READING GUIDE TO OLD LETTERS


Letter No.

Date Written

Author

Addressee

Text

1

July 11, 1856

Abraham Hamblin of Wisconsin

Gladwyn Family of Lewis Co., N. Y.

settling in Wisconsin

2

August 17, 1864

Hiram Wallace

Conklins of Brownville, N. Y.

Civil War letter from Wash., D. C.

3

December 25, 1866

Adelia Adams of Chaumont, N. Y.

Albert Adams in Michigan

w. to h. who was working in MI

4

January 28, 1867

Adelia Adams of Chaumont, N. Y.

Albert Adams in Michigan

w. to h. who was working in MI

5

March 19, 1867

Adelia Adams of Chaumont, N. Y.

Albert Adams in Michigan

w. to h. who was working in MI

6

April 27, 1867

Priscilla & Wm. Gladwyn of Sackets Harbor, N. Y.

Conklins of Brownville, N. Y.

between families

7

March 16, 1868

Priscilla & Wm. Gladwyn living near Lowville, N. Y.

Conklins of Brownville, N. Y.

between families longing to be nearer

8

November 14, 1870

Priscilla & Wm. Gladwyn living near Lowville, N. Y.

Conklins of Brownville, N. Y.

between families, weathering lonely days in those hard times

9

December 25, 1870

Priscilla & Wm. Gladwyn living near Lowville, N. Y.

Conklins of Brownville, N. Y.

A Christmas letter between sisters and their husbands - trying to be upbeat

10

July 16, 1871

Priscilla & Wm. Gladwyn living near Lowville, N. Y.

Conklins of Brownville, N. Y.

A more optimistic letter between families

11

February 4, 1872

Priscilla & Wm. Gladwyn living near Lowville, N. Y.

Conklins of Brownville, N. Y.

Another depressing winter letter.

12

August 25, 1872

Priscilla & Wm. Gladwyn, living near Lowville, N. Y.

Conklins of Brownville, N. Y.

More insight to the difference in lifestyles between sisters - little tolerance on part of author

13

December 8, 1872

Priscilla Gladwyn, living near Lowville, N. Y.

Laurentine Conklin, Brownville, N. Y.

h. is working long hours while Priscilla raises her little Minnie

14

February 9, 1873

Priscilla Gladwyn, living near Lowville, N. Y.

Laurentine Conklin, Brownville, N. Y.

A longing to settle in the West

15

April 11, 1873

Priscilla Gladwyn, living near Lowville, N. Y.

Laurentine Conklin, Brownville, N. Y.

Expressing hopes of a move - to Pillar Point or out West

16

July 20, 1874

Wm. Gladwyn, Sr. of Lowville, N. Y.

Wm. & Priscilla Gladwyn, Jr. of Dexter, N. Y.

A lonely, elderly father wants attention from his son! Lowville news, too.

Letter No.

Date Written

Author

Adressee

Text

17

January 11, 1882

Mrs. L. D. Adams of Sebwaing, MI

Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Gladwyn & Minnie of Dexter, N. Y.

Death of Durgy Ackerman in Sebewaing, MI

18

March 12, 1882

April 9, 1882

Mrs. Mahala Ackerman and dtr.

Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Gladwyn & Minne of Dexter, N. Y.

general chit-chat back to her Dexter-Pillar Point family

19

November 21, 1886

Mrs. Wm. R. (Priscilla) Gladwyn of Dexter, N. Y.

Mr. Gladwyn and their daughter, Minnie

Short note of acknowledgment from h. and dtr. who are in Kansas

20

November 24, 1886

Mrs. Wm. R. (Priscilla Gladwyn of Dexter, N. Y.

Mr. Gladwyn and their daughter, Minnie

She borrowed, locally, money to keep the two in Kansas

21

December 5, 1886

Miss Libbie Prame of Lowville, N. Y.

Cousin Minnie Gladwyn who is in Kansas for health reasons

An amusing letter from a teenage girl

22

December 10, 1886

Mrs. Charlotte Gladwyn Prame of Lowville, N. Y.

Niece Minnie Gladwyn who is in Kansas for health reasons

Upbeat letter telling about life near Lowville, N. Y. in the winter

23

February 25, 1887

Mrs. Wm. R. (Priscilla) Gladwyn

now living with sister near Brownville, N. Y.

Mr. Gladwyn and daughter, Minnie, who are in Kansas for health reasons

A motherly letter worrying because there has been no word from her family in Kansas.

24

April 19, 1887

Mrs. Wm. R. (Priscilla) Gladwyn of Dexter, N. Y.

Minnie Gladwyn who may now be visiting in Michigan

Another motherly letter -- quite dictatorial

25

January 24, 1888

Mrs. Lavinia J. Conklin Sipes of Ravenna, MI

Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Conklin of near Brownville, N. Y.

Letter between cousins after a prior visit

26

August 11, 1890

Mr. and Mrs. Wm. R. Gladwyn of Dexter, N. Y.

Miss Minnie Gladwyn staying in Lowville, N. Y. with her Aunt Lottie Prame

Worrisome letter from parents of a not-well daughter.

27

February 15, 1895

Mr. L. W. Densmore, a genealogist for the Hartwell Family

Mr. Wm. R. Gladwyn of Dexter, N. Y.

A letter seeking and commenting on the genealogy of the Hartwell & Hamblin families

28

January 17, 1897

Mr. Bert Sprague, Cohoctah, MI

Mr. Wm. R. Gladwyn of Dexter, N. Y.

A nephew reminisces of better times and relates much sickness

29

March 29, 1897

Mr. Herbert D. Conklin of near Brownville, N. Y.

Miss Minnie Gladwyn of Dexter, N. Y.

Romance between cousins

30

May 19, 1897

ditto

ditto

arranging a visit and stay at the farm

Letter No.

Date Written

Author

Addressee

Text

31

August 6, 1908

Mrs. Minnie Conklin, living in Star Lake, N. Y. for health reasons

Mr. Herbert D. Conklin, of near Brownville

Minnie in Star Lake for health reasons writes to husband back home

32

August, 1908

Mrs. Wm. (Carrie Chapman) Conklin of Brownville, NY

Mrs. Minnie Conklin, living in Star Lake, N. Y.

long, lively letter by a young farm wife to her ill s-i-l - amusing letter - shows a delightful personality

33

August 27, 1908

Mr. Wm. R. Gladwyn, now a resident of Brownville, N. Y.

Mrs. Minnie Conklin, living in Star Lake, NY for health reasons

very short note mainly to warn Minnie to travel light for homecoming

34

Summer 1921

Mrs. Herbert (Minnie) Conklin of near Brownville, N. Y.

Mr. Herbert D. Conklin of near Brownville, N. Y.

Minnie takes a vacation to the 1000 Islands - boat goes up on a shoal

35

February 17, 1924

Mr. Michel Thomas of Lowville, N. Y.

Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Conklin of near Brownville, N. Y.

A very enlightening account of a trip to Washington, D.C. by a native of France

36

March 26, 1924

Mrs. Lovinia Sipes of Ravenna, MI, born on Pillar Point, N. Y. in 1835

Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Conklin of near Brownville, N. Y.

An 89-yr. old Jeff. Co. native tells of her family

37

February 5, 1926

Mrs. Lovinia Sipes of Reavenna, MI, born on Pillar Point, N. Y. in 1835

Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Conklin of near Brownville, N. Y.

Shortly before her death, author is grateful for Minnie’s letter; also tells about crop prices.

38

October, 1930

Mrs. Charlotte Prame of Ithaca, N. Y.

Mrs. Minnie Conklin of near Brownville, N. Y.

Almost 80, the author of Letter No. 22, writes of her daily life in the home of her g-dtrs.

39

October, 1930

Mrs. Charlotte Prame of Ithaca, N. Y.

Mrs. Minnie Conklin of near Brownville, N. Y.

A year before her death, this 80 yr. old, writes another nice letter; but she’s also worrying about grave upkeep on family graves at Lowville Cemetery

40

November 17/18, 1936

Miss Henrietta Gladwyn of Los Angeles, CA

Mrs. Minnie Conklin of near Brownville, N. Y.

Reveals the daily life of a spinster who recently lost her spinster sister. Lengthy letter -- quite descriptive and shows much eccentricity