March 28, 1896
To: Charlotte Farwell
From: Lucena Brockway, Lake Linden, MI
Recounts several visits they had from neighbors and old friends. Also writes about what appears to be their investment in a mine.
Lake Linden Houghton Co Mich March[1]
My Dear Charlotte
Your letter did not come as last friday. I was fearful it would not for I asked you about many things. It is Saturday evening and no letter yet. I suppose it will come sometime if it ever does. Well this has been rather a disagreeable day. It snowed then it rained a little & then it stopped. Wind blows some to night and blown all day more or less. We have had such lovely weather the most of the time this winter. It seems odd to have an unpleasant day. Are going with wagons down to the Mills at Grover. Sleighing is pretty well worn out just around the town though the sleighing is possible as yet. Mrs Emmanuel Broad died Thursday morning at Vaughnsville, will be buried Sunday.[2] Broad & his wife, from Wegannie his Brother, have gone over to attend the funeral. Poor old man is now almost helpless. They live all alone guess he will have to go to the Poor house. Last Monday afternoon who should drive up here but Mrs Dr Overfield, Mrs Blandy and Mrs Ella Hoar were making calls. Thursday Mrs Stutte called and stayed an hour & half. She looked nice was dressed very nicely and was as talkative as you please. I was all alone except Mary in the kitchen. I rather enjoyed her that long. Christine is married & has two children. All her children are married but three Teresa Theresa, Sophie & Clara. Gray has been gone every day this week been home two or three nights & off again in the morning. A Finlander was killed at Fulton Sunday morning about 4 Oclock in a drunken row at Bollmans Camp. Had a dance & toward morning they became boisterous and the man turned some men out & followed them out and one man was killed and they have had a great time getting down to the bottom of it. Guess they have come to the conclusion they have had got the right one. Gray did not get home last night do not know as he is home now. Expect he had to go to the River. I hear the night train whistle must be at Grover If it dont bring a letter from you we cant get any until Monday. No mail until Monday. There is a mail comes in Sunday night but is not distributed until Monday. Our folks are pretty blue to day. Got some statements about Butte & Boston. They will have to loose it I expect got a statement from the Brokers they will have I presume ten dollar assessment on it. Whoever could stand this will probably make something after a few years. No doubt it is a rich mine and _____ was down to 92 yesterday and will go much lower so people think. The mine is looking better all the time. I can’t tell it but the million dollars that was raised to carry on the mine the Syndicate has appropriated for doing the business $50,000 as near as I understand it. They drive the stock down. We heard when any stock was sold less than a hundred dollars they buy it in. Maybe I have not got it just right but it is bad enough any way. It just takes the bread & butter out of our mouths. Mail has come and no letter from you but one from Sophie.[3] She is well and has all the work she can do. All well at Superior so she heard last week. Good night.
Sunday evening – Is a blessed thing I wrote you last night for I have not had one moment to day to write until now most & 8 Oclock. Well we were surprised this morning. The bell rang and Mr Marr & Mr Wheeler came and spent the day. Used to be on the Coast Survey. Mr Wheeler is now the last 13 years been Superintendent of the Sault Canal and Mr Marr is Superintendent of the Canal above Houghton that goes into Lake Superior. They are real nice gentlemen. Mr Wheeler only came up yesterday & goes back to morrow morning. They came up on the morning train & went back on the evening train, so the most of his time was spent with us except evenings. We all enjoyed their visit very much and they seemed to enjoy theirs as well as we did. While here Henry Guilhault & Alfred Butler came & called but they thought it quite a reunion. We all knew them at Copper Harbor. We saw Mr Wheeler at the Sault when you & Annie[4] & I came from Ann Arbor. Do you remember him. Have not seen him since until to day. When they were gone the Reporter for the Marquette Journal came & Lena Isler & they stayed until half past seven and I am tired. Gray got home only to day and he and Annie were here to dinner & Perry also. Pa[5] was so glad to see them that he enjoyed them ever so much. Well I shall send this before I hear from you shall not wait. Gray says Broads brother is going to take Broad home with him. Well I must now close with love to all.
Your Mother
Lucena Brockway
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[1] Based on the account of Mrs. Broad’s death it has been determined that the letter was written March 28, 1896
[2] Michigan death records show that Alice (Nichols) Broad died March 26, 1896 in Houghton, Michigan; FindAGrave.com shows she died in Vaughsville, Michigan and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Eagle River, Michigan
[3] Sophie Kaufman. The 1900 census lists her as the adopted sister of Albert Brockway; however, the obituary of Delia (Brockway) Perry (January 1893) lists her as a step-daughter, living in Duluth, Minnesota
[4] Her daughter, Anna (Brockway) Gray
[5] Her husband, Daniel D. Brockway
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 