Letter: death of Preston Roberts of Cedar Co., IA 1864

ROBERTS

Posted By: Vanette Hobbs Hamilton (email)
Date: 12/12/2005 at 12:59:29

Letter is from Catharine Roberts to sister Martha Roberts Lukens upon death of their brother William Preston Roberts of Cedar Co., IA. He died June 2, 1864 while visiting sister Catharine in Ohio. "Snide" is Snyder Gares, married to Preston's sister Rebecca ("Becca" in the letter). John Moore is married to his sister Nancy and they live in Cedar County. Preston's wife is Martha McMannis, at his bedside.

June th10

Dear Sister

I must in form you the death of our dear brother Preston Roberts which will be sad news to you Preston and his wife and to youngest childeren and John Moore came heare on a visit to weeks a go Preston not very well when he ca (paper torn) said his stomach and his bowlls was out of fit though (paper torn) he would be better in a day or so they came heare on wenesday and of fryday after noon Preston and Snide went out guning they came home in the evening Preston said he had the headack and his throat was soar he laid down on the floor til ???? seemed to be quite smart went to bed early in the night he had chills sompthing like eague seemed quite un well all night the next mourning being saturday Preston thought best to send for the doctor came Preston told him he had not been a healthy man for maney years and at times had poorley spells with his stomach and bowls the Dr left him some medicine and sed he would get over it in a day or to on monday he was quite ?smaite? and was all going down to Johns the next day but that evening he complain of not fealing so well the next morning being tuesday sent for the Dr came said their was nothing alarming in his case at that time it was his old complaint left him medicine that he would get a long if his medicine had the disired affect Preston seemed quite poorley all that day but not discureged and the next moury being wenesday a bout seven oclock he took with a heavy chill and tremendious fever the Dr said he felt some what alarmed did not tell aney of us so as he seemed to be worse we thought when the fever left him and his medcine operated that he would fell much better Preston thought so to but that fever continued and his medcine had no affect and ?seemed? to grow worse gradualy all day but sencible alll the time would get out of his bed and back a gain with some help seemed verey restless and short breth all day and sed it was the sickest spell he ever had it seemed a hardship for him to talk his throat so parched with fever could not speak his words litle did he think that day his time was so near spent or aney of us he did not say any thing in regard to it a bout 4 oclock in the afternoon the Dr came we sent for another one they consulted sed he could not live O Martha what was our fealings poor Martha siting by his side with all most a broken heart we felt that Preston aught to no his situation Becca told him the Dr said they thought he could not get well he said O my O my I had no idea of it raised up in bed put his arms around Martha said must I leave you he was geting worse all the time and sencible sed he was willing to die sed he could not talk and died in a bout to hours after that The Dr. sed his disease was spoted fever what took him of so quick in the first place it was his old complaint and in the mournying when he took that (the next line is crossed through; part appears to say "when the spoted fever finish" and another word after that).
(Then upside-down and between lines):
O Martha I fell that I could of sed much more in regard to our dear Brother no ?coom? not verey well hope you willl make out what is writen
please write soon as you receive this my love to all

Catharine Roberts

Original letter transcribed by and in possession of Vanette Hamilton, descendant of Martha Roberts Lukens.