Phoenix
Assurance Co. of London Belvidere N.J. Dec. 14th 1897
Henry
J. Aten, Esq. Hiawatha, Kansas
My
Dear Cousin:
Your
kind letter of August 31st ult, and letter of Dec. 2nd
also, were both duly received and read with pleasure. It has been some time
since I have written to you—not that I did not wish to write, but I have been
waiting for something—some important matter of history, or other thing of
interest to give to you that would be of interest in the family history, or
some event proper for you to know about.
Yes I received some time ago a copy of the manuscript you mention, from
Mr. John A. McMurtrie
I for one am opposed to having the family history go
in print yet awhile—as he has it—for the reasons,---The names of many are
incorrect. The families are not fully represented, and I think more of the
family history
should
be given—in the matter of dates of birth, of death and names of husbands or
wives. Also if members of churches, what church they were members of, also if
any ones held any political offices, naming those and other short sketches etc.
etc. If the book is ever printed, I for
my part—want the entire will of Adrian Aten printed. Also his inventory or
appraisement of his estate copied in full. Also the copy of Dericks will and
many other things. As I wrote you before the right way of spelling the name of
our ancestor is “Jacobty” (Jamima not
“Jacobbite”, the fault withal case is the scrivener’s mistake in writing her
name in his will.
You see I am more acquainted with those who live about
here than with those who lived away from here—for instance the families of John
Aten, Peter Aten and Japie
(Aten)
Albertson—Catherine Aten who married Christian Eilenberger of Monroe County
left several children, one of them Mrs. Van Fleet was down to the reunion last
summer. There was no one named
“Marjorie” the right name was
Margaret—left a lot of children they –names—can
all be got . Derrick left 11 children
their names can all be found, and also the grand children—one of his daughters
was to my house last fall. The same
with Mrs. Dildine, her grand daughter lives just above Belvidere. Elizabeth Smith’s children are all known to
me. I see some of them quite often—I
think I have written you before that Elizabeth Aten who married Annanias
Babcock lives at or near (P.O.) Lone Elm. Anderson County, Kansas.----
Yes,
you have my full permission to have published in the family history
all the
items you mention in your letter, and any other items of history you may know
about or wish put in. If it is to be a
history, it ought to be such in fact.---If you will look at a rough copy of an
old deed or record in Easton Pa., that I sent to you you will see the names of
the husbands and wives of some of the other children of Adrian. I must go up to
Newton soon and make some searches in regard to the settlement of estates,
marriages, lands owned, wills made, etc. etc.
I think there must undoubtedly be a lot of good history up there, as
Sussex County in early days comprised also what is now Warren County—also I
must go down to Flemington, County seat of Hunterdon County. I desire to locate the spot where Adrian
lived and if possible copy the deed or deeds for his homestead, and get such
other history as may be there relating to the matter.---
I
will if necessary also go down to Morristown County seat of Morris County and
see what can be found there—as Morris County in early days comprised what is
now Sussex and Warren Counties. But my
dear friend all these things will take some time.
Then
again there must be a proper preface to the book on history of the name etc
place etc—and the different ways of spelling the name etc, vz.-Aten, Atin,
Attin, Atten, Auten, Autin etc etc
I saw an old receipt where the name was spelled Eighten,
also another Ate in—but those were the mistakes of those who wrote the
papers. I see by the newspapers that
there is to be held at Omaha Neb. during the summer of 1898 a Trans-Mississippi
Exposition—If such is held—don’t be surprised—I mean you must not be surprised
if some
fine
day you should see me with grip in hand visiting the City of Hiawatha, in Ye
State of Kansas.
We
are all well at my home tonight—also all your distant kinsfolk are usually well
so far as I have heard from lately. I
send you a slip to show that just below Easton is the town of Bethlehem, an old
Moravian town, containing a large iron works—wherein was recently cast the
largest gun ever built. Also I send to
your daughters a slip printed in what is known as Pennsylvania Dutch.---
As
I suppose you know Mrs. Prentiss is spending the winter in Burlington N.J.—We
have no snow as yet out here—and the weather is quite warm at this time---
We
all send love and kind regards to you all at your home. Excuse this hastily written letter----
In
the left margin of the previous page (#52):
“P.S. I send you circulars to show what some of our eastern inventive persons have discovered.”