[Some paragraph breaks added for ease of reading. Some portions of the letter are torn away, so there are gaps in the text. If I suspect I know what the missing text is, I put it in square brackets.]South Hadley, M[arch 23, 1839]
My very dear Aunt,
Your letter dated March 3rd was duly received, & recollecting the promise I made you I hasten to fulfill it, in writing a few hasty lines to a dear absent Aunt, who will ever be remembered with sincere affection, by her friends in S. Hadley. We were surprized on reading your letter, that you had not heard one word from your friends at the East. Irene1 & Clarrisa's letter was sent nearly 6 weeks since & I presume you have recieved [sic] it before this. We often speak of you & were rejoiced to hear of your safe arrival to the fond embraces of your dear children, [...] enjoyed your society very much & it would have [been] very pleasant to us, to have had you remained with [us] longer, but we knew to [sic] well that a daughters tender affections were much more consoling to a Widowed Mother's declining days than any other friend could be.
But I will now talk a little about our own family friends knowing that you will feel interested in hearing every particular. Fathers health was very feeble the first part of the Winter, he had a very hard cold seated on his lungs, he [...] cough & we were affraid [sic] for some time he [...] fever, but he succeeded in throwing it off, but [remained] very weak & feeble for some weeks he is now much better, chops some wood every day, which you know is his favorite employment, has not as much strength now as last summer. Aunt Edwards2 has been very well for [...] most of the time this winter, & Mr Smiths family have been well as usual, except, Jared the oldest Son at home who cut his leg very bad, but is getting better, they have been very well at Brother Moses3, his Wife has done all her work except what Harriet has done out of school this winter.
Sister has [...] week & Clarisa4 has been obliged to come home & [...] doing the work, they are trying to find a girl for the [... bu]t do not succeed yet. They are very well at Brother Sidneys. Uncle Seth5 is feeble but better than last winter. Sister Sally6 says give a great deal of love to Aunt Sikes from her, & tell her I should love to stop in see her very much, which we should all love to do, her children all send love to Aunt Sikes. Edwin & Mary are standing by me & say give my love & a kiss to Aunt Sikes. Mary is so anxious to help me write & talks & shakes the table so much I fear you will not be able to read what I have written.
We have all been very well this winter[.] I know [?] the little girl that lives at Mr E. T. Smiths last summer she is 11 ys old. She came last Dec. but has been to school this winter. Mr Condits health is very feeble, he has had a very bad swelling upon the side of his neck. Mrs. C. had to poultice it for some weeks, he did not go out for 6 weeks but has been able to preach the two last Sabbath[s] by having help in his devotional exercises, but he is not able to visit his people at all, or attend any evening meetings, which is a great trial to him now, as there is some favorable appearances of a better state of things in his Church, there is a very interesting revival in the Seminary, there are over 100 scholars & all but 26. were hopefully pious when they entered, now they are all hoping but 3 or 4. & they are deeply impressed, the girls say it seems like [...] heaven below. I don't know about there are any [...] negative but we do hope some of the Church are [going] to examine their own hearts & to humble themselves before God in view of their backsliding & entreat of him again to pour us out a blessing.
Oh remember us dear Aunt in your suplicates [?] at a throne of grace. Dr Brown has been very low with the Consumption for some time, we heard last night he was but just alive, his Wife died last Dec. with the Consumption, he had then some cough & has been gradually declining ever since 2 of his children have been sick at the same time, they have been truly an afflicted family. Mr Condit has not been able to ride up & see him since his Wifes funeral which is a great trial to him, he will be a great loss to his people but their loss is his unspeakable gain. I have promised to leave this page for Sister Wealthy7 so I must clos[e] in great haste as you will percieve [sic] by its appearance [...] joins with me in love to you, & to your children [...] expect to recieve [sic] an answer soon after the reception [...]
from your aff. niece C. L[...]
[Handwriting change]
Affectionate Aunt
As Sister Chloe8 has left a space for me to fill knowing the pleasure it gives me to hear from friends, I gladly embrace it, how often have I said alone to myself, I wish that aunt Sikes, could be here. I then answer no, it is denied me, her children have the best right to her embrace[.] I was very glad to hear of your safe arrival there to mingle with your friends, where you could bend the knee in prayer together in thankfulness to God for your lives that they were spared to you to meet again in this world below. Since you left S H there has been great changes in our neighborhood. God has come very near he has removed too [sic] from us / Col Moody9 is called to mourn the loss of his Only son Josiah and his Wife. Mrs Moody we[nt to] Amherst to take care of her Mother she sickened and died [...] to took the fever and died the first of Feb Mr Moody also took the fever and died the 20 of the same month our loss is their gain[.]
Oh the raptures and joys they express happy happy saints. Col asked him if he thought he should live he replied yes I know I shall live for my savior lives. Oh that we may die the death of rightous [sic] that our end may be like theirs - After you left us I continued to recover slowly untill [sic] I regained my health so as to be [...] work & it has been pretty good most of the [...] alone this winter past with my little [...] husband has been to Boston as Rep - he has been at home once in the time but how lonely I need not tell I am looking and expecting him soon he never was from home not more than a week to time before and time seems long[.] Irene comes home every week stays one night. I had an ill turn 2 weeks ago Irene came and staid with me a few days since that Mother has been at home. Father wishd [sic] me to say that Aunt M10 was not verry [sic] well this winter Mrs Phelps is quite as well I believe[.] Do write soon and often W M
Our children send love David11 says I wish I could see aunt so do I Ann Weather [?] says I would kiss her to[o].
[Footnotes about the genealogical connections mentioned here:
1 The letter is written to Lucinda (Montague) Sikes. She has a sister named Irene Montague.
2 Lucinda has a sister Penelope Montague who married Beriah Smith, son of John Smith and Elizabeth Edwards.
3 Lucinda had a brother Moses Montague. His wife was Martha Graves. The only daughter they seemed to have was Sophia, so I don't know who Harriet is.
4 Lucinda had a brother Selah Montague, and one of his daughters was named Clarissa.
5 Another of Lucinda's siblings was brother Seth Montague. I have no idea who Sidney is.
6 Clarissa has a cousin Sally Montague, who is the daughter of Lucinda's brother Elijah Montague and Rachel Lyman. I don't know who Edwin and Mary are.
7 Sally Montague has a sister Wealthy Montague.
8 Chloe is Wealthy's sister-in-law. Chloe married Wealthy's brother Obed Montague.
9 This was the clue that dated the letter. Electa Goodale died Feb 1, 1839 in South Hadley. Her mother was Lydia Moody, and Lydia died in January 1839 in Amherst. Electa's husband was Josiah Moody, and he died Feb 20, 1839. Josiah's father was Eliphaz Moody.
10 Lucinda did have a sister named Mary, but she died before this letter was written. Perhaps Aunt M was a reference to Lucinda's sister-in-law Martha (Graves), wife of Moses Montague.
11 Clarissa has a brother David Montague. But there are other cousins with the first name David, so it may be one of them that is referenced here.]