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If you can identify any of the unidentified names contained in these letters, please notify
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BETSY'S LETTERS

Elizabeth "Betsy" Brown PHILBRICK Remick (1796-1878)
(Jonathan6, Joseph5, Joses4, Joseph3, James2, Thomas1)

Below are transcriptions of seven letters Betsy wrote between 1844 and 1865 from Rye, Rockingham, New Hampshire to her son Joseph D. PHILBRICK (1816-1882).  The originals are in the possession of William L. PHILBRICK of Valley Center, Kansas.  No attempt has been made to correct spelling, grammar, or punctuation. Question marks within brackets [] indicate unreadable or questionable text in the original.  Underlined names, words or phrases are links to footnotes with identifications, comments, and/or additional information.  Each footnote has a link back to the letter. You can view a copy of the original letter by clicking on the date.

Rye October 4th 1844

Dear Son I received your letter dated September 2nd on the 19th. I was glad to hear you that you have enjoyed good health. Am glad you have quite the sea. Your grandmother has been feeble through spring and summer. She got better and went to Boston five weeks yesterday. Uncle Steven Maxden died September 21th. Other friends are well as usual. I recieved your recommendation yesterday. I hope you will be so lucky as to receive this soon. Meanwhile the blessing of the Lord rest down upon you and keep you while in a strange land. Put your trust in him. Pray him to keep you from falling into any temptation. Jonathan says he heard you say you had your recommendation in your chest. It was not called for. We think you have lost your chest and have met with some bad misfortune. Write soon. Let me know all about your bad luck and good luck. I hope you will not spend your days amongst strangers in a strange land. Let me no what your employment is and when you will return. Put no confidence in John C. Philbrick. He is whiffle minded. They all are millerites. Even laid down work. Elder is giving away his produce. They say the world will close the 10th or ten days after the full moon. These things they no nothing about and are making preparations to put up a hundred foot building to keep a hundred [?????]. We all want you to write more particulars. Fill up your letters. Let us no about the state of things. All the affairs of the world. What the state religion have, how the Sabbath is kept there, is there is any millerite meetings do not go after them. This is from your mother.

(envelope)
Mr. Joseph D. Philbrick
Hopkinsville
Warren County
Ohio

Rye March 29th, 1845

Dear son

I received your letter dated Nov. 26th. Was glad to hear you enjoy good health. I have not had very good health through this winter. I have a blister on the back of my neck. It has relieved my head very much, Your grandmother has been quite feeble through the winter. The first Sabbath in January she was to meeting. Has not been from home since. She is some better. The rest of the friends are well, I must inform you of the death of Uncle Levi Philbrick in January. Had the grand and [???] of heart. Jonathan received your letter dated March 2nd. I think on the 14th. You requested to know who gets married. Hadison Foss, Alvin [???], John Avery [???] Sarah Srapey[??] Samuel Marden, Celid Foye, Steven Marden, Mory Homes, James Jenness, Clarisa Jenness, Gardner Locke, Julid Garland. Eben Marden, Julia Garland, Doot Waren, Sarah Dow, [????????], Widow Cook of Boston, William Jenness, Abby Jeness, William Rand, [???] Jenness, Oliver Jeness, Sidney Seary, Serjt Day, Mary Jendrden. All married or going to get married. Andrew Clark to Susan Rand. [???] Published William Rand goes with Addaline Philbrick, Jonathan Jeness, Mary Rand, Harry Jeness, Kazendand Dow observed [????], Dalton Albert Dow, Aggy Wedgewood, William Chesly, Izette Oarland, We have had a broken winter but little sleighing. Roads are bare and muddy. Tis healthy at present, Only one death this year. Nathan Goss died in February. Number of farms sold and bought since you left Rye, Daniel Webster bought James Dows farm. Simon Broness bought the Wallace farm. He occupied Albert Dow bought the old Wallace farm. Nathan Knowles farm is cut in pieces. He and John occupies the premises. Jonathan and Daniel bought the cow pasture joining Gammons pasture and the road [???] Locke farm is for sale. John C Philbrick has bought his fathers house adding 70 feet in length. 3 Stories high. Raising a 3rd story on the old part. Crack goes the whip. Elder and his family keeps up the milleriet meeting. Sarah is a very strong millerite. Daniel is dragged along like a dog, I have the care of your things. Your grandmother says if you come and make only a short visit, she hopes you bring your wife that she may see her. She says you want her to mend your stocking. Uncle [???] lives in South Boston and works with Uncle Newell on monster railroad. Bartlet went to [???] Sold the ship had to get home as he could. Is now at west Cambridge learning a painters trade. I hope with a blessing this line will meet you in good health. Write as soon as you can. Let me know what your employment and how you prosper.

Betsy B. Remick

Rye June 21, 1847

Dear Son:

I received your letter dated May 2nd on the 16th. Was very glad to hear from you but sorry to hear you had been sick. I wish you would write the particulars what the matter was with you and who takes care of you. What are the names you board with. I wish to know what you are doing last winter and this summer and how you dispose of your bricks. You do not answer my letters as I write them. My health is much improved. I can work in house but cannot milk a cow or fetch a bucket of water. I feel thankful I can do so much. Tis a blessing to all when I receive your letter. Grandmother had been here ten days, I was over there last Saturday. Mother is about. She is old and feeble. Mother rather more so than us all. She sends her love to you and wishes to see you once more. So we all do. Other friends well except colds. Sarah Ann has another son 2 months old named ind[???] O She says she will write to you. Adaline Rand has moved to Boston first of March. Heard from Aunt Akerman three weeks since. All Well. The weather is cold and backward, A few blossoms now on the trees. Corn backward and worms troublesome. When I received your letter Father and I thought of going to Boston but the weather is so wet and cold tis not suitable for me to take a journey and the work backward. I neglected writing til now. We take a Boston paper. Charles says he will send you one in two or three weeks. There is six new houses within a mile, John Rand, Joseph Caswell, Joell Foss, Thomas Green, Joshwa Foss, Madison Foss. Johnathan Jonness is fitting up a great boarding house just below his fathers near Lenness Beach. There is many weddings this year. James Locke, James Frisby, Samuel Jenness, Eliza Cohand, Yeaton Jenness, Sarah Jenness, Gilbert Jenness, Emeline Lang, Thomas Philbrick, Olive Locke, Crintes Locke, Mary Manson, Daniel W, Barber. A Methodist minister to Adaline Land, his brother and a lady from Boston was married in the Methodist meeting house on Sunday morning.

March deaths Jan. 12 Donees Rand; baby Goorland, Jane Simon Lamper Feb. 6 Alford Caswell, Feb. 16 Jonathan H. Locke Mar. 6 Miss Dener Vannell Apr. 2 Kazendana Dow Apr. 5 Amos Foye died in Boston and was brought home and buried. May 24 Rufus Jennes May 27 Widow Jane Foss May 29 Aby Rand. Aunt Abial Foss is very feeble. Faints fast. Albert Dow has returned from Illinois. Our society is about getting the reverend Mr. Otis from Connecticut Sabbath day 28th. Our folks have been to meeting. My self am about. Uncle Daniel says mother is feeble. The warm weather has a great affect on her. Last Wednesday we had a very heavy shower of rain but little thunder. These few days have been extremely war. Has great affect on weekly people. I hope with a blessing these lines will find you in good health. Do write as soon as convenient. Write oftener. The distance is far but thoughts can quickly fly. If you was within a hundred miles I would go and see you, but further I cannot go. I wish to [???] as soon as you can. Write when you receive this.

this is from your affectionate Mother

Betsey B. Remick

Rye April 10th, 1856

Dear Son

The first of January I received a letter from sister Akerman. All well, Said the week before she received a letter from brother Newell. Stated you had the rheumatics in your legs two or three weeks since. Emily and Mary abby received a letter from Sarah. Said you was so as to keep your bed yet I received no [word] from you since you wrote the death of uncle Newells son. I wrote to you in November 27th, our Thanksgiving day. We mist you here. I want very much to hear from you. How you have been through the winter and how you are now. What is the cause of your sickness if it is the rheumatics or any other sickness. How Sarah gets along if she is able to wait on you. Who take [care] of your barn and out doors work. How does little Charles? Do kiss him for me. I wrote to brother Newell in February. Haven't heard nothing since. I think some of them might write to me. I hope you are better now. Do write or get some one to write. Let me no all the partickulars. How you got your sickness. Hemlock brush is very good to steem over and drink. A tea of the same. you should Cayene pepper on your vituals take a little, say a pinch, in some cider or water every day. Use hot drops and composition/[??]. Our crops come in about midling a plenty of apples. Peaches none. We never herd of the double and triple ones you mention in your June letter. We have had a long cold winter. The snow came on Christmass day from then till the first of April the ground was covered with deep snow but no good sleighing. The 20th day of April Sheridan went to porthsmouth in the sleigh. Thats the last the snow is going very fast. Bad traveling. Aunt Foss is very weak and feeble. Is confined to her bed all winter. Sister patty is much out of health. Joseph Newells wife has a young son three or four months old. The rest of friends are well far as I no. I would like to no if you received my letter dated 27th November. If Uncle Newell received my letter in Febrary. I have been looking and longing for a letter all winter but received none. Is any of your evergreens living and have you sold either of your houses yet. You said the ginger root grove in your country that is excelent for colds. The root preserved in sugar for a cough or made in a tea for a cold. The slipery elm bark if chewed or pulferized, stired in a little water and drank is good for inward sorness an for in flamation. Snake root an prickly ash bark is good for bitters [???] well as common. I hope these fine lines will you find you able to be about an soon to be about. Sarah and little Charles in good health and brothers family. Write soon. We all send our love to you all from your Mother Betsy B Remick J Y Rem

Rye Nov. 24 1859

Dear Son

I take my pen to inform you my health is about as usual. Father is quite unwell. Has a bad cough. Spits blood at times, Mary Frances and the children are well. Sheridan is better than be was in the spring, but can't do but little hard work. They hired a boy through the summer and man part of the time. Crops come in very short. Potatoes rotted very badly. Father says he hasn't raised so small a crop since he owned a farm as this year. Take things altogether tis hard times and money is scarce but we must not complain. Trust in God and hope for the better. If so we shall be provided for. He who careth for the [????] Careth for his people. Aunt Philbrick was sick in the summer. Got better. Was smart. The last I heard from her Aunt Marden has a cancer in the breast. She keeps about and goes to meeting. Sister Pattys eyes are no better. The rest of friends are well far as I no, I hope these lines will find you all enjoying the blessing of health. Give our love to brother Newell and family. Tell him I received his letter and was very glad to hear from you all. I will answer it soon if nothing happens. Cidrd Philbrick was married about four weeks ago to Hiram Chase. [???] Moved to [???]. I herd that Mr. Philbrick and brother Joseph talked of going to Ohio. I did pray they would go but I think they will take it out in talk. October was very cold and windy. November is pleasant so far, Monday night about three inches of snow fell, Tuesday it rained all day, Carried the snow all of yesterday rather dull and misty. Last night a little more snow. This morning the sun shone out pleasant. The snow is all gone. I hope you all are enjoying a happy thanksgiving. Sheridan and wife and Charley has gone down to her fathers to spend the afternoon and evening, I should be glad to see you all but long distance prevents us meeting but if we meet no more on earth, I hope we shall all meet in heaven where parting is no more. Its eight years since dear Charles died the 14th day of November. It seems a long time since we saw him and time flies. Man dies eternity is hastening. Do you remember Alfred Bronin? He went down East a couple of years ago. He got a good property. He married a wife two years ago. They came to Rye. Bought a peice of land of Daniel Marden formerly the Widow Browns. He built an elegant house very costly. No such a house in Rye. After all was done his wife would not come to live in it. He offered it for sale. He was taken sick of a fever and died last Sunday. The letter says. I heard no particulars. Saturday twenty six. Last night a little more snow. This morning rain again. This afternoon the sun shines out very pleasant. The snow is all gone. The ground is very wet. Father quite feeble. He peeps round. Does a [???] work. Is weak. His cough is no better. Write soon and often as you can. We all join in sending our love.

From your affectionate Mother

Betsy B. Remick

Rye December 20th 1860

to my Dear children

I write you a line in forming you Sheridans wife has been sick ever since last March, Her babe was born the 11th June. He is fat an growing. The doctor said she must wean him. He nurses a bottle. Mary has a bad coughf. Is a little better now. I cant no how twill turn with her. She is very feeble. A very little will upset her now. Sheridans health is not very good. He is not very strong. Has the blind and sick headache very often. Simetimes twice in a week. My health is about usual. The children are all well. I am very much confind. All the care comes on me. I have no time to write or I should have writen before an sent those things. I put them in a barrel. Sheriden is taller an stouter than his father but not so strong. He cant were the clothes. They are not fashionable. Father liked the old fashion best. I think you can make everyday were of them. I have not time to name them all. I hope you will receive them as a present from your mother. I will name Charles likeness nine dollars in changs. I give each of my children a ten cent an a five cent peice. My little Margeret a new dress out of the money as a present from her grandmother. I want no interest nor note. I present you the money to hilp pay your det and I hope you will be able to pay the rest of your det. Tis very hard times these parts. I want you to write as soon as you receive them. I shall feel uneasy till I hear from you. Let me no how much you pay for freight. I hope these lines will find you all enjoying the blessing of health. Give my love to brother Newell an family. Tell them to write when they can, I have no time to write or I would wrote before now. No more the baby cries. Past ten oclock. We all join in sending our love to you all. [????] two ears our large corn two ears small early corn two sachatash two kinds squash seeds, both good

[A large portion has been cut or torn from back page like she had glued or taped the seeds here and sent them. No words seem to be missing]

from your affectionate mother B Remick

Rye Aug 20th 1865

Dear children

I take my pen in hand to write a few lines to you to let you know we are well as usual. Hoping these few lines will find you all enjoying the blessing of health. Brother Jonathan has been very sick with disentary. He is getting better. Is gaining strength. Mary Aby has lost her babe seven moths old. Teething last thursday. Her mother in law Mrs Ephraim Leary died of disentery. Quite a number are sick. We have a very severe drougth. no high ground corn. Grain good on low ground. Very slim on high ground. Potatoes slim, hay plenty. Last week a barn was burnt with seventy tons of hay at [??] Portsmith Plants. Belong to Mr. Hays. Another barn was burnt with 20 tons of hay with all the farming tools except one baggage waggon in Northkamton. Apples very scare. Sheridan thinks he shant make a barrel of cider this year. Everything is high that we have to buy. We have one hundred thirty nine dollars tax to pay this year. We cant raise it on the farm pay the hire an other expenses an live.

MB 26th Brother Johnathon is very sick. He was better. He rode out several times. He thought gaining strength. Last teusday the disentery turned open him again. He is down weaker than ever. Wendsday his wife said she could hardly understand what he said. I saw him yesterday. He could talk like himself. He said he was monc comfortable. I asked him if he thought he should get over this sickness. 0 yes he said but I think tis his last sickness. A mrs Robinson died yesterday of disentery. We had a very prety rain the other night. Tis very dry now. I hope these few lines will find you all in good health. Give my love to all. Tell the children they have a grandmother that thinks of them often but cant se them. This is poor scribling. Excuse all blunders. Write when convenient. We all send our love to you all

from your affectionate mother Betsy B Remick

Footnotes:

  1. Your grandmother - Sarah MARDEN Philbrick, b. Nov 1772, d. 27 Apr 1854, Betsy's mother.
  2. Steven Maxden - This is Betsy's uncle, Stephen MARDEN, b. 3 Nov 1773, d. 21 Sep 1844.
  3. [removed]
  4. Jonathan - This is Jonathan PHILBRICK, Betsy's brother.
  5. John C. Philbrick - This is possibly John Colby PHILBRICK of Rye (1819-1869).  He was married to Eliza JENNESS.

  6. millerites - Millerite Insanity (From "Millerism and Madness: A Study of ‘Religious Insanity’ in Nineteenth-Century American" by Ronald L. Numbers, Ph.D., and Janet Numbers, Ph.D., published in The Disappointed, pp. 97-101, (Knoxville, 1993))

    In the early 1840's, as Millerite enthusiasm approached its zenith, asylum superintendents in the Northeast began reacting with alarm to the influx of patients seemingly deranged by "the Miller excitement." Samuel B. Woodward, superintendent of the Worcester State Lunatic Hospital and soon to become the first president of the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane (the present-day American Psychiatric Association), noted in his annual report for 1843 that nearly 7 percent of all admissions during the previous year—and over half of all cases resulting from religious causes (15 of 28)—could be charged to Millerism. He believed that in the other asylums of New England Millerites constituted an even larger percentage of the patient population. Although he regarded it as unusual for a "popular religious error" to have produced so much excitement in the community and rendered so many insane," he professed to understand why so m any minds were unsettled by Millerism: "the subject is momentous, the time fixed for the final consummation of all things so near at hand, and the truth of all sustained by unerring mathematics." At Worcester the Millerite cases fell into two categories: the true believers so "full of ecstacy" [sic] that some refused even to eat and drink, and the unconverted who feared that Miller’s prophecy might be correct, "who have distracted their minds by puzzling over it, thinking about it, and dreading its approach, who have sunk into deep and hapless melancholy."

    Amariah Brigham, the distinguished head of the Utica State Lunatic Asylum in upstate New York and author of a book on religion and insanity, also addressed the Millerite problem in 1843 in his annual report—and devoted an entire article to the subject in the first volume of the American Journal of Insanity, which he founded and edited. In Brigham’s opinion, the insidious effects of Millerism stemmed less from its peculiar teachings than from its tendency to deprive "excitable and nervous persons" of needed sleep while they attended protracted meetings. To illustrate his point, he related the history of one of his own patients:

    S.H. attended from idle curiosity a religious meeting, and heard for the first time the doctrine of the immediate destruction of the world. His attention was awakened and he attended similar meetings several evenings in succession; commenced studying the bible on the subject; passed several nights in the investigation; had but little or no sleep for above a week; then had contests with devils; determined not to eat until the end of the world, and became decidedly deranged.

  7. Levi Philbrick - b. 6 May 1778, d. 30 Jan 1845 [Chapman says June].  He was Betsy's grandfather's brother, her granduncle.
  8. Samuel Marden, Celid Foye - Samuel was Betsy's first cousin, son of Samuel MARDEN and Sarah PHILBRICK, her father's sister.  He married Ann Cecilia FOYE on 7 Jun 1843 in Rye [according to Chapman].
  9. William Rand goes with Addaline Philbrick - William Seavey RAND married Adaline Sheridan PHILBRICK in 1846 in Rye.  Adaline was Betsy's neice, the daughter of her brother Joseph.
  10. Uncle Newell - This is most likely Betsy's brother.
  11. Bartlet - probably Jonathan Bartlett ACKERMAN (1826-1902), the son of Betsy's sister Sally and Benjamin Marden ACKERMAN.
  12. Jonathan and Daniel - Most likely Betsy's brothers.
  13. Remick - Betsy married John Yeaton REMICK, 17 Feb 1825.
  14. Grandmother - Betsy's grandmother Anna TOWLE Philbrick died 5 Jan 1824 and her grandmother Rachael DOWRST Marden died 11 Dec 1812.  Who is Betsy referring to here? Could it be Joseph's father's mother?  It is unlikely that she is referring to Joseph's grandmother Sarah since she refers to her as Mother two sentences later (see below).
  15. Mother - Betsy's mother, Sarah MARDEN, was 74 years old when this letter was written.
  16. Sarah Ann - This is Sarah Ann PHILBRICK, daughter of Ephraim PHILBRICK and Sally WEBSTER.  She married Betsy's brother Daniel, 7 Jul 1835.  They were second cousins.  Their son Ira P. PHILBRICK was born 21 Apr 1847.
  17. Adaline Rand - see footnote #9 above.
  18. Aunt Akerman - This is very likely Betsy's sister Sally, who married Benjamin Marden ACKERMAN on 5 Mar 1821.  Betsy is referring to Joseph's aunt, not her own.  It should be noted that Sally and Benjamin were first cousins; he being the son of Sally's (and Betsy's) mother's sister Charity MARDEN, who married Peter ACKERMAN.
  19. Charles - Most likely Betsy's son Charles Morris REMICK (1830-1851), Joseph's half-brother.
  20. Thomas Philbrick, Olive Locke - Thomas Harris PHILBRICK (1823-1879), son of James PHILBRICK and Abigail LE PERVERE, married Olive Rand LOCKE (1823-1897), daughter of Joseph L. LOCKE and Sarah Wallace WEDGEWOOD, on 28 Feb 1847. Thomas was Betsy's first cousin, the son of her father's brother James.
  21. Johnathan Jonness - Likely the Jonathan JENNESS who married Betsey RAND and whose daughter Nancy JENNESS married Joses PHILBRICK.
  22. Uncle Daniel - Betsy's uncle Daniel PHILBRICK died in 1801 so this must be her brother Daniel, Joseph's uncle.
  23. sister Akerman - Betsy's sister Sally.  See #18 above.
  24. Newells son - Joseph Newell PHILBRICK Jr., son of Newell PHILBRICK and Mary PHILBRICK, died 24 Oct 1855 in Hardin County, Ohio, age 10.  He was Betsy's nephew.
  25. Sheridan - probably Betsy's son John Sheridan REMICK since her brother Sheridan PHILBRICK died in 1824.
  26. Sister patty - Betsy is probably referring to her sister-in-law, Martha Brown "Patty" KNOWLES, the wife of her brother Joseph.
  27. young son - J. Woodbury PHILBRICK, b. Dec 1855, son of Joseph Newell PHILBRICK and Annie GWINN.  
  28. Father is quite unwell - John Y. REMICK died 13 Apr 1860, less than five months after this letter was written.
  29. Aunt Marden - probably her father's sister Sarah / Sally, who married Samuel MARDEN.
  30. brother Newell - probably Betsy's brother.  See #10 above.
  31. Cidrd Philbrick - Clara Abbie PHILBRICK, daughter of Betsy's brother Joseph, married Hiram CHASE of Stratham on 27 Oct 1859.
  32. Charles died - Betsy's son, Charles Morris REMICK, died in Rye on 14 Nov 1851 at the age of 21.
  33. little Margeret - Probably Joseph D's infant daughter who was born in 1860.
  34. Brother Jonathan - Betsy's brother Jonathan died 28 Aug 1865, eight days after this letter was written.