1901 Letter from Mom

'Tonic' made by Augustus C Gruissy

This letter was written to my great grandmother, N. Regina (Gruissy) Mark 1879 OH – 1959 OH while she was in Michigan visiting her sister, Rephenia Gruissy Nichols and her husband, Willis Nichols. The Nichols and their son moved to Michigan in late 1900 or early 1901 from Ohio.

This was written by Esther Barbara Wolf, Regina’s mother. Esther [1836 PA – 1906 OH] was the daughter of John Franklin Wolf & Elisabeth Burkholder. Esther was 65 when she wrote this letter. In the letter she repeatedly asks her daughter to return home to take care of herself and her husband.

This letter is full of misspellings and grammatical errors. The pages of this letter have no punctuation. Some periods have been added to make the reading easier. Each paragraph below is a new page. It looks like Esther wrote these pages over a series of days.

To: Miss Regina V. Gruissy, RFD No. 2, St. John’s, Clinton Co., Michigan

From: Esther B. (Wolf) Gruissy, RFD North Lawrence, OH

Postmarked: 4 September 1901

Dearest Dauter [daughter] I set myself to anser [answer] your kind and much welcome letter wich [which] we ware [were] glad to here [hear] from you that you are well But sory [sorry] to here [hear] that Willas [Willis][1] is not well and seth [Seth][2] is not well. Pap[3] is not well. His hands is so Bad. i am pretty well now. hoping this may find youns all well now. pap said i should tell you to tell willis that if he wants som [some] medsen [medicine] he will send him if he pays the Expres [sic] on it. See how Bad ine [sic] Estman was and she is usen [using] the tonic and others are usen [using] the tonick [tonic] and are well.[4] Well you want to now [know] about flowrs [flowers]. tha [they] are all in Bloom. Tha [they] are lovly [lovely]. The Canies [sic] is in Bloom now and the morning gloers [glories] is too nice all kinds of flowers. I have caned [canned] 25 cans of all kinds and will can that meny [many] more.

Graps [grapes] is not ripe yet and tha [they] are plenty. i [sic] will tell you what we have peches [peaches] and Caleitch [sic] and tatoes [sic] and sweet taters plenty. i have cooke [cooked] jam, sewt [sweet] corn and Beens [sic] and tomates [tomatoes] and mangoes no appy [sic]. Pap went to them Dutch folks Bergley ware [where] we stoped [stopped]. i am alone. i will go to mises [misses] Cfinery [sic] and sta [stay] all night. i think you had Better come home soon. Come on the Expres [express train] for the smith farm is lonesome i herd [heard] and Com [come] soon. Maryl [sic] said she would send you money to come home. new come and have Some pleshure [pleasure] wenn [when] you can. this month is the first the nabors [neighbors] are well. you must think hard of me for not righten [writing] sooner for pap and me was at west lebnon [Lebanon] 2 weeks. Pople [people] are all well. we came home.

friday. We went to a sale and Bught [bought] a Bed sted [sic] and a quilting fraim [frame] so you can work when you come home soon. pap sends his best wishes to all. pap cant right [write] now for his hands is so Bad he cant right [write]. I hurt much time to right [write]. pleas [please] anser [answer] soon and why don’t Refenia[5] right [write] and what is she doing [doing] and why don’t gusta[6] right [write].She told pap she wold [would] right [write] and what is mgy[7] Dooing [doing]. Well i must tell you that i have another spice in my frindshoft [sic]. Your Cousen [cousin] frank wolf married a spice. Refina she should right [write] and argret [sic] ihave so much to Doo [do]. i don’t know [know] whare [where] to cmense [commense]. sweet corn to drie [dry] and Beens peaches to can and Drie [dry] and Doo [do] I have oald [sic] frute [fruit] caned [canned] a lot yet

Don’t [sic] what regina will Doo she may want sum [some] cans of frute [fruit]. i must no [know]. Regina pleas [please] and get that little Black Dog whare [where] Refina and Ray[8] had the on whare [where] pap giv [give] to ray [sic] and send it in for pap. he [sic] will pay the Expres [sic] on it. Pap told Refenia if tha [they] Did not want it she send it to him. you [sic] sa [say] why will you why. when he went pedaling[9] he took it along and it still watched him and wold [would] bark if som [some] one wold [would] com [come]. get it soon and Expres [sic] it to Burton City Wayne Co Ohio. there is another Burton.

morning of the 4^th. well I slept at Cofmans. rested well. hoping you are well and all the rest nabors [neighbors] wishs [sic] you well and a speedy rturn [return]. Best wishes of all the nabors [neighbors] all. the Coffman girl roat [wrote] to you. Did you anser [answer]. well i must tell you that Ole Maxhimer has Canser [sic] on her brest [sic] and she wants us to right [write] to her. well i must go and get my milk for pap is not here. i wish you was here to help us get them wild chers [cherries] a corse [across] the Road. Th [sic] are nice and good. i am Baking Bread and pachs [peaches] and Elder Beries [berries]. plenty work all my self. Pap cant [sic] help me. his hands is so Bad the one finger has no bone in it. Feels so and is all cruket [crooked] Bt [but] will Doo [do] the Best we can. children som [some] times i crie [cry] for we are alone. god [sic] will car [care] for us. Tell the wrest [rest] right [write] soon. anser [answer] soon E. B. Gruissy

now pleas [please] and Doo [do] get soon it will please him to think that you care for him. if you get the little Black Dog put it in a small Crate [sic]. Ssend it soon pleas [please]. Well mises [sic] Breneman sends her Best wishes to you and said you should Com [come] home soon froam [from] mother to Dauters [daughters]. anser [answer] soon

Esther B Gruissy

Tell the Willes[10] and Seth[11] pap said if tha [they] want eny [any] Medsen [medicine] tha [they] shouldand he will send only tha [they] shal [shall] pay the Expres [sic] Charges. wo [who] Could Doo [do] eny [any] more. well i got my milk and to Day [today] the Butcher coms [comes] and i will get some prest [pressed] ham for my self to Eat and som [some] meat too. Anser [answer] soon

Esther B Gruissy

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[1] Willis Nichols [1869 OH – 1940 MI] husband of Rephenia Gruissy. At the time the letter was written Regina was visiting her sister and brother in law.

[2] Seth Benner Morrison [1861 PA – 1952 OH] husband of Margaret Jane Gruissy. His wife was the half-sister of Regina.

[3] Augustus Ceaser Gruissy [1840 OH – 1915 OH] was married three times. Esther B Wolf was his second wife. He was 61 when this letter was written.

[4] Augustus grew herbs and made & sold medicines.

[5] Rephenia (Gruiss) Nichols [1870 OH – 1943 MI], daughter of Augustus Gruissy & Esther B Wolf.

[6] Emily Augusta Morrison [b 1888 OH], daughter of Seth B Morrison & Margaret Jane Gruissy.

[7] Possibly  ‘Maggy’ Margaret Jane (Gruissy) Morrison [1861 OH – 1946 OH].

[8] Richard Ray Nichols [b 1886 OH], son of Willis Nichols & Rephenia C Gruissy.

[9] Augustus pedaled his medicines door to door.

[10] The Willis Nichols family

[11] The Seth Morrison family