June 10, 1860 letter from Sallie (probably Sarah "Sallie" Hopkins Seth
a Caulk family friend who was staying at Isle of Rays farm near Trappe,
Md. to William H. Caulk (1845-1870) while he was attending West River
Classical Institute in Anne Arundel Co. Aunt Martha was Martha Haddaway
Seth and Jim, Alex and Sam were her sons. Joe was Joseph B. Seth who
would write "Recollections of a Long Life on the Eastern Shore" in
1926. A camp meeting was an outdoor religious revival held in tents-
sometimes lasting for days. Lloyd's Springs (now long forgotten) was a
popular picnic spot off Lloyd's Landing Rd. about a mile east of
Trappe. The gapes is a condition effecting the respiratory tract of
birds caused by roundworms.
Also shown is a West River Classical Institute program for the July 4,
1860 examination and exhibition. William's "speach" was titled "Evils
of Dismemberment" possibly a reference to the political turmoil going
on in the country at that time. William had come a long way from the
schoolboy letter he wrote in 1856 (see photo# 638).
Island Creek
Island Creek June 10th 1860
Island Creek June 10th, 60.
Dear Billie
Your Mother went down to St. Michaels this morning, she asked me to
write to you, she started very early, so she had not time to write, she
is only going to stay, two or three days Your Aunt Martha and Jim Alex
and Sam were up here, they stayed a week, Jim sayes that he is coming
up when you come home then you will have fine times togather. We are
going to have a camp meeting at Loyeds springs this summer there will
be one at Broad Creek Neck I dont know which one I shall go to yet.
turn over
Billie we hear that you wrote to Mary Woods did you! I dont believe
that you did you Mother sayes she will come over after you if she can
leave home, but I think they will be nearly done harvest by that time
for the wheat is turning very fast,- the corn looks very well, John and
Joe are getting along very well togather Joe has not been home since he
came up but he is going down the last of the week to spend two or three
weeks. I am always at the boys to write to you, but they think it to
much for them to do, to lazy to write that it Joe told me to tell you
that he has to Bantties your [other?] hatched them they have bad luck
with them they die with the gapes we have lost a great many chickings
with the gapes we have I think about 44 turkeys some of them can fly up
on the fence there is two to hatch next week. I hope we may suceed in
raising turkeys this year. Billie I expect you are studyeny hard for
the examination I should like to hear you speak, what speach are you to
speake on the fourth I would not [of?] writing to you but for your
Mother, for if you have time to write to M.W. you have time to write to
me and the boys, please excuse this hasty and badly writting letter for
I am in a great hurry, we are all as well as usual they all send their
love to you. dont let any person see this Sallie
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