Charlotte Stocker Binckley to John Milton Binckley, September 2, 1861

[Charlotte Stocker Binckley at Corydon, Iowa, to John Milton Binckley at Washington City, September 2, 1861].

Corydon, Iowa, Sept. 2, 1861

My dear Milton[,]

Yours, August 12, was duly received. Would have replied sooner but was in very bad health, for the last three weeks, my old, most distressing complaint Neuralgia in the stomach.

I am not able to tell you how glad I am, how glad I was to hear our dear Lou & Baby were at home again. What a long, long worrysome, tiresome journey she embarked on, all alone, with a child a year old, to attend to and care for, and no one to care for herself, or even to assist her, with her child & satchel in coming into, and going out of, the cars, and to bear that child in her arms, for days, and nights, I put under the head of a bold adventure.

But my dear Milton, what is it, a fond loving wife, or a tender affectionate mother will shrink from? I answer nothing, forgetting herself, she braves danger, bears down obstacles and barriers that may rise before her. [L]ove has no fear, all her sympathies are absorbed in the loved ones, it was not Lou’s phisical [physical] strength, that bore her through all these difficulties, it was affection gave her courage, and fortitude, her feelings brought it out and made it act, made her bold & brave. Such sacrifices are blest, our guardian angels approve and smile upon them, such feelings are sacred, they are holy, we may, and can, carry them to heaven with us.

George left here last [F]riday, his letter from you, arrived some days previous to his going. Allen got his tax list done, I think I told you in my last, that George was here to help him.

You know I never liked Iowa, and never urged you to come here, but as you intended to leave the City, you had to go somewhere, and if you went to any of the western states, you as might as well be in Burlington as any where els[e] in the western free states. You will not be surprised when I tell you that I was a little disappointed to hear you say, you were not coming. I can’t say that I am sorry, but regret that I am so far away, and such a long journey between.

I had a letter from my dear Joanna, a few weeks since she stays in Maryland with the Stuarts. I expect a letter from Sarah Stuart every day. They all regret so that I am not there in the country with them. Joanna says she has not seen you since sometime in May, but one of their Alexandria neighbors told them you had call’d at their deserted residence, the[y] regretted very much you did not cross the river, and pay them a visit at their present residence. It is not more than a mile & [a] half from Alexandria, they have a splendid view of Alex--- [&] of Georgetown. Oh do go down, you and Lou, and pay them a visit for my sake, and for your own enjoyment. I know Lou would be pleased with the girls.

You spoke of papers that you had sent to me. I received none, the Patapsco Enterprise excepted that comes regular every week, but nothing els[e] since I left Burlington. You need not take the trouble to send any, since you don’t take the sun [Baltimore Sun]. I am satisfied with the Patapsco, it gives me information in regard to the fate of my beloved old mother M—d [Maryland]. I am not in want for news. Allen has plenty of exchanges, some very respectable papers. I shall send you the Dubuque Herald as a specim[e]n of independent Democracy.

I often think of all our dear friends, where are they?, scattered & dispersed. Old Abe, and his odious, hateful tyrants have driven them to the ends of the earth. But the names are written on the wall – the day of Abe, Oliver, Cromwell are numbered, and the laws of Dracco will be at an end at some future day, perhaps not very far off. [M]y poor countrymen, who are confined in the New York Bastil[l]e will return, singing, Blow ye the trumpets blow. The Year of Jubilee has come.

Allen & family are all well. Johnny tries hard to walk but is so fat and heavy, he can’t quite come it, he is a fine and a very pleasing sweet child, no resemblance between him and Clara.

I shall not give you four pages of foolscap this time, I am tired and nervous, I have nore love for you all than I am able to say on a whole [?] of paper. [T]ell Mr. Michael [Harvey Mitchell/Michel], I wish to be remembered by him in kindness. To your young folks I say treat the old gent with special kindness, shew him extra kindness. He is lonely, he is solitary. His mate is absent. He feels widowed. [A] little extra attention, makes the parent feel happy. You will not misconstrue what I said, I have no fear that you will neglect him, no indeed, but you understand that I mean by extra.

I am looking daily for that long, long Epistle from Lou. [T]ell me all about her mother, sister Charlotte and poor little Sue. Poor Willie, tell me all she knows of him.

Again I say I am tired. Good bye, God bless you all.

Your Mother,

C. Binckley

N.B. I forgot to remind you that you did not tell me if little Ella walks.

[Charlotte aka Charlotta Stocker Binckley  (1788-1877)

John Milton Binckley (1821-1878)
“Lou” = Mary Louisa Mitchell Binckley (1838-1930)

"Baby" aka "Ella" = Nella Fontaine Binckley (1860-1951)

Allen = Allen Otho (aka Otha) Binckley (Binkley) (1826-1876), co-editor of the Corydon South-Tier Democrat and, from 1864 to 1865, the Corydon Grand River News; 
Married to Maria Jackson (1832-1913)
"Johnny" = John Henry Binckley (1861-1948)
Clara = Clara Cutler Binckley (1858-1917)

George = George M. Binckley (1829-1885), later moved to Colorado and co-wrote Southern Colorado: Historical and Descriptive of Fremont and Custer Counties, with their principal towns: Cañon City and other towns, Fremont County: Rosita, Silver Cliff, Ula, and Wet Mountain Valley, Custer Counties (Cañon City, Colorado, 1879) 

"Poor little Sue" = Sue Henry Mitchell/Michel (1847-1940)

"Her mother" = Jane Mary Wood Johnston Mitchell/Michel (1811-1892)
Harvey Mitchell/Michel (1799-1866)
"Sister Charlotte" = Charlotte Elizabeth Mitchell/Michel (1829-1921)
"Poor Willie" = William M. Mitchell/Michel (1839-1908)]

Original manuscript in the John Milton Binckley Papers, 1816-1943. Library of Congress Manuscript Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. This is my rough transcription. Paragraph breaks made for easier reading. 

Many thanks to William Myers for sending scanned copies of the documents from the Binckley papers, and also to Mary Davy and Sally Young for their assistance.