Rutherford, Hiram; Kendig, Sarah. Letter of Dr. Hiram Rutherford to John Bowman, July 7, 1847. Oakland and Letter of Sarah Kendig to Hiram Rutherford, December 11, 1846. Middletown . Hendrick, Willene and George Hendrick, eds. On the Illinois Frontier: Dr. Hiram Rutherford, 1840-1848. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1981, 1846. [format: book], [genre: letter]. Permission: Northern Illinois University
Persistent link to this document: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/file.php?file=rutherford21.html

Dear Brother
It is with pleasure that I am enabled to assure you of the continued good health of your little namesake my son. He is ruged & hearty. My own health for nearly a year has been but indifferent. In May last I went into the water to fish & have felt like a new man ever since. However the sickly season is comming on, and I may, from unavoidable exposure be again laid on my back as I was last season.

I percive by your letter that considerable buissness is expected to be carried on in your country when the improvements are finished. I doubt not that you are improving your circumstances by the operation. I recd a letter not long since from Esq Seal. He tells me that one of his girls ran off & married against his will — that Novinger is dead-done with electionering, and that J Shaefer lives at the point. Tell me how he & his wife gets along, what family they have &c.

I am sorry to hear of Mrs Jacksons illness. I hope she is again in health. Lucinda always spoke of her with the tenderest affection. Levi & Emeline I presume are still in Millersburg. Josiah is no doubt at his old occupation. I perceive that no guardian as yet has been appointed for John & that you expect that it may do as well to have it deferred till next spring. I doubt not that you have good reasons for postponing the appointment. But as a favor I would be pleased to know whether you calculate on allowing any percentage for the use of the money belonging to him in your possession. All things of earth are uncertain more or less. I may not see Lykens valey next spring as I would wish; perhaps I may never see it again. For my sons sake I have long kept my buissness as square as possible lest I might be required

to go back to dust by the side of his mother. I enclose you a portion of a letter which I recd from my sister Sarah Kendig a few days after the last letter I wrote you. I do this that you may see her own words, concerning a call she made upon Mother a year ago. The person described as 25 or 30 years of age I supposed to be Levi, the other Benjamin. The call was made at my particular request & I assure you, that I never felt more mortified in all my life than when I read the result. I endeavored to explain to her in return that Levi acted so from a natural aversion to converse with strangers. But the reason does not satisfy me. It may yet be in my power to do Benjamin a kindness for his conduct. May God bless him for it.

Yesterday I visited Lucinda's grave. The rose bushes which I planted 16 months ago were in bloom. I enclose a couple of the male flowers as the female are nearly white & not so pretty. One is taken from her head, the other from her feet. The rose is peculiar to this country. Many people ornament their yards and gardens with it. I have always admired it above all other varieties of rose. It will bloom throughout this month and a thousand flowers will fall around where Lucinda lies. I left that holy place with a lighter heart than I ever did before. If these specimens should preserve well give one to Emeline & the other to Mrs Jackson to look upon for their sisters sake.

On Saturday last, 3d inst., I attended a celebration & free dinner, given by the citizens of the county at the county seat, to the heroes of Cerro Gordo: 30 or 40 paraded from this county. About 1200 ladies were present & probably 2000 men. A 6 pounder made the air on these prairies vibrate for 20 miles. In the evening the public square was illuminated & about 60 ladies & gentlemen ‘Tript the light fantastic toe,’ on the green, amongst the ornamental trees. Before midnight the dancers adjourned & the celebration closed for 1847.

Once I was fond of such amusements. I have no objection to them still. But since my marriage I have never danced but once.

Remember me to your wife & children. Forget not your brother in misfortune, but write soon. Delay not so long as formerly. I remain your brother
H.Rutherford

P.S. The corn crops are splendid. The winter crops are verry light. I have 8 acres of excellent wheat which I shall probably cut tomorrow. Cattle are high, 3 year old steers are worth 17$, cows 9 or 10, stock hogs 2 1/2 3$ per hundred gross, mule colts 20$.

— I have long quit housekeeping. I board with the people I first lived with. I have my office & bed in my own house & stay in it alone. John is still with his foster mother Mrs. Black; he is wearing pants, is 3 feet 2 inches high & active as a cat. My expenses are $1 per week for him $1.50 for my self for boarding. I have 2 horses, one of which I had with me when in Pennsylvania. He was Lucindas favorite steed. He carried her to & from that fatal camp ground.