1895 Letters from wife of Seth J. Philbrick Part II This is part 2 of the transcription of letters written by Lizzie Philbrick to her husband Seth J. Philbrick. Unknown words will be noted by brackets in the transcription. Some punctuation has been added for clarity. Spelling errors are left as is. The second letter, though undated, appears to be using the same paper as the first. It may have even been sent at the same time. It and the remaining notes are written in pencil. "Lizzie" Philbrick's 1895 envelope (click on photo to see larger version) After reading last month’s newsletter, we heard from our cousin David R. Rust who wrote regarding the letters: "The letter transcribed in the July newsletter is surprisingly about my near family. My Philbrick connection is through my father's grandmother Ella Jane (Philbrick) Kimball of Augusta ME the wife of Reuel Kimball of Mercer ME. This is a long way from Leighton's Corners NH. But it is my mother's grandparents that are mentioned in the letter. They are Dell Lydia (Seward) Colcord of Wakefield NH the wife of Harvey Colcord of Tuftonboro NH. I was up in Wakefield and Tuftonboro only about a month ago and drove through Leighton's Corners. The situation was that the Colcord's worked as servant and farmer for the Dow family. The Dow family was an old Wakefield family but had gone to the city (New York, I think) and made a lot of money. They then came back to Wakefield and built a large house with fancy farm buildings. The writer of the letter L. O. P. describes sleeping in that house in the servants' quarters while my great grandparents were staying at their own house 2 1/2 miles away. It was easier for her to send a letter from the Sanbornville P.O. (I think that is what the postmark says) to the Leighton's Corner's P.O. than travel the five miles. I wish I new who L. O. P was but I don't have that information. It isn't in NH VR. I recognize, however, some of the other names. She mentions Eli and Ethel. These are Eli Seward Moore and Ethel Isadora Wentworth. They were a courting couple at the time and married in 1897. The Seth J. Fogg is listed in Chapman #147-I-i but only the name. He is also listed in the 1850 census of Effingham in the Carroll Co census in the newsletter last month. He was 6 mo old at the time. So he was born about Feb 1850. His father was Josiah Philbrick and his mother Nancy R. Thompson. They were married in Newfield ME 12 Apr 1849. Josiah Philbrick married again Elizabeth Ann Kennerson 24 Mar 1856 at Effingham NH. He was born in 1825 and was son of Joseph Philbrick and Abigail Lang. The rest is probably well enough known. I saw the Dow house and barn about 5 years ago and it was in fine shape although it looked empty. I was really amazed to see these letters and look forward to seeing more of them. Sincerely, David Rust The following is a transcription of the second letter: Thursday P. M. My Darling one I wish I could see you for a few minutes and I should want them to be long ones too. For I am awful homesick tonight and have been for two or three days. {To} only think I have been here six weeks and I wonder if the time seems as long to you as it does to me. I don’t believe it does for I don’t think I fill so big a place with you as you do with me (now do you?) You did not say what you thought about my staying until Feb and I would like to know whether you want me to stay or not. I am thinking this storm may send father home [for?] good. What do you think if it does you will meet me at East Wakefield a week from Sat at four o’clock and be sure and be there by that time. I understand you went to the serenade the other night. Did Grace look nice? We are afraid Carrie has the whooping cough coming and you need not tell of it though. I have an idea that you and mother only have two meals today am I right? It is now 10 minutes of 8 and I have just got the supper dishes washed with Annie’s help to, I shall miss her when she goes home for she helps me at night often. Will was down yesterday. I thought if I were in his care I should not want to see John but I guess he did not mind it any by appearances. Ethel gets a letter from [Clarence?] every other day and sends one in return, and think it awful that I don’t hear from you oftener. And I think myself that I am doing more than my share this week. Who married Will and Grace do you know, and did any one carry them presents the other night? Did you cover up my strawberries? I hope so. (This is the end of page 1 of the second letter. In the margin in the top above the day is written upside down:) I forgot to say send the patterns by Ethel and you can [ ____ ] letter to [ ____] [know?] (Page #2) Sheet No. 2 It is 5 P.M. Friday – Dell & Harvey are making sausage down stairs and I just got the supper ready in the other part so will sit down and write my boy for a minute. I hope it will be pleasanter tomorrow than it has today – it has been just awful here just the same as it used to be [ ___ ] to the other place. You know I used to enjoy it there and likely I would here if I had you. Dell thinks after Father gets home you ought to come down here once a week and stay all night. Is Mother pretty tired or is she getting a long nicely? Does [Father?] back stay cured or not? I want you to tell Mother to go up in the back chamber to that black bureau and get one of my basque patterns the measure will be 34 inches. I am going to get me some cotton flannel and make me some under waits with sleeves to them for I shall freeze if I don’t. Now I must stop for a little. I have put on my red flannel shirt this PM for I thought if I ever needed them it must be about this time. I do hope it will be nice for you and mother tomorrow. Mrs. [ ____ ] was up here yesterday and she said Will called there the other day and asked if John was at home for he wanted to see him, she supposed it was to pay the money due them that he paid to clear the horse more than they had agreed to pay for him. And what was her astonishment when she found he wanted to swap Dick with John for his [horse?] (not much gall was there?) Well Darling I should just like to cuddle you tonight but I suppose you have got so near weaned from me that I don’t concern you much either way does it? Don’t tell the folks I am homesick will you? If Father comes home for good tomorrow and goes to Rochester next week send down enough to make 30 thirty dollars and I will make it all right with you. (Page #3) Sheet No 3 Don’t you think I am improving in letter writing? I suppose I must write to Delia Sunday I forgot all about her until the other day. There is no doubt but what Carrie has the cough for she whoops like a good one tonight. Fred Shorey has it awful. His wife says sometimes it seems as though he would lose his breath entirely. What shall I do if I have it Darling? I shan’t dare to go home for fear Mother will have and it seems to me as though I couldn’t stand it to be away from you if I was sick. And I dread it to for there has always been a sore place where I had that cough last spring. It is no use for me to run now for if I am going to have it I have caught it by this time. Anyway I have got and earned enough to pay for my gravestone this ain’t I? Now I am going to bed if I had someone to cuddle there would be some consolation in going. Yours truly, Lizzie (The lower half of this page was intentionally torn in half and the Lizzie writes a separate note:) Monday A.M. The train has just gone but I did not see Father so I don’t know whether I will get a letter or not, hope no one of you are sick. Annie is going to stay until Wednesday. Mrs. Dow paid her a 1.00 for her work last week. I wish I could hug you just once now I must go back to my washing. L. (Next month’s issue will conclude with the final letter dated Dec. 10, 1895 – RWP)

The Execution of Sgt. Darius Philbrook, 1st Colorado Volunteers During the Civil War, executions of our own soldiers was not uncommon. Discipline was severe, and sometimes even minor infractions carried heavy penalties. Over 200 executions took place during the Civil War, most for desertion. Among this list is found the name of Darius Philbrook, 1st Colorado Volunteers. DARIUS A.9 PHILBROOK (SAMUEL8, HENRY7, SAMUEL6, WALTER5, WALTER4, WILLIAM3, THOMAS2 PHILBRICK, THOMAS1) was born June 11, 1832 in Rushville, Yates Co., New York, and was executed by firing squad on April 08, 1862 at Ft. Union, Mora Co., New Mexico. Sgt. Darius was a member of Company K, as was his brother, Leander Philbrook. In 1862, Confederate and Union forces clashed in the Battle of Glorieta in New Mexico. It was near there, at Ft. Union that Darius and the rest of the 1st Colorado soldiers found themselves in early March. They had been sent from Colorado to stop the invasion of Confederate forces from Texas. The Colorado Volunteers were made up of rowdy frontiersmen and miners. In the weeks before the battle, these "Pike Peakers" as the men of the 1st Colorado were sometimes called, were restless awaiting the coming battle. With not much to do, the soldiers quickly began to get into trouble. They raided the local sutler (a man who sold items to soldiers and often at exorbitant prices) stealing whiskey, wine and other food items. Darius may have been one of the raiders or perhaps he had purchased the whiskey on his own, either way, it was to lead to his downfall. About March 12, 1862 the drunken Darius was confronted by Lieutenant Isaac Gray of Company B. Lt. Gray attempted to arrest Sgt. Philbrook for drunkenness and noise. Eyewitnesses to the events provided conflicting stories, but what is certain is that Darius pulled a pistol and fired five shots at the Lieutenant, hitting him once. "The ball struck on the bridge of the nose between the eyes, and glancing down lodged in the lower part of the face" wrote unit historian Ovando J. Hollister in his book, "History of the First Regiment of Colorado Volunteers. Amazingly, Gray was not seriously injured. Other officers nearby fired their pistols at the fleeing Sergeant but Darius was soon captured and confined. Word spread quickly and the soldiers of Company B were ready to lynch Philbrook, while Darius’ comrades in Company K felt that there were possibly reasons favorable to the Sergeant. Captain Sanborn, officer of the day at Fort Union, intervened and "the excited passions of all parties allowed time to cool." Ovando Hollister wrote that too many of the soldiers felt "whiskey justifies anything" but that Sgt. Philbrook had no right to shoot at Lt. Gray. On March 21, 1862 Darius went on trial before a general court-martial. Hollister logs in his diary, "As his offense is utterly subversive of all military authority, he stands a slim chance of escape. But such is life – a seething mixture of weakness and crime, involving penalties inexorable as fate. Lieut. Gray is almost well." The men of the 1st Colorado did not have much time to think about Darius Philbrook and the possible penalty for his actions. For a week later on March 28, 1862, Union and Confederate forces fought the Battle of Glorieta. The battle was considered a victory by both sides. Later events would prove that, just like at Gettysburg, the Confederate failure to defeat the Union troops ultimately lead to their defeat in the West. After the battle, Union forces pursued the Confederates south and Hollister writes on April 11, "The infantry camp is full of rumors. One, that they had captured forty deserters from our regiment up above Maxwell’s – false; another that Sergeant Philbrook had been shot at Union, in pursuance of sentence by general court-martial, for shooting Lieut. Gray in March – true. As none of our men were at the Post I have not heard the particulars, but whatever they were let me here record that he died the victim of whisky, nothing else." (Colorado State Archive records indicate that Sgt. Darius Philbrook was executed on April 8, 1862.) It is unknown at this time what part Darius’ brother, Leander may have played in the drama in New Mexico. Hollister’s book never mentions him, nor is his name found among the unit roster dated February 28, 1863 or as a casualty of the battle at Glorieta. Additional research is needed to discover more on Darius and his brother Leander. Leander is recorded as dieing December 6, 1907 in a Soldier’s Home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is buried in Brookfield, Waukesha Co., Wisconsin. He married Nancy J. Graham in April 1863 in Ottawa, Illinois. Sources: Colorado State Archives "History of the First Colorado Volunteers" by Ovando J. Hollister "The Battle of Glorieta" by Don E. Alberts Michael Philbrook - Bucyrus, Ohio

1850 New Hampshire Census – Grafton Co. The following is a list of Philbricks & Philbrooks who are found in the Grafton County, New Hampshire Census for 1850. It is arranged in the following order: Last name, First name, Age, Sex, Occupation, Birth Place, Location that the person is living at in 1850, census page number, Jacob Chapman’s # if identified*, and Notes. Subsequent newsletters will list other 1850 Census records for New Hampshire Counties. *If under the JC column, the space contains the letter "D" followed by numbers, this indicates that person in the census is a descendant of the "numbered" person found in Chapman’s book.

NAME	AGE	SEX	OCCUPTN	BP	LOCATION	PG#	JC#	NOTES
Philbrook, Reuben	35	M	Blacksmith	NH	Bethlehem	148	63-II.
Philbrook, Sarah	32	F		NH	Bethlehem	148	63-II.
Philbrook, Sarah	8	F		NH	Bethlehem	148	63-II.
Philbrook, Daniel M.	6	M		NH	Bethlehem	148	63-II.
Philbrick, John	46	M	Farmer	NH	Dorchester	118	?
Philbrick, Sally	42	F		NH	Dorchester	118	?
Philbrick, Joseph	46	M	Farmer	NH	Dorchester	119	?
Philbrick, ?	29	F		NH	Dorchester	119	?
Philbrick, Cyrus H. H.	6 mo.	M		NH	Dorchester	119	?
Filbrick, John	17	M	Farmer	NH	Haverhill	29	?	Living w/ Howe Family
Philbrick, Hiram	46	M	Farmer	NH	Lyme	68	?
Philbrick, Mary	44	F		NH	Lyme	68	?
Philbrick, Charles	20	M	Farmer	NH	Lyme	68	?
Philbrick, Dorothy A.	18	F		NH	Lyme	68	?
Philbrick, Sarah J.	14	F		NH	Lyme	68	?
Philbrick, Hannah	11	F		NH	Lyme	68	?
Philbrick, John	7	M		NH	Lyme	68	?
Philbrick, Sephrona	4	F		NH	Lyme	68	?
Philbrick, Richard	36	M	Joiner	NH	Plymouth	171	#72-IV.
Philbrick, Jane	27	F		NH	Plymouth	171	#72-IV.
Philbrick, Maria	11	F		NH	Plymouth	171	#72-IV.
Philbrick, Hiram C.	9	M		NH	Plymouth	172	#72-IV.
Philbrick, Nancy J.	5	F		NH	Plymouth	172	#72-IV.
Philbrick, John	4	M		NH	Plymouth	172	#72-IV.
Philbrick, David	77	M		ME	Plymouth	172	#72
Philbrick, Eunice	67	F		ME	Plymouth	172	#72
Philbrick, Benjamin F.P.	17	M	Joiner	NH	Plymouth	172	#72-IX.
Philbrook, Emma	22	F		NH	Warren	215	?	Living w/ Blodjet Family
Philbrook, Samuel	39	M	Farmer	NH	Wentworth	203	#33-V.
Philbrook, Mary	37	F		NH	Wentworth	203	#33-V.
Philbrook, Edwin P.	15	M		NH	Wentworth	203	#33-V.
Philbrook, Julie	11	F		NH	Wentworth	203	#33-V.
Philbrook, Cyrus J.	6	M		NH	Wentworth	203	#33-V.
Philbrook, Alvin L.	8 mo.	M		NH	Wentworth	203	#33-V.
Philbrook, Simon	76	M	Farmer	NH	Wentworth	203	#33
Philbrook, Mary	79	F		NH	Wentworth	203	#33