Numbered
pages 146-151.
I.O.of
O.F.etc “Office of the Past.
D.D. Grand Master” Belvidere N.J. Mar 19
1900
Dear
Cousin Aten and family,
Your
Kind letter of Jan 28th ult., was duly received and read with
pleasure. Nothing new has transpired
for me to inform you about; nevertheless I will at this time write you this
letter to let you know that we are still among the living, and moving along in
the old way.
While
there has been a good deal of sickness out about here the past winter and many
deaths,--not one of the immediate relatives of yours has passed away since I
last wrote to you. Mr. Dunham Lamb of
Pittston
Pennsylvania,
whose wife was Miss Susan Aten died on the 16th of February last.
(see slip inclosed) Mrs. Lamb was a
daughter of Simon Aten who lived just across from Manunka Chunk,--She is a
cousin of Ellen, and sister of the mother of Miss Mary A. McMurtrie—A
descendant of Hendrick Aten. I had a
letter from Miss Mary A. McMurtrie under date of March 16th inst.,
in which she says they are all reasonably well at her home.—Mrs. Hay and family
are all as well as usual. Ellen was up
to their house one afternoon last week. The little grand daughter Beattrice is
growing finely, and begins to talk. As I said above not one so far as I know of
the Freundschaft of yours out about here, or in Pennsylvania (died)
the
past winter, for which we are all devoutfully thankful.---
I send to you a slip which I cut from a Somerset
County paper showing that they still keep up the old Dutch memories down
there Henry of Hope gets down here
occasionally. He and I have a mixed up case on our hands. A cattle dealer and butcher of Hope died
last year largely insolvent, and his wife and others desired Henry to
administer upon his estate. He did so but it was and still is a bothersome
estate to settle up, will pay possibly
.12 or 15¢ to the dollar on the
general
indebtedness; see slip inclosed.
I
am pleased to have the copy of the old signatures you so kindly sent to me.
Please accept thanks for the same. I
must not forget to tell you that we all had the Grippe, at this house. I
had it first and it turned into Quinsy and I was compelled to stay in two weeks
and one day; however the way I am situated, I mean office and residence all in
same house it was not so lonesome.
Ellen took the complaint next; she was about ten days wrestling with it,
and then Albert S. Harris had a sore throat and cold. He only was kept out of
school 4 days. We, I mean the people were pretty well Gripped the past winter.
I hope you all escaped the plague, as it is not a very pleasant thing to be
bound in the bonds of Grippe.
Cousin
Aten did Dr. J.B. Thompson ever inform you that he had in part written a book
recently? Well such is the case. His
work is before me as I write. It is a part of the Educational history of N.J.
entitled No.23 History of Education in N.J.
by David Murray Ph.D.
L.L.D.------
It is a
very interesting book and will please you very much. I suppose your member of Congress or U.S. Senator can have it
forwarded to you. Every adult person in N.J. can secure a copy. Try your hand
on it and if you cannot get it , I will try and get you one from here. It will please your daughter Edna, if she
teaches, to read over the old Dutch and Colonial ways. Inform your Member of
Congress to (write) Dr. W.T. Harris, Commissioner of Education of U.S. to have
the book sent to you. I saw Dr.
Thompson the last time that I was at Trenton. He informed me about the book and
OK’ed my application and I received it in a few days - - - -
You
will be surprised when I say that today we have a foot of snow laying on the
ground out here; yet such is the fact—we had the biggest snow storm of the
season on Thursday and Friday last; sleighs were running on Saturday and
Sunday. A few days before the storm it was so nice and pleasant people were
talking of making gardens.
While
I don’t believe in Bryanism if I can get cheap rates, I would go west when the
Democratic Convention is held in Kansas City on July 4th next. I do
not believe however that I will attend.
I am afraid if I don’t stop writing you will tire of reading my hastily
written letter.—I think I have mentioned before to you that a person here
wishes me to go to Harrisburg Pa., for him. I may go this spring;--if so, I
will see what, if any, history I can
find there that will interest you. Mrs.
Hay said not long since “tell Cousin Henry J., to bring Mrs. Aten and come out
here this coming summer again, and stay longer and see more of our beautiful
scenery, and mountains.” You must not
forget our short visit to the Water Gap, eh! I hope you are all usually well at
your Home. We all send love and kind regards to you all. A Miss Nettie Aten
daughter of Robert Aten a second-cousin of Ellen, wrote me some time ago to
inform you that if you ever came East again you should stop off and visit them,
sure; they live near Hicksville Defiance Co., Ohio.