I've "rescued" an old family letter written by Frankie ROCKWELL of West
Burlington, Pennsylvania to her brother Mr. Lewis AUSTIN of Williamston,
Michigan in 1889. In the letter she mentions her husband Gamage ROCKWELL
and his uncle Azor ROCKWELL. The letter is as follows:
Letter to:
Mr. Lewis AUSTIN
Williamston, Ingham Co., Michigan
Mailed from: East Troy, PA on July 15, 1889
Dated:
July 1889 at West Burlington
Dear Brother Lewis:
I thought I would try and write you a few lines it is now after five and I
will hurry we have 3 boarders Gamages Father and Uncle Azor own 165 acres
joining this place and they have got a peice of wheat on it and are cutting
it Uncle Azor and his 2 men board here and Father and his go down home
Gamage is helping them to day he has got in some hay has a peice of Barley
and a small peice of rye about ready to cut we have got a nice piece of
spring wheat one piece of our corn look very nice and the other piece the
water drown out we have terrible floods her this spring several towns and
one city completely destroyed by water. Well Lewis I suppose you are
working out this summer I hope you like it and have a good place how much do
you get a month is Alice with her Father is she married yet I am going to
write to her but I thought I would write to you first as I have owed you a
letter longest It dont seem possible it has been so long but I hope you will
forgive me and I will do better after this I have had so much to do I have
got short dresses on the baby. Do you see Mother lately has she got a good
place and does she keep pretty well I would like to see her Gamage says if
he had the money he would come out there this fall when Alice gets married
then we will have to come I presume her Father would not want us there I
would like to have you and Alice come and make us a visit this fall. I have
a girl the same one that was here when Mother went away I have put up 5 qts
raspberries this after noon well I must close for this time. What did you
think of Helens picture I sent you by Mother I ment to sent you more was
will send something some other time I will send you one of our cards. Write
soon with love from us all I will close Your Loving Sister Frankie
Calling card for Mr. & Mrs. G. ROCKWELL enclosed
Based on limited research I believe that the letter is written by Frankie
Helen MEADE, daughter of Frankie MEADE and Helen CALKINS b. 25 Nov 1867 at
West Burlington, PA, who married Gamage ROCKWELL in Burlington, PA, and d.
30 Jun 1941 at Elmira, NY. Frankie & Gamage ROCKWELL had at least one
child, Mildred Bertha ROCKWELL b. 8 Sept 1893 at West Burlington, PA.
Mildred died 14 Apr 1969 at Canton, PA and was buried in Elmira, NY.
Gamage ROCKWELL was b. 13 Sept 1863 in West Burlington, PA and d. 8 Apr 1922
in Elmira, NY. Gamage was the son of Orlando Willard ROCKWELL and Mary
Eliza GAMAGE. During the 1880 census Orlando (age 50) & Mary (age 43)
ROCKWELL are listed in West Burlington, PA with four sons, Delos (age 21),
Gamage (age 17), Willard (age 9), and Irvine (age 7). All listed as having
been born in PA, with Orlando's parents born in Vermont and New York
respectively.
Also listed in the 1880 census at Troy, PA is Azor ROCKWELL (age 45) along
with his wife Eliza (age 46), a daughter Jennie (age 17), and son Azor R.
(age 5). Again, all born in PA with Azor's parents born in Vermont and New
York and Eliza's parents both born in MA. I'm hoping to find someone from
this family so that this wonderful old piece of family history can be
returned to the family.
If you are a member of this family or know someone who might be, please
contact me.
Thanks,
Shelley