John George Watson was born May 27, 1853 but his place of birth
is not yet known. His obituary mentions that he lived in Tully, “...nearly
all of his life... ,” but the family had moved several places before settling
in Tully.
From the Paisley letter No. 3, we know that they were in Tully in 1862
when John was 9 years old.
Following his schooling, he was a telegrapher for the Western Union Telegraph Company in Oswego, N.Y., for many years. He also worked for the Great Northern Railroad and helped found the Y.M.C.A. for the railroad workers. About 1906 he bought the Tully Times and, along with his son Ralph, operated this weekly paper until his health failed and sold the paper about 1912.
There are 26 Tully letters written in the years 1872-73 from Margaret
Watson to her son John George Watson. John was 19 at the time of the first
letter and was an operator at the telegraph office in Oswego.
[Two train wrecks, a hail storm, and a bit of gossip highlight this
letter.]
Mr. John Watson
Operator Bx 1162
Oswego N.Y.
Tully Augt 1st 1872
My Dear Son I received your letter of the 29 July and I was glad to
hear that you was well / this leaves usWell at present and I hope that
it will find you the same. Yes John We had a bad break on the Road last
friday night about 10 oclock P.M. I think I heard the noice for I had not
gone to bed / I got up and went into the Wood house to see what it was
but it was very dark and I saw nothing of it untill Morning when your Father
came in with the milk and told me of it / I went to the south door and
then I saw it / the Ingen in the ditch and the cars on the top of the other
/ they had got some down then your father went down after breakfast and
stayed till dinner time / at least I think he was there most of the time
/ one of the men told him that the cars was on the top of the other up
as high as the lowest train / on[e] of the [men] was hurt on the knee and
the head pretty bad. they did not get away till Sunday afternoon / they
had to build a track round the Engin and Mrs King did not get away till
Saturday evening / one of the [ ? ] was up at our house on Sunday to get
a littel milk and another train ran off the track and knocked down on of
the Telegraph postes So they could not get orderd to leave / Sloan was
out on Satarday and your Father says he was afull mad at Toben / they think
that the Switch was turned by some one on purpose to through [throw?] them
of[f] / there was some thing about Sloan for Skells read it for your Father
in the paper but it said he had resined / We had a great haile Storm here
on the 26th just after I mailed your letter / I had to hurry home before
it came / I do not know how Jim Caven is doing but I believe he is at the
Elders yet and wither Mary sent for his father I could not say but John
and Robert came both out and Robert stayed to Pats and John stayed with
James / Robert was with us nixt day for a few hours and eat dinner / I
wanted him to Stay to tea and he said he would come back if he did not
go home with the 3.30 train and perhaps bring John with him. he said Jim
never ought to had a wife till he knew how to take care of himself / he
said he was just like Frank Skeels could not take care of himself let alone
a wife but you knowed / I dont know all things but I think that She was
to good for him your Father says that Ryan Green has got the
offer of the Station at State bridge if he can get bail for $100 / they
offer him $22 per month and a free house and 4 acers of land / he is Miss
Houses uncle / her Mother is a Green Brother to him and through Miss House
Sloan offers him that place. Your Father has Been getting in his coal at
$5.25 per ton / he thinks that he will perhaps come and See you to morrow
night / I think that it is not best for us to both leave home at one time
as the cow and hens is to be seen to but I will come Some time / Homer
Wooster is very sick / they think that he has got the Consumption but some
think that drink is the cause of it also Joe Owens he has nearly
killed himself With [it] / Now John I do not think of anything else at
present but I may say that hail done a Sight of damage to the crops in
the hollow / if your Father goes you might Send your clothes back with
him if you have many soiled and good by for the present / While I remain
your aff
Mother & Father
M. Watson
[Note at top]: be at the train on Saturday night half past nine
[A couple of births are announced; various illness reported; and
several cold remedies are recommended.]
Tully Augt Thursday 15th 1872
My Dear Son I received your letter and I was Sorrey to hear that you had Such a bad cold but I hope by this time that you are better / your Father was taken Sick last night with bowell Complaint but is some better to night / I had the doctor to him. he was taken about 11 oclock in the night and when I was up tending to him I was taken in the Same way but the doctor gave me Some powders and they are doing me good / there is a great many sick in the same way / the Doct. Says that it is the weather perhaps / Charlie will not be able to see you as his Uncle Owen is very sick and his Father may have to go out there if he dont get better / they have had 4 letters in about a week but the one they got last Said that he was a littel better / it was bleeding at the lungs but now it is fever / your Father tells me that I. Buttler in in Oswego today and was going to call on you. Reuthellia Fullen had a boy today and doct says She was very Sick / this is her first and she is 43 years of age / She came from the west to have it here and is down at her sisters Elizebeth Trowbridges’s. Cooks wife has got a boy last week that makes 2 children they have now. They are trying to put Sloan out and have had papers all over the road for all the Shippers to sing[sign?] H.K. King had one and sent it in on Monday as the Stock holders meets on the 16 Which will be to morrow / Your Father did not get a chance to sing it and H.K. King thought that it would not be best to have J.B. Hall sing as Sloan would discharge him right off if he did / I gess Fay has gone West as I do not See him now / Your Father says to send home your rasor when you send your Satchell and he will have Dick fil[e] it / I may bring your Satchell back if I can bring things round right so I can leave home / We will See / Your Father has to send 2 firkens and 15 tubs to Vanpaten on Saturday but Purdey will have to make them for your Father is not able / if your Cold is no better get some Licqurice and try it and if that dont help you get a bottel of Cheery Pectonel and try it / I over looked one of your papers the 13 of July but will Send it nixt time / no word yet from Dunlop / I think that he dont answer very promply / your Father is Some better to day and I think that with care he will soon be all well again / there is a new minester comming to Speak for the Church on Sunday by the name of Day and there is another they can have by the name of Smith but Brown dont care about leaving now / I think he is very changeble / there is a Cough Balsam that if you can get it I think is the best I ever took for a cough or cold / I think that it is prepared by H. Koon[ ? ] apothecary and Druggist North Bennington, Bennington Vt / if your cold is no better try and get it / your Father says that Fay has gone / Old Mr Baker is very Sick and George Smiths wife and Sill Arnolds wife and Chuncy Nearing / it is very unhealthy weather at present / I dont think of anything more at present So will close this letter While I remain yours as formerly
M & G Watson
Write when you can
[Another train wreck is mentioned; medical conditions reported;
and the circus is coming to Tully.]
Friday
Tully Sept 13th 1872
My Dear Son having even a littel time to Spare from my duty in the house I thought that I would write a line to you to let you know how I got along after leaving you / it was most 8 oclock when I got home. I got to Syracuse all right and got out expecting to find the buss but but meet it on the way / when I was going to the depot but did not need to take Salina St as I found the near way quite handy / walked it in just 12 minetts and a half / the cars started out at four 35 / got along very Slow and Stoped because they were before time and then it Commenced to rain a littel and they began to run back and then lost time and Barens Sent Some one to look for them / Thought they were off the track / any good walker could have walked faster than what they ran but when I got to the house it was 17 minutes to 8 oclock and I tell you I needed a cup of tea / your Father was at the depot and wishing that I might be on the train altho he expected that I was. it was a Smatch up last Friday that kept them back / they ran into a coal train / I was sorrey I had not waited till morning altho I knew that I was needed at home / Your Father is working but dont feel very well / I think his vinegar bitters is hurting him and now he thinks he wont take any more of them / Phlies Egbertson is very sick has got fever / his wife is better but not able to go out yet / Dick Johnston is very Sick with inffmation on the lungs / your Father had a letter from Michell and word in it to Mrs C. Norton and Roberts but they would be at home before he got it / their Baby is Some better / Mary and Morton had got home from New York / it is Satarday that Hiscock is to speak here / the Circuse is coming here on the 25 instant. I think I must now close as it will soon be time to get Supper. So no more at present / from your Affecnate Mother accept kind love as ever
Margaret Watson
Your Father sends his respects and says you are to come and See us when you can / he will soon have time to rest. it is Vanamburgh that is coming / you know I said that I thought your Father said he only gave me $6.00 well he thought so and told J.B. Hall that he had only given him $7.00 and the change but Hall said he gave him it all right So he did / father had never scimed a pan Since I left home
Margaret
[Mention is made in this letter of an A.J. Wingfield, possibly related
to the W. Wingfield in Auburn where Margaret lived in 1849. See Glasgow
Letter No. 2. There is a good description of a barn fire, and a humorous
account of a theft in a local tavern.]
Tully Wednesday Oct 16th 1872
My Dear Son I recieved your ever welcome let and was glad to hear from you and I hope this will find you well / We also received a paper from you you last week. I also received a letter from Mrs. Roberts at the same time I got yours and she startes for home today and she will have a long ride to her home in the West / She got the pictures and is going to Send me her 2 youngest children / I may now tell you that Phleites Trowbridge is dead / he died a week ago today just 34 days after his Wife / he died of inlargement of the hart and died very sudden / he made his will before he died for he said that he should not live and did not want to live / he willed $500 to Lorries Brother and $500 to his Sister $300 to his own Sister and $300 to each of his Brothers $100 to each of her Brothers and all her clothes and furnater and beding to her sister except 2 doll beds and beding to Lorrie and $25 to Geo. Hollenbeck’s daughter and $200 to the M.E. church / So that Lorrie will have to pay about four thousand Doll of the place then all the rest is his Stock and all and the place is worth about twelve thousand Doll. Lorrie was married on Tuesday afternoon and had quite a large wedding / he meant to be married a few weeks ago. I went down to the funerel / I tell you they have got a nice house there and they both worked hard in their lives to get it all clean and in their deaths they are not long divided. Able Hollenbecks barns were all destroyed by fire between Saturday night and Sunday morning about 12 oclock / Saturday night a woman that is there taken care of Abbes Wife saw the fire and called Abbe and it was all they could do with the help of Alick & George Aldrige and the hired man to save the Dwelling house and your Father says it got prity badly Scortched / he got out his horses and his Cutter and Slay and light waggons but his big waggon was burned & over 200 bushels of Corn and 100 bushels oats and 40 bushels wheat all thrashed and the Corn was husked / he has some in the feild and a littel clover and that is all that is saved / there were 5 fat hogs but one got out 4 were burned & his wife is sick--had a baby just the week before / it is thought that some one Set it on fire as no one had any light in the barn / Abbe is going to sell his cows on Satarday as he has nothing to winter them with / the nabhors is going to help put him up a barn / he is Insured in the same Company with us / he has $4000 on all house and Stock and barns. it was still smoking when your Father was [ ? ] afternoon & turn over [the page]I may now tell you that Charlie Gardner has got a son but they called it a Seven months child / they are just seven months married / I got Mrs Robert’s childrens likeness to day Thursday and it is a good one / we got your paper / I had a likeness taken yesterday and I think it a good one / I would not write to Robert if I was you / you pay him back it would serve him just right / John Ware was here last week and was telling us that Some one got into his Son in laws tavernan and into their room and carried of[f] his pants and Stole about 56 doll. and left his pants in the wood shed and took his Over Coat / John thinks that they would have taken Franks gold watch and her mans Silver one only they had a littel dog in the room with them and he barked / John got up but the theife was gone and when they went to the Oprators to get him to Sent lighting after them he had no clothes to waire as they had been to his house and stole all his clothes and his wifes gold one and gold [ ? ] and his silver ones and gone / John thinks that it was a man that stayed to his house about a week before / John is keeping Tavran [tavern?] with his son in law / Ann Grady works for them and she heard the thief but thought that it was one of the Boarders / the peaples Bank in Syracuse has failed. Camp and B.G. [ ? ] took $5000 when they [ ? ] / if you keep on saving you will in time be able to buy a farm.
Friday—I was going to say that I would now close but as I looked up through my glasses I saw your Father cushen of his chair on fire so I came to a hasty stop last night in this letter / I tell you I was glad I was not in bed / I See one Spar of the chair is Some burned / it may be that Thomas Brown has moved away but he was in Toronto when I was sick so long before you went to the depot to work. he is a boiler maker and blacksmith and had men working for him / her brother took care of the shop as Brown was off a good deal fixing steamboats / her brothers name is Alexander. Jack Wingfield used to sing [sign] it A.J. Wingfield but they may have moved back to where Jean lives. I saw John Skeels and he got your letter / he says that he expects to leave here in about 2 weeks and let Fay have back his place / your father was telling me Since that that Fay was telling him that J.B. Hall wanted him to come back for $40 per month and have Edd to help him but Fay says that Edd is going to School and wont be there mutch of the time. I believe I will now have to Stop altho there was something else I wanted to say but it has now Sliped my mind So accept of my Love and your Fathers and take good care of yourself / See Tully when you get over being so busy
I remain your aff. Mother Margaret Watson
P.S. your Father wants you to say to your Aunt Ann that he will write soon
Miss Annie Watson
No. 18 Broomlands Street
Paisley Scotland
[The “city” spoken of in these letters probably refers to Syracuse.
The mass meeting in the “city” was likely a political rally leading up
to the Presidential election of 1872.]
Tully Thursday Oct. 24 1872
My Dear Son I received your letter of the 20 Inst and am glad to hear
that you are well and I hope that this will find you Still the Same / We
are both well at present / I thank God for his unmereted goodness to us
all / We have very changble weather this fall / Cold rains ever other day
/ I have been wishing Sevrable times that you had your over Coat but if
you want it before you send your Satchel Just let me know over the wares
[wires] and I will Send
it / I may now tell you that the Trowbridge men is going to try and
break Pheites will but the most of the folks here are in hopes that they
wont be able to do it / it will be a bad Job for Lorrie if they do. Mary
says that it is all in her eye / no danger She says but what seven Months
baby has got its groweth / it is reported that Joe Fletcher has cleared
out for a Baby Seraphe / there is a girl working for Armen Smith by the
name of Gr[a?]ham and they say She is going to have one to Joe / She says
that he promised to marry her / She is English I believe / Mrs Ousby is
very Sick in fact it was reported this week that she was dying / it is
her bowels Cankered / Your Father is going to the City tomorrow to that
big Mass Meeting / there is to be an ex long train of ten cars and they
will not return untill Eliven O. clock P.M. So they can see the tortch
light Prosesion / Your Father talks of going on the Six A.M. train So he
can see Some of the pork packers to try and Sell Some barrels. they did
not pay on road this month till one day this week / Fay says that he wont
go back to the depot for $40 per month / your Father Says that he hopes
when Election is over that you will get home to see us / Milo Wooster is
Supt of the Sunday School and Grove Barrett Asst. Supt. / the new Minister
is here but has not yet moved his famley yet / is going to move the first
of next Month / Abe Tompkins is Selling Organs and C.T. has got so he plays
at parteyes now in the City / Thomas Mortons Intrest on that Money he lost
comes to 2 thousand Doll a year / I will now close with best wishes for
your well being While I remain your aff Mother
Margaret Watson
Abbe Hollenbeck thinks that he knows who Lit his Barn on fire But he cannott prove it. Andrew Caltey now lives in the house nixt to Mary / his Brother-in-law Wells bought it for him but I gess Andrew owns it / your Father went out to day half past Six / Purdy [ ? ] to go with him to try and get Some packing Barrls to make / your Father has been making Some Cider Bll as he thinks that there will be a great deal of Cider made this year / Butter is comming up they are paying 30 ct for fall Butter / Joe Fletcher is [in] Michigan some place with his Sister
M.W.
[More derailments and a suicide reported.]
Tully November 1st 1872
My Dear Son I received your letter on Teusday and the paper to day and
have just been down to the depot and got your Satchell all right. I was
tyred last night and did not write any to you but you will get this all
right to morrow I hope. and I may Say that I am glad to hear that you are
well and I hope you will keep so take as good care of yourself as you can
in this changeble weather from Colds. I will send your Coat nixt week when
I Send back your
Satchell but I will write you a line or two before I send it / your
Father and Martin Marks is building up the South wall of the wood Shed
to day / they have almost got it done. Fay is back in the depot Since one
week ago to day. J.B. Hall meet me at the post Office and asked for you
last week if you was well and if I had heard from you. I told him I had.
he told me then Skeels was going to leave and that Fay was going back but
I had your letter seald then / Skeels is going to Syracuse into the ticket
office with Mikes. So J.B. told me and your Father heard it in the City
a week ago to day / Carver’s folks was telling him J.B. Hall Says that
Mikes is going to have more charge of the road but that Sloan is to remain
as a Sort of head piece / I dont know wither J.B. pays Fay $50.00 or $40.00
per month / the big train on Friday 25th Oct did not get into the City
till four Oclock P.M. / your Father did not get in till after 9 Oclock
A.M. / a coal train of[f] the track near Jamesville and then after they
got along another one ran off near the same place and kept back the big
train / the bills Said ten cars but Seven was the Number / your Father
Say that the Commitee lost about $100.00 doll by it / had to pay $300.00
to the railroad for it and did not get but about $200.00 / they did not
[get] back here till 2 Oclock A.M. on 26th / your Father came home in time
for Supper after I had eat mine but did not get any contract for barrels
/ H.A. Chase was in before that and Contracted 300 with Green. You remember
John Chand that worked for Caven on Our wing well he is dead / he cut his
own throat / he has been having some trouble with his wife / She went off
and married a-nother man / he made his will / one paper Said he welled
$4000 to Mrs Thurston and $4000 to the Orphan Asylam but another Said that
$4000 was to go to his friends in England and $4000 to the Asylam / he
was buryed last Sunday / I think your Father Said he done it on teusday
or Wensday / I will now close and I will Write to you again nixt week before
I Send your Satchell / So accept aff Mothers Love and I presume your Father
would Send his if he was in. I must go now and get Supper good by
I remain
Your Affecnate Mother
Margaret Watson
J.R. Cavin is Still at home yet / it is the Same girl -- Grahm -- worked
Ousby / Mary has just been telling me that it is not true about that girl
being with child / glad it is not so better for her
[Election results and another barn fire reported. Reference is made
to a serious fire in Tully that people remembered.]
Tully November 13th 1872
Wensday
My Dear Son I received your Welcome Letter and We are glad to hear that
you are Well and I hope that this will find you Still the same as it Leaves
us both in Ordnary health at present / I expected that you would have a
long pull of it on election night / I did not go to Sleep till morning
but We had no returns here as they Could not take them off but I thought
that it would all go Grant / they only gave him one of a majorety here.
Elder York and Charlie was here last Thursday / Rosa Sent me a little note.
he says the horse distemper is bad / he put his in Our Barn as he was afraid
of her beings in with Sick horses / Kings is sick Hayfords is sick Peters
and Monroes and a good many more and Charlie Strail Says that if a man
comes with a horse to be Shod that he will not put it in the Smiths shop
for fear that they have to go out and do it. Elise York is going to School
at Cayanana[ ? ] Learning to Tilagraph / Willie is also going to School
/ that must have been a bad fire in Boston / Sie Chases Barns 2 of them
was burned to the ground last Friday / he had been boiling potatoes and
had put out the fire and went for the Cows and as he was Coming back he
saw the blaise Coming out of the Ruffe of his Barn / one was Saved as it
stood out from the others / he Sells of[f] his Stock on Satarday / he is
Insured in the Same Company with us and it will bring him about fourteen
hundred dollars / a good many think how that it was from Joe Fletchers
Bon fire that the Tully fire took place / We had a fall of Snow last night
the ground was White to day / We did not put up our coal Stove till last
Satarday / We had up the Old Wood one but we dont keep it running all the
time / your Father was telling me that John Skeels was only at the City
for a While till they Could get a Better one that he cannott Operate good
enugh but I would not say so to him / your Father has bought a fine lot
of hicory hoop pols about $50.00 worth of[f] the Indians. I forgot your
Campher Ice till your Satchell was gone. Thursday 14. . . We have cold
rain today rather bad for Abbe Hollenbeck getting his Barn raised / they
have raised nearly one hundred doll. for him / Your father is going down
Some day to help him / it is bad for a man to have his Barns burned at
this time of the year / We have got a barrell of Cider put into the Celler
yesterday and as soon as We can get some Sand We are going to have the
celler all painted in side / Your Father Says that Some of the Cows are
taken this distemper / We keep ours up at night / Mrs Albert King is very
poorly in health not able to come out to Tully and they are afraid that
this Winter Will tell hard on her / She has no use of her hands most of
the time. Mary Huntington was telling me that She thinks Fay dont get but
$40.00 / M.T. Wooster is Collictor in J. Beerry Place / M.Y. Bennett is
depty Sheriff in Sam Battw[e]lls place. I will mail your last Weeks paper
with this letter So you can have it to read / I think the Storrys are good
now / Chase wanted to buy your fathers ash staves but could not do it /
he has 3 Coopers working for him and he wanted John Ware / he is working
green stock I gess if Greer knows it he wont think much of the Barrels
/ I had great fun with Ann / Gust Bugge has got a bean for her and she
thinks of
marrying again / would liked to have stayed with me till he came but
I could not have her only I needed her help to take up and put down the
dining room Carpet for I cant rest on my knee any thing that I can stand
and do / I get along/ The Democrats felt Sore here over the election /
Hiscock did not get his Office after all / I will have to close as this
is done / I remain your aff Mother
Margaret Watson
P.S. I fear it will not do for Mrs Watson to find So much fault but noise is not good to much of it / Edd can take a marriage now / Miller is buying a deal of Butter but dont seam to pay / folks is grumbling at him very much
P.S. your Father Says that if you are not so busy that perhaps you can come home and See us / meant to say that if you get a pair of new pants be sure that you have them long in the grine an have them made on order
M.W.
[A death on the railroad is reported.]
Tully Nov. 20th 1872
My Dear Son yours of the 17th I received yesterday and your paper today
/ We are glad to hear that you are well and I hope that this will find
you Still the same / We are in ordnary health at present. We was thinking
that you but Staying in Oswego as Some one was telling that they had six
inches of Snow in Oswego and E. King was saying that they had 18 inches
in Buffalo / We have a littel here evry other day and then it melts but
it is very Cold and it
snowed today. The Sick horses here are getting better but some are
pritty Sick / Abbe Hollenbeck cant get hisn timber from the depot for Sick
horses / they think his will not live but none has died here yet. Pork
is very Cheap now only $5.50 in Syracuse I believe. the cars run better
now than what they did / I dont hear of them beening off the track So much
Latly but they killed a brakes man the other Week between here and the
City. John Arnold has gone in Company with Tallman & Miller / I mean
big John they do a great deal of Bussness about twenty thousand per month.
Purdy had to sell out to them / he was so much in debt they have a great
deal of butter on hand / they had about Six hundred dolls worth of Wooll
burned in Boston but the man is good for it / your Father thinks that he
will buy a pig one of these days as his pork is done / he had a paper from
Paisley to day / I will mail yours with this letter / I had a letter from
Mrs Morton last week / She had heard from her daughter in the west and
they were all well / Isabelles baby was better / Mr Morton had been Sick
but was better and had gone to New York that day She wrote to me / She
was much pleased with your Likeness / Old Mr Hayford cut his foot bad last
[ ? ] by an axe falling on it / had to have it Sewed / High Abbott has
built a piece onto his Barn / I think I will close / accept Love from both
/ I remain Your Affecnate Mother
Margaret Watson
Thursday 21
P.S. Edd Miller Says that is a mistake about pork being $5.50 in the City that it is $7.00 / high is paying $6.50 & $7.00 / I See that they are drawing Abbes timber to day
Margaret Watson
[A bad train wreck and several injuries are described.]
Tully November 28th 1872
My Dear Son yours of the 24th I duly received on teusday / I was glad
to hear that your were well this thanksgiven day / and your Father has
just been down at the depot and he says that there is a bad Smash on the
road near Jamesville / the whole train of cars is off the track and down
the embankment. they cant get right word how many is wounded but there
is one killed the enjiner Pat Green but they think that none of the passengers
is killed / it is Enios train it leaves Syracuse about 12 o clock. they
did change time on Monday and the morning trains pass here about 9 oclock
A.M. and the Last train from the South 8 oclock and six minetts P.M. I
thank God now that you are not on that train / I thought once yesterday
that perhaps you would come today but then I thought if you was that you
would have sent us Some Word / but while We thank God that Our Son is Safe
and not amongst the wounded or dead I would not forget that Some parents
heart will be Sad / it is a wonder to me that more is not killed that what
there is With So many Smashups / One of the track hands got badly hurt
last Friday / I think you would know him his name is Dwine [ ? ] / he has
been on the road this some time / it was one of the firemen that threw
off a Large Stick of Wood While the train was passing and it Struck the
man on the head a littel above and behind the ear / they say he cannot
live / he has a Wife and 3 children / Joe Winters Says he was very near
him when he fell / your Father Sends his respects and says we have all
been to meatting today and he says that they Say up State that they think
that gov. will take the road in hand now. the horse distemp is going into
the hogs at Truxton / Mr Highmore was telling me
he is getting his pork here / his going to keeping house at Truxton
/ he has bought a farm of 200 acers and a house on it for $7000. doll /
the girls is going to keep house for him / there is a new dentist come
to town and a doct. / they are in Company and have their office over Henry
Arnolds Shop / Mrs Dunovan is in and She say that the fire man is hurt
and will have to have his leg taken off but We cannott tell yet / I think
I will close and I will mail your paper with this / Accept Love from all
while I remain your Affetinate Mother Margaret Watson
No more at present my Son / I must close as your Father is waiting to
take this to the Office / Joe Says that Six of the passengers is wounded
and that the fire man they think cant live
[The Watsons had chicken for Thanksgiving, and more details given
about the train wreck; Horace Greely’s death mentioned.]
Mr. John G. Watson
Operator Care
Of Bx No 1162
Oswego N.Y.
Tully Dec 5th 1872
My Dear Son Yours of the 1st Inst I received on the 3rd and I was glad
to hear that you Was Well and I hope that this will find you Still the
Same / We are both in Ordnary health at present / your Father went into
Syracuse on Monday to try and get Some packing Barrels to make but got
none / they are getting all the Barrels they want from the West very cheap
and they say that they can get good White Oak Barrls a $1.75 delivered
and ash ones at $1.25 / Chase dont get but $1.50 and he pays 75 for making
and 18 cents for freight / So your father Says that he Shant go any more
after them but just make what he gets to make here and keep his stock till
another year / John Skeels Came through on the train with him on his way
to Binghamton to Operate there but your Father did not ask him witch office
he was going to get. those that passed Over the road before they got the
cars up Say that it is the worst break they ever saw / 30 of the passengers
were more or less hurt So Fred Tallman paper stated / besides the fire
man and engineer a Mrs Hoyot of Syracuse a nephews wife of C. Hoyots here
is very badly hurt / and on Monday last a dispatch Came saying that the
derecters had appointed a Mr Vorice in the place of Sloan and Last night
your Father Saw a piace in the paper about him Resining and he Says that
he has done his best if So What can his worst be / they found the broken
rail taking out and another put in its place and the brocking one covered
with dead leaves / Dorf trys to blame the Engineer for running to fast
but one man on the train Says that 15 or 18 miles an hour was all they
were running. Harvey Fellows was Emerised on Sunday night in the church
/ I forgot to tell you that Jannett Morton and her husband lived in Pastage
City and then Moved back to Plattsville and I think that Mrs Mortons Sister
Agness Lived there but you cannott remember her / I wrote Jannett and Mrs
Morton last Sunday / We had a nice checkin for Dinner on thanksgivin day
but no Turkey nor duck / Mary Says that She Saw a man with a basket full
of Turkeys and that none of the Stores in Tully would buy them for that
in N.Y. / they were domping them and the Logs into the River as fast as
they came in / Highmore Was telling me that J.R. Cavin Was doing nothing
but Coffing round the groserys / littele Johnston and Jacke Shyell has
gone in Company in John Cummings old Stand / they pay hin $8.00 per month
of rent for it / So Mrs Watson has left Boarding with you in your Boarding
plase / I sold another small tub of Butter teusday & it weighed 27
pounds of Butter at 30 cents per pound / all the Farmers that your Father
Speaks to says that the hogs are not deseised but We have bought none yet
/ I will mail your paper with this letter / the Nite Socitity is Started
again and Will be at the parsonage on Friday afternoon and evening / I
shall look for your Satchell this week / So 2 of your Operators are going
to Leave / your Fathers thought once that
perhaps you would not be needed after Elecion and that if So We had
a good School here and that you could come home and go / But I thought
that Likely they Would keep you on / I think Fay dont look well / he looks
pale and thin / he says he hurt himself lifting a heavy Trunk / We have
a littel Snow here and some Slays are out but it is not very good yet /
I have been Baking for the Nite Socity to morrow as they have Something
to eat now / I do not know
as I think of anything more at present So I will just Close With best
Love from your Father and Mother While I Remain Your Affecnate Mother Margaret
Watson
So Horace Greely is dead / Well he did not last long after his Wife.
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24 July 1999
25 July 1999