite a thaw here Last Week But on Sunday and on Monday I tell you it did Blow / it Rained Satarday night But commenced to blow in the night time / I could hardly keep my feet / I told your father that I did not think that I ought to go out to meeting at all but he Said I had not far to go / So I Went Over But Came home again before the Preatching Commenced as your Father Saw the water in the Lot / I Saw it before I Left home but thought that the West wind would keep it back untill the afternoon and it did but none got into the Celler but We have a fall of Snow Since then / the wind blew down both the Chimney on the M.E. Church pretty close to the Shingles and your Father Says it blew down one of the trees near L. Gowens and H.A. Chases chimneys and Some of the Cornice round the Bellfrey of the Bt. Church and I Believe it done a good deal of damage in Syracuse / H.A. Chase is Sick with Lunge Complaint and Mrs Hains has been sick and had doct Trueman and he said it was just the same as the horse distemper. Jim Vail is going to work for Mr Ousby this Summer and Live in the house that Cavin Sold on the hill / Vail is married now to one of Mr Millers daughers/ the Painter that paints in Tully Sometimes and Thee Trowbridge and his son is going to keep Tavern in the Empire house this Spring. I dont know as it is best for you to Send a dispatch to Dunlop as it would have to be taken to the house and as you say might not be best for Robert / I thought of you sending it to John Stephen my Brother but then he might not answer it as he dont write to neither you nor me so perhaps it wont be best. Mr Trowbridge has been in this forenoon and he tells me that Charlie and his mother and father Went home yesterday Wensday / his Wife is not so well again as She was Last week. Get Hollenbecks Oldest Son is dead / he died Last Sunday / leaves a Wife and 2 children / he died [in] Almira / Jake says that your pants and vest is done and he put in the pockets / We have not got them home yet / We settled up with Miller and Tallman / it was more than what We had as there were Some things that had been got not on the Book / Our account With him was $206 but the balance came to $16 & some odd cents. it has again been Storming and now is blowing but Stoped Snowing / I think that I never Saw Such a Long Winter / Was that not a dreadful Murder in the City this Week that Littel girl. they are talking of fixing Over the Bt. Church this Summer if they Raise enugh / they think now that they can Raise enugh to keep Hamond and enugh for that to / it will take about $1000 to fix the Church / they have got Cal Peters affiv[?] put into Bankrupcy and I gess it wont give more that 25 ct to the $1.00 dollar but then all will fare alike / Miller Sold out McGraw yestarday / Mrs L. Willis is selling out her Stock today / Mrs Greens father has moved her from Town / I will now close with best Love to you while I remain your affecnate Mother
Margaret Watson

Will send your paper with this letter / will mail this to night Thursday / No. 18 Broomland Street Paisley Scotland is the address / give her your Fathers Love
 

[George Watson comes down with a bad cold. Runaway boys have an escapade. ]

Wensday March 26th 1873

My Dear Son I Received your Letter and and[sic] paper yestarday But I did not Send to the P.O. on Monday So perhaps the paper was there then / your Father has been pritty Sick So I had no one to Send / Fay burought up your Tille gram on Monday / I am in hopes that your Father will soon be Well again / it is the horse distemper he has / I have had but Littel Sleep with him in 3 nights / had to go for the doct early teusday morning and he thinks that he can break it up and keep it of[f] the Lungs / Ell came over to night and went to the barn for me as there has been a very Large fall of snow / it must have falling a foot on a Levell Since ten A.M. and now it drifts back / I Saw it was to Ells knees as he went to the Barn So I will not be able to get your Satchell to night but will try and get it to morrow. I will now tell you that Parker Wooster and Purdys Boy run away Last week / Purdy followed them to Syracuse and Saw Charlie Smith and he told him that they had gone to Oswego then he came home and on friday Sent you that dispatch but Parker came of[f] the train on friday and told your Father that he had been to Oswego but did not see you and knew nothing of the Purdy Boy but on Satarday Purdy went to him again and tryed him pretty hard and he Said that he left him 14 miles from Clyde working in a cooper shop there and that they had not not gone to Oswego for Purdy had no money / So Purdy was going there on Satarday with his clothes and tools and Some money for him / you say Right there is a screw loose Some where / I gess Parker had a Spree while gone / I was glad that they were not with you at all and I Said So / your Father Seams to rest good at present / I am glad that  Robert is better / if your father is going to be sick long many will come and help me / She says Pat is doing very ill with drink and She has been to Wright and forbide them to give it to him and Ell says that if they do give him any more that he will Sue them for it / he has drunk the price of a cow this Winter /

Thursday 27th
your father is a good deal better to day but has not yet been out / We have had the heaviest fall of snow yestarday and Last night that We have had this Winter / E. King and Harry and Mart Vail had to come and shovel me out to day/ Harry got your Satchel for me / I will give that to Fay / if you have not wrote to Robert give him Our Love and tell him that I am glad to hear that he is Well again / your Father thinks that he will be all Well in a day or 2 and he Says that he was a littel affraid When Fay brought the dispatch that you was Sick also /  they had 3 doct at H.A. Chase this week but he was better yestarday / I will now Close with Love to you While I Remain Your Truly
M. Watson

I will not send your paper this week / will let you know when I will send your satchel

[separate note enclosed with the letter]

John if you have any money that is not in the Bank will you send me enough to pay Jake Brown for making your vest and pants as I have not got it and your father has payed most all he had but expects more by first of April / I do not know how much they will be but he charged $2.00 for making your Last pants & $2.00 I think for the vest but if it is in the bank then wait til you get your nixt pay / Send it in a well Sealed Letter and I gess it will come all Safe but Remember if it is in the Bank wait till you get your nixt pay. I was going to tell you to Send home your Woolen Socks but your Father dont need them as he has plenty just now but I will Lay them away where the mothes will not get into them / I will now give your Father his poweder and I go to bed and perhaps I can Rest
M. Watson
 

[Postmark Tully, N.Y.]

April 1st 1873

My Dear Son Litter and paper received today / did not See the dispatch till your Father had told fay what to say / $5.00 would have done very well my Son. you may Look for your Satchel by the end of the week will Send it by thursday. the cow is sick but will be well in a few days / will tell you of the flood when I write again / your Father is walking round again / Accept Love while I remain Yours
Margaret Watson

in haste
 
 
 

Return to Onondaga County Family Letters page.

24 July 1999