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From:
Subject: Re: [MAWORCES] Charlotte PHELPS
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002 20:32:11 EDT


Carolyn,
I enjoyed Charlotte's letters, (I would save them 'till I was finished
with my other mail) and I am sad that there are no more. I work in the 1830's
(OSV.org) and there was quite a bit of westward movement at that time and we
recently had a training lecture on the subject. We learned about the pattern
of movement, the #'s of Yankees moving, the make-up of the migrants, the
whens, wheres, whys & hows... the big picture. Charlotte taught me more
useful information. Life in 1848 was not unlike life in 1838 (a little
sugaring, big thanksgiving feast, sleigh-riding). I am expected to know what
that life was like, (we are pretty well trained). I have gotten a lot out of
primary sources such as diaries and now these letters. I have often told
women of childbearing age that if they were living in the 1830's and have
managed to be spared the loss of a child they certainly would know a number
of women who have loss at least one, and perhaps knew at least one that died
in childbirth. That Charlotte lost so many cousins, does not surprise me.
That she expresses a solemn respect for the little ones as she lists the
names of the family members, impresses me. She was quite a young lady, I got
teary-eyed when she died. John

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