Numbered
pages 136-141.
Riverside
Inn, etc. Belvidere, New Jersey July 4th 1898
Henry
J. Aten, Esq. Hiawatha, Kansas
Dear
Cousin: Your last letter was duly
received and read with pleasure.
I have not been very well for the past three or four
weeks. I caught a cold and my family physician says my liver is out of
order. At this writing I am however
feeling some
better
and hope to be well in a short
time. I have been told that the friends
up at Delaware are going to have another reunion of the old families of
Albertson and Aten this year, and on the same old ancestral premises where it
was last year, i.e.,--on the old homestead of Nicholas and Japie (Aten)
Albertson at Delaware, five miles above Belvidere. It is a splendid place for such a gathering, but is somewhat
difficult to get to on account of being up a large hill.
The
time has not been fixed yet, but they are talking of Saturday August 20th,
or
Saturday August 27th. They
say they wish me and others to go up there and meet with them and fix on
a day. I have no objections to either
of those days. As soon as a day certain is fixed for sure, I will let you know.
Mrs. Prentiss wrote me that some one informed her that the reunion was to be
held in July, but no one had any authority to say that, and more, it will not
be held in July—If you can arrange
to
come out here it will be pleasant for you to go on the old premises where our
ancestors (those descended from Nicholas and Japie) lived and died. You can see
the old house, the site of the old log block house, etc. etc. in sight of
Pennsylvania, and where Derick Aten lived.
I have not been down to Trenton to see Rev. Dr. Thompson and the old books yet. I had intended to have gone ere this but have not as yet been able to go. Well what do you think about the war in Cuba? I am sorry to hear of the large number of American soldiers killed and wounded. Poor fellows, they were brave men and the whole country will honor
their
bravery.
I
do not have any thing new in the way of family history to give to you at this
writing. I thought that if I did not write to you, you might think I had
forgotten you.
There
is no public celebration of the Fourth in Belvidere this year, but there are
celebrations in several places in the county.
All your distant kinsfolk
out
here are usually well at this time. We have been having some extremely warm
weather for the past few days.
I
hardly think I will get out to the Trans Mississippi Exposition this year. I did think at one time I might go out to
it. It is so close to you I suppose of course you will go to see it. We are all well at my home at this time
except myself, and as I said above I am feeling better than I did some time
ago. I hope you are all well at your
home. I send love and kind regards to
you all and will be pleased to hear from you at any time--
Yours
very fraternally Nicholas Harris