Numbered
pages 281-286.
Nicholas
Harris Counsellor-at-Law Belvidere N.J. Sept. 23rd 1898
Dear
Cousin Henry J.
Your
kind and interesting letter was duly received on Wednesday evening, and read
w(ith) much pleasure.
I have read over the notes sent for me to
consider—three or four times. I have no
criticisms to make on them. The whole
is in my judgement very proper, as a short report by one who was present at the
family reunion. You will remember that
the old headstone standing at the head of the grave of Derick Aten has on
it—“D.A. 1809.”—
The
expression, “on the bank near the ceaseless flow of the beautiful river,” x x –
is a beautiful expression, and truthfully represents the scene. It seems to me, and I tried to hunt up the
authority in some of my old grammar’s, that it would read better to say x x
side by side “with those of the Albertson’s,” | You see you wish to give the fact that one
family name is there with the other.
However that is just as you think about it.—
I send to you a Short Statement of the Ribble
family. The person named as Richard
Auten refers to Derick Aten son of John Aten who married Sarah Ribble.—
He
was called Derick, Dick and sometimes Richard. He died in the present brick
house at Aten’s ferry. You saw the
graves of Derick and Sarah in the old Aten burying ground.
Our friend Miss Mary Ellen Albertson who lives on the
old premises where our reunion was held has been quite sick for a few
days. She is better now. I have not heard from Mrs. Prentiss since
she left here. Mrs. Hay is quite
well. Her son George R. Hay Jr. is going to move
to Milburtha, N.J. two stations below
Washington’s Crossing. He has been
assigned to that office.
I
don’t think I will get out to Omaha this fall. I do not know anything in the
line of family history to give you at this time. We are having fine weather here now—pretty warm however. I have thought it would be a nice thing to
mention in your notes some of the old historic family records and things that
we have so I will on another paper give you a list of them.
You
see if you send the printed copies of Dr.
Thompson’s
address and your notes to your friends in Illinois and elsewhere a mention of
those things will be very interesting to them.
I wish you to send to me a few copies of the address and your notes when
you have them completed and printed—for myself and the other friends out
here. We are all well at my home at
this time and I hope that you are all enjoying good health at your home in the
west.
Give
our love to Mrs. Aten, and to Edna and Stella.
Albert
says “tell cousin Henry that it is Albert Shipman”,--you called him “Alfred”,
in your letter. I do not know whether
you wish me to return the proof of your notes you sent to me, or not, but as it
is only a proof as it is called I will keep it here.
You
certainly had a variety of weather while on your visit to the East, and on the
return.
I am very respectfully Your Cousin Nicholas
Harris
[On the first page:] “P.S. Excuse me for writing you such a long letter. I only intended to report to you on the notes you sent to me so you would not be kept waiting to have the same printed.”