Close Family Letter of 1861
I recently obtained an old letter postmarked "Lexington". It was addressed:
Hannah Bennett
Olney richland Co
Ill
It had a three cent stamp on the envelope. Apparently it was from Isadorah Close. It contained one sheet of paper. One side was written to her sister Hannah Bennett and the other side was to her sister Elvira McNeeley. I have transcribed it exactly as written complete with numerous spelling and grammatical errors. My Spell Check system went crazy during the transcription.
One side of sheet:
October the 18th 1861
Dear sister it is with the pleasure that I write to you to nite to let you know that we are all well at present and hoping you the same blessing father has got home he got here yesterday eavning on thursday father is a mending margret shoes to nite and me and mary and margret is all writing and hannah a is a laying by the fire on the floor a sleep david is gon some where and dont know where where him and george Close went to town this eavning and david came home and got his supper and went off again he was gon out to beavers last sundy nite and me and mary was here all a lones and the was some boddy come and tried to open the door and I went and buten the door and tried to boalt it buit I couldent the latch was raised but I dist stood and held the door I disturming that tha shouldn't get in and We got to boring down on the bolt so hard that tha had to let go at last and it never scart us the first bit hannah I will tell you the reasen that I cant write eny better to nite the fleas keeps to biting me and Mary keeps a singing and a whisling all the time you must tell henry to write as soon as he can John Johnson is sick he has got the chils Mary had a letter wrote to send to you and I happened to look at it and she got mad and burnt it Wee have dist milked and it is a bout ten o clock I ges you must cause bad writing and speling nothing more at present I believe so good by from Isadorah Close to Hannah Bennett
Other side of sheet:
October the 18th 1861
Dear sister it is with willingness that I write to you after so long erger time to let you know that we are all well at present and hoping that you are all well I commece this last nite but I dident finish it but I will now Margret and Alice is here yet this morning it is the first time for that alice ever stayed a way from home all nite she thinks the world of that hat Jake Mc was down here yesterday he herd that fater had got home I especk that me and Mary will go up to your mother to morrow if it ant a raining it was a Wraining Thursday when father come home I was glad to see him and driver driver wouldent leav father a tal hardly you must tel hank that he ought to ben here last week to ben at Jakes frolic to seen Marg danced I wosent there but david sed that Marg was the best dancer that was there I want you to tell hank to write to me if he wants to went down to toms last sonday tha have all been sick near but tha are all well now tha will bee meeting here in too weeks again I wish that you was here to go with us I want Marg to go but she says that she wont go I don't especk that you can read this if you see eny blot on marg letter dist lay it on me and dave for I drop the ink on it I ges that I will haft to quit for I ant got all the work don up yet nothing more at present I believe so good by goo by from Isa D Close to Elvira D Mcneeley
According to my genealogy sources Hannah, Mary, and David Close were all children of Sanford Close and Rhoda Hardy. I have no record of Elvira Close McNeeley. The 1860 census of Lexington Township gives the following:
Family 125
Jacob Close 40 IN
Elizabeth 35 IN
Edward N. 9 IN
H. Alice 4 IN
Margaret J. 13 IN
Emeretta 1 IN
Family 126
Sanford Close 50 NY
David 19 IN
Isadore 13 IN
Mary 16 IN
At the time of the letter Isadorah would have been about 14, David about 20, and Mary about 17. Margaret Jane Close (presumably the "Marg" and Margret" referred to in the letters) would have been about 14 and was a first cousin once removed to Isadorah. "Alice" would have been Margaret's 5 year old sister. "Jake" would have been Margaret's father. Apparently, Isadorah's mother was deceased by 1861. Her father was Sanford Close and presumably the "George Close" mentioned is Sanford's brother. I don't know who "John Johnson" was. Sanford Close was born in 1810 and was a son of John Close, II about which I have the following:
In old England there were three brothers - William, Henry, and John Close. After the death of their parents, John being a mere boy was placed under the care of his oldest brother, William. William desired John to be a sailor and apprenticed him to the captain of a ship much against his will. On his third trip to America in 1774, he deserted the ship and got a widow lady in New York City to conceal him until the ship left. After vain endeavor to find John, the ship had to leave without him. He was then about 12. He lived with this lady until he was about 20. He then went to Conn. where he practiced the Tanners trade. On Sept. 22, 1792 he married Elizabeth Gibbens and resided about 20 miles east of Albany, NY. In 1818 he immigrated with his family to Indiana. They went to Pittsburgh in wagons drawn by oxen. Then on rafts they floated down the Ohio landing at Madison, Indiana. They could have taken land along the Ohio bottoms but it was reputed unhealthy so they sought the uplands and finally settles near Lexington, Indiana. John II was born in England Jan. 1, 1762. He and his wife had 12 children but 3 died very young so only 9 came to Indiana
I have this on the Sanford Close family:
1 Sanford Close Born: December 27, 1810
+Rhoda Hardy Died: Bef. 1860
2 Hannah Close Born: Abt. 1836
2 Dorcas Close Born: Abt. 1838
2 David Close Born: Abt. 1841
2 Mary Close Born: Abt. 1844
2 Isadore Close Born: Abt. 1847
Return to: Lexington - A Pioneer Town