Numbered
pages 302-309, 167-168.
Windsor
Hotel (Phila) Belvidere N.J. Nov. 13th 1899
Dear
Cousin Henry J.:
We
had a very pleasant trip to Philadelphia. We were at the Export Exposition two
days. It is not a World’s Fair, but it is much more than a county fair.
The
main building covers an area of 9 acres with a floor space including upstairs
of 12 ½ acres.
The
Implement, vehicle and Furniture building is, 450 by 160 feet.
The Transportation Building is 450 feet long and 75
feet wide. There is also a miniature
Railroad
and Esplanade. There are a great many
interesting things to see at this exposition.
I
write this letter to you on letter sheets of the Hotel we stopped at while in
the city.
I copied the history of Christina (Aten) Brittain, and I now return the same to you with thanks for the privilege of seeing it. I am unable to make any additions or corrections, as I never knew anything about her history. I have showed the history to Mrs. Hay, and she says she cannot add anything. She says she always heard her Grand father Peter Aten say, that
after
the Revolution Christina, “Teny” and her husband removed to Nova Scotia.
I send to you on herewith a slip containing the
obituary notice of Mrs. Rosanna Bellis, an Aunt of mine. She was a descendant
in one line of Nicholas and Japie (Aten) Albertson. You did not get to see her while you was out here, for, I think I
told you, she was very queer the last few years of her life, so much so that at
times they talked of
taking
her to the State Hospital (asylum).
The printer made a mistake in publishing the notice, by leaving out a
line—after the word Jesse there should be the following—“Ethol and two brothers
George Harris of Belvidere”.—She died on Oct., 27th 1899.
I also send to you a slip showing you what a horrible
fate befel one of your very distant kinsmen.
This boy was a Great, Great, Great Grandson of John Aten, and
consequently a Great, Great, Great, Great Grandson of Derick Aten. You will no doubt remember that you met
Mrs.
Joanna Swan at the A. and A. Reunion in 1898, as she was there, and I think
Ellen introduced her to you—well she is a grand daughter of—Margaret Aten who
married William Frutchy, who is still living and will be 98 years of age on
Tuesday—the 14th inst., if I remember rightly. This boy Russel R. Barber is her grandson.
It
was very sad for a young life to be cut off so quick in such a cruel manner.
You
will no doubt remember that long iron bridge across the Delaware just above the
village of Delaware I remember calling
your attention to it when we went up to the Water Gap. Several—I remember of three or four
persons—having been killed on that bridge within the past ten or twelve
years. You see those big strong
engines, and the fast trains on the D.L. & W.R.R. are dangerous to life and
limb, if you get in their way. That is
the same road that you went on from Manunka Chunk to Buffalo, when you left
here, the Saturday night
that
you started for your western home.-
The Grand Lodge I.O.O.F. of New Jersey is to meet at
Trenton on Wednesday the 15th inst.—Wednesday of this week. I think Iwill go down Wednesday night and be
there at the evening session and stay for the meeting on Thursday. The railroad fare is cheap and I have some
other business there in the Court of Chancery which I can attend to on
Thursday. I will not be the D.D.G.M.
the next year, as the custom
(right edge is missing so some words
have been guessed at): has always been
(they say) for the office to allot among the different lodges—next
year it goes to the Lodge at Stewartsville in the Southern part of the County.
I
read the royal welcome that the State of Kansas gave to the fighting 2nd
Re’gt and (Col.) now Genl. Funston. I thank you for sending the paper to
me. All your other relatives out
here are well so far as I have heard from them. We all send love and kind regards to all at
your home. We are all well at my home.
I expect to call on Dr.
Thompson while at Trenton. Our State
went Republican by about 20,000 on last Tuesday. No show for Mr.
Bryan out here. The two big iron furnaces
near here started up again this fall but the people don’t want any
16 oz(?)—free silver.
[Along
left margin] Yours very
respectfully Nicholas Harris
Covenant
Lodge, No.13, I.O.of O.F. Belvidere, N.J. Nov. 13th 1899
Supplement
In
looking over your recent letters I find I never answered your inquiry about the
pamphlet. No. I think,
and say I would not publish any one this year. Next year I intend to
take hold of the matter of the reunion myself in earnest, and fortune may favor
us better than this year.
We
will meet next year on the old Cornelius Albertson plantation just above the
village of Delaware.
Cornelius
was an older brother
of
Nicholas, and the old stone house where he lived is still standing but fast
going to decay. There is a new summer
boarding house on the old farm owned and occupied by a descendant of Nicholas
and Japie, called the Delawanna House.
They wish it to be there—and I have told them we will hold it there—Dr.
Thompson and Rev. E.W. Thompson may be able to attend; and I will also invite
others. If I get the material I will
prepare an address on the Albertson ancestors, and if I succeed in getting
together a lot of the history I will have it published or pay for the
publication thereof with other historical matter.