Letters from Jason Devol Curtis

Punctuation and capitalization added.

Addressed to: Mr E W Curtis, New England, Wood Co W. Va.

Freedom Pa

March 14 – 1885

Dear Father and Mother

As this is Sunday I will send you a few lines.

We are all well at present and trying to keep warm – as it is still cold here.

We got Home Thursday had a hard trip of it as we had loaded Barges and had to double trip Every place that was a little strong. I am very glad that you wrote about those Barges as we were under the impression that they were all gone. I wish you would write and tell me if the Break in channel on Ohio side is still there and just where I Lays. Mr. Fowler told me that all the Barges on W. Va side was gone. I am so glad that you wrote me as I might sunk some more on top of these.

How I would like to be with you today for it seems so long since I saw you and Mother. How I wish Both of you could come up and see us. Tell Lev I think he might write us a few lines as we are always glad to hear from Home. As I have nothing in the way of news I will close. Pa write oftain [often] for your letters do me so much good. Carrie sends love to you both.

My love to you both. I am as ever Lovingly

Jate

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Addressed to: Mr. E. W. Curtis, New England, Wood Co., W. Va

Postmarked: Louisville KY. – 1885
S. B. Dick Fulton [steam boat]

April 21 1885

Dear Father and mother. As we will reach Louisville in the morning I will send you a few lines. Mother I send you a Liver pad from Pitts.. I hope that you rec’d it before this. I want you to give it a good trial as it will do you no harm. Capt. Packer thinks it will cure you. I hope it will for I am so worried about you. I know that you are poorly when you cannot get out on the Poarch to wave at me. You have no Idea How I miss you. Let me know whether you get the Pad or not.

Lev. I would like for you to have [for] me Ten doz. Eggs and one Doz. Chickens as we go up. I will pay you the market price. Hoping this will find you all well I will say good by. My Love to all. I am as ever your Son

J.D.C

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Addressed to : Mr E. W. Curtis, New England, Wood County, W. Va; postmarked Louisville, Ky Jun 8 1885

Louisville, Ky. June 8th 1885

Dear Father and Mother

As I just arrived here I will send you a few lines. I came here to meet the Dick Fulton. She will be here tomorrow. Father in regards to your apples, I have not been in Pittsburgh only on Sunday since I spent the night with you. I have been home only once since then. It has been a rush ever since I saw you. If I were in your place I would send them to Pittsburgh on the Chancellor. They can do just as well with them as any body can as those parties will not buy until they see them. The sooner you ship them the better for new apples will soon be in market and by keeping them over the chances are that you will loose them. Hoping this will find all well. With love to all the Family I am as ever your Son

Jate

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Addressed to: Mr. E. W. Curtis, New England, Wood Co., W. Va.; postmarked Jun 28 1885 Freedom, PA

Freedom, Pa

June 23-85

Dear Father and Mother

I will send you a few lines. We are all well and getting along first rate. I have been Home almost one week. I tell you I am glad to get a rest. I have lost 20 lbs. this Spring but never felt better in my life. I hardly know what to write as I have nothing in the way of news to write. We had a sad affair 5 miles above here. Last week a Pilot by the name of McGee shot his Wife and then shot himself. They were buried yesterday. I was at the Funeral of his wife. She was buried here.

We send one of the Baby’s Pictures. Please let us know what you think of him. We think he is awful nice. Do you think he looks like his Pap.

Hoping this will find all well and love to all. I am as ever in Love your Son Jate

Have you heard from John? And where is Alice? Send Johns address. I want to write to him. I will close as Carrie wants to write a few lines.

Dear Father and Mother

I believe I wrote the last letter but I will write a few lines in Jate’s letter. We send one of dear little Kim’s pictures. He is a dear sweet baby and is so good. When he comes down to see his Grand Father & Mother he will have to redeem himself for his bad behavior the night he was there. We feel like we could not keep house without him now.

I had a letter from Lethe a week or so ago. Will answer soon. Edna is still here but is going home in a couple of weeks.

We don’t expect to come home this Summer or I don’t but I expect you will see Jate down there. I wish you could come and make us a visit. It would do you good to get out from home awhile.

Will I guess I will close for it is getting late and I must get up early in the Morning for I have a big ironing to do tomorrow. So I will close hoping to hear from you soon.

I remain Lovingly

Carrie

(Kim weighs 19 ½ pounds)

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Addressed to: Mr. E. W. Curtis, New England, Wood Co. W. Va; postmark Freedom, Pa., Jul 25 1885

Freedom, Pa.

July 25 1885

Dear Father and Mother

This hot morning I will send you a few lines. We are well as usual. Carrie is not very strong. We have a good Woman now that can go ahead and do the work. Edna went Home yesterday: I would like to come Home and see you all. We got a letter from Bellville stating that mother was very poorly. If such is the case let me know and I will come Home for a few days.

Pa, I have bought me a House here in Freedom. It is a two Story Frame of 6 Rooms, good well at the door, stable, and coal house. It is in good repair. I pay Fourteen hundred Cash for it. Everybody thinks I have got a great bargain. I am tired of paying rent and I think money is safer there than in a Bank. We will move this fall.

Lev I went to see Mr Risher the other day. He was not in the Office. The Clerk said you would not have any trouble in sitting with him. It appears that Risher never got any of your letters. I would try him again. And the next time I go to Pitts [Pittsburgh?] I will go and see him. Carrie and the Baby sends Love. Hoping this will find all well, I am as ever

Lovingly

Jate

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Addressed to: Mr. E. W. Curtis Esq., New England, Wood Co., W. Va.

Freedom Pa

Sept. 22 [18]85

Dear Father and Mother

We arrived Home Safe and sound Last Wed. morning at 5 AM Just good time for us.

I have nothing new to write. We had a hard Rain here today and it is very cold here to night. Almost cold enough to Snow. It looks as if Winter was here

We had quite a sad affair here this morning. Our Wash Woman Mrs. Krouk had been here at work about one Hour when a Little Girl came running in and said Mrs. Krouk your Little Boy is Killed and he is all mashed up. Poor Woman I never saw one I pittied as I did her. It was her Oldest Boy 9 years old, the oldest of 4 Children and she supports them by washing. I thought she would go raving mad before she left our Home. The Boy was run over by the Cars he was trying to jump on ? While under way. There is a lot of Boys spends day after day trying to jump on trains, ride a little ways and jump off. It Cut this Boy Head in two. He will be buried Tomorrow at 10 o’clock.

Carrie has been trying to get Baby to sleep but he says he won’t sleep. He is on the floor having a fine time. I will close hoping this will find all well.

Carrie and the Boy sends love to all

Hoping to hear from you soon

With Love to all I am ever your Son

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Addressed to: Rev E. W. Curtis, New England, Wood County, W. Va

Freedom, Pa

Nov 13^th 1885

To the dear ones at home;

I read your letter some time ago. Was glad to hear that you was all well.

It has been raining here all day and getting cold. We are all well and enjoying good health. It takes Carrie and me all the time to watch baby. He runs off every chance he gets. He is dying to talk.

Alice [Most likely the wife of John Curtis] has not come to see us yet. I would like for her to come. We would treat her well

Pa, while looking over the morning Paper, I came across the name of one of your old friend Press Duvall. I will send it to you.

Hoping this will find all well and with love from Carrie and my self.

I am as ever your son

Jate

P. S.

Lew & Russ going to Pitts next week. Will try and see Mr. Risher for you

[unsure of the first two names in the post script]

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Addressed to: Mr. E. W. Curtis, New England, Wood Co., W. Va.; postmarked Freedom, Pa Nov 19

Freedom, Pa

Nov 18, 1885

Dear Father and Mother

This is Kim’s Birthday and it has been a st—y one as it has rained here all day. I expect it will make more water which I am very sorry to see As O’Neil has only one Tow loaded. The miners are still out. I think they will all be in by next week.

Pa I rec’d the apples and Pumpkins this eve before dark and except [accept] our many thanks as we can make good use of them they will last us all winter.

Lev, I was at Pitts. Yesterday. Mr Risher was not in his office nor could I find him.

Pa in your last letter you spoke of worrying about John [John Sidney Curtis]. I am sorry to know that you feel as you do. I know you have a Fathers love for him and such things are very unpleasant, but you know you have done the duty of a Father and that is all required of you. Take my advice and do not worry about him for if he was in trouble how quick you would hear from him for he is not the Man to suffer alone. In my opinion he has done the best thing for himself. His Home was a sad one for him or he would never have left Father, Mother, Brother and Sisters behind for he loved you to dearly. Tis far better than some rash act. For Pa where there is no Love or Happiness it is far better to cut the ties that once bound two loving hearts together. I feel proud to think he made the bold break that he did. Had he remained a few years I think he would spend his last days in a Lunatic Asylum (Compare the two) for no man could stand the strife long. Kind loving Heart on one side and a heart of Steel and revenge on the other. Father and Mother do not worry for he will come back and be a shining Light before the World and a man that we will be proud of. Pa look at the bright side as there is nothing on the dark side to look for.

How I wish every man had as happy [a] Home as I have. Our dear little Boy how I love him. I feel as if I never could give him up if he was called from us. Carrie is rocking him to Sleep. She says she will write some in the Morning.

We join in sending love to all and praying this will find all well I am as ever you loving Son Jate

This makes three letters to your one. I think Lev might write for we are so glad to hear from home and to hear the news.

Pa I will send you the blackest Rep-Paper you ever saw. I take it daily and if you would like to read it I will send you two or three papers a week. I take it for the River news. It is the only Paper that gives good River news. I will say good night

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Addressed to: Mr. E. W. Curtis, New England, Wood Co., W. Va.

Postmarked: Freedom PA. Dec 11 1885, Wash D. C. Transit Dec 15, Parkersburgh, W. Va. Transit Dec 16 1885

Freedom, Pa

Sunday Dec 13th 1885

To the dear ones at home

I will try and send you a few lines. We are well at present. I have just got through another siege of sore throat. I have not been out of the house for over one week. I had a pretty hard time. I had to have my Throat lanced on the inside. It was little severe but it just the thing for it gave me immediate relief.

Carrie and the Baby are well. We rec’d a letter from Lethe yesterday. She is very sad over the loss of her Baby [born and died 21 Nov 1885]. I feel so sorry for her.

It is raining here to day and plenty of Water in the River but no work to do as the Miners are still on a Strike. O. & Co. sent out two small tow of Coal Boats which he has had loaded since last spring. The Miners will soon go to work as they are almost starved out. Soon as they go to work there will be plenty of work. I want to see the Coal Mine win as I think this strike will satisfy the miners. There is a few still working in most all the mines and that is a good sign. I sense a little hard on the Pilots but we are glad to see the miners locked out for they are very unreasonable in their demands

Pa I got the Turnips, which you said I forgot [I forgot] to mention you spoke of sending some Cabbage. Do not do it as we have Cabbage. I suppose you have heard nothing from John. Alice has never been to see us yet. I -eou Charley won’t let her come

I have nothing in the way of news to write so I will close. Tell Lev. to write and tell us all the news. Hoping this will find all well and with love from Carrie and myself I am as ever you loving son

Jate