Thank You, Ruth,
I think that "Sterling, Illinois" is the best bet, too, based on another
letter written some ten years earlier to Darius, from a boyhood friend who
also "went west" and settled in a called Biggsville, Illinois. That letter
also mentioned Prophetstown, and Young America, and also a railroad line
nearby, and mentioned Darius's "uncles" as living 60 to 75 miles away. I
think you may have responded to an earlier posting I made, too, about the
letter and places. I think now that I had narrowed it down to "most likely"
Sterling, Illinois...but have got behind in updating my research records and
am starting to forget what I once knew, already...I'm too young for that!!!
But I am still looking for any Cady researchers who might recognize the
Wilkinson cousin names and places, because that will likely mean they are of
the same line of Cady from Andrew Cady and Susan Wilkinson and so "cousins".
I also think that there were other Cady relatives who went to the same area.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gene & Ruth Cady" <gecady(a)thegrid.net>
To: <CADY-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 02, 2003 12:53 PM
Subject: Re: [CADY-L] A.J. Wilkinson letter to Darius Cady 1882...they were
cousins
There is a Sterling, Illinois in the northern part of the state, not
too
far from the Wisconsin and Iowa borders.
Ruth Cady
Deanna wrote:
>Hello Cady listserve members.
>
>I am g grand daughter of Darius A. Cady of Oneida County, which is in
>Upstate Central NY.
>
>I am posting this letter to him from A.J. Wilkinson to see if anyone
>recognizes cousin connection. Darius' mother was Susan E. Wilkinson,
>daughter of Jacob Wilkinson. His father was Andrew Cady. Obviously A. J.
>Wilkinson was inviting cousin Darius to visit him in the midwest and see
>what a fine place it was. If anyone can pinpoint the location of
Sterling,
>(which midwest state) or recognizes A.J. Wilkinson, let me know.
I think
its
>an interesting letter, regardless of whether you can recognize
any names
or
>places. Shows what they day to day lives and concerns were back
then.....I
>found the reference to the "safes" that were apparently
of great interest
to
>my gg grandfather..who had just fathered a new daughter several
years
after
>their last child and when he and his wife were advancing in
years, to be
>amusing...it took me awhile to figure out that it was not the iron kind
of
>"safe" for keeping valuables that they were referring
to...lol. Hope
>someone recognizes A.J. Wilkinson connection, but if not, hope you enjoy
>this letter anyway.
>
>Deanna
>
> Sterling June 25th/82
>Cousin D.A. Cady
>
> I received your welcome letter a few days ago it found us usualy well
with
>the exception of mother. She has not been very well all winter.
We have a
>very singular Summer it has been wet & cold never saw corn so small as
now
>at this time of year. grass is good in fact small grain is
looking well
the
>only danger of small grain is in its falling down it has rained
15
saturdays
>in sucession last night we had an awful rain terrible hard
thunder the
>ground is full of water I bought 1000 bu. of corn paid 67. cts am feeding
>Hogs. The Sterling market for corn now is 67 oats 45-Rye 65-Hays
7.00-7.50.
>Potatoes scarce could not get any two weeks ago I paid 1.00 for
1/2
bushel
>new ones are getting quite plenty the Butter Market keeps
droping off.
>Slowly the two last tubs. I heard from Nett ____20 cts that is a pretty
good
>price for the time of year. I am making two tubs of about 44 lbs
each per
>week have a few more cows to come in yet will milk in all 27 cows about
half
>of them are two year old Heifers not the best of cows. I have 50
acres of
>Rye that two weeks ago stood higher than my head. I am afraid that it
will
>fall down so much rain & wind some of the heads on it measure
over 7 in.
>
>In regard to the best Rail Road I should take the Chicago & Northern and
>come to Sterling that is 10 miles from our place. when you get ready to
come
>drop me a line & I will meet you at the train the road I took
from your
>place was the New York Central to Suspension Bridge there the great
Western
>through Canada then the Michigan Central to Chicago then the
Chicago &
North
>western to Sterling. if you come & want to take a trip to
Dacota, I will
go
>if I can & I guess it will be so I can. In regard to them
safes you spoke
of
>I consider them perfectly safe if used acording to direction. I
would not
be
>with out one. they used to sell for $10.00. I can send you some
for $1.25
>each if you want some let me know how many & I will send them by mail
packed
>in a pastbord (pasteboard) box. I saw Ira a few days ago he said
his
mother
>had got back & was feeling pretty well they seem to think she
has got the
>cancer cured. I hope she has . They are a bad thing. H. R. Kent has gone
to
>the mines but as to his geting verry sick I have have got the
same
opinion
>in the matter that I had all of the time & that is not very
good. it is a
>nice day have to stay at Home to watch the bees for expect them to swarm
had
>one very large swarm last Thursday. Alonzo had two sows & 15
pigs laying
by
>a fence lightning struck the post killed both the sows and 10 of
the pigs
>one of our neighbors had 8 head of cows & two yearlings killed at one
>stroke.
> A.J. Wilkinson write soon.
>
>{Transcribed from original letter by Deanna, great granddaughter of
Darius,
>on July 11, 1999. Spelling and puncutation (or lack thereof) as
in
>original. Bracketed information [pasteboard] as interpreted by
transcriber
>from the spelling "pastbord box". "_____ "
after "Nett" indicates
illegible
>area. No envelope found with this letter to indicate postmark or
origination
>state.
>Question? what do you suppose them "safes" are that are referred to?
LOL.
>Question? Where is "Sterling" in the Midwest that would
have been served
by
>the railroad lines mentioned, which state?
>Question? Who exactly is A.J. Wilkinson...son of brothers of Susan E.
>(Wilkinson) Cady? She had brothers John, James and William. James and/or
>William may have moved to the midwest in the mid 1800's. I think (do not
>know) that John stayed in NY state until his death}
>
>
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