Letter to Home-August 1865

BEGGS, CARR, CRAIG, DOOLEY, DOWNING, DULIN, LEECH, LIPPENCOTT, MCMULGRAVE, SLATTERY

Posted By: Mike Dooley (email)
Date: 12/7/2001 at 18:08:11

[Transcript of a letter written by William Dooley to his wife, Sarah Craig, from Virginia City Nevada. William Dooley settled in Van Buren Twp., Van Buren Co., Iowa with his wife. He departed with the Webster wagon train (about April 1864)to earn money for a farm. His wife and children stayed with her brother, William Craig while he was gone. He stopped in Virginia City, Nevada to work while the Webster wagon train continued to move west. Transcribed by Michael J. Dooley on December 7, 2001.]

No. 87 North C Street
Between Sutton Ave. & Mills St.
Virginia City, Nevada
August 1, 1865

Dear Wife & Children,
I received this afternoon your two letters, of May 25th and June 14th. I am very glad to find you are all in good health. I come here for no purpose under Heaven but to make some money and I will do it with the help of God.

I now send you (60) dollars Sixty dollars in the gold coin of the United States. I sent you 50 dollars (fifty dollars) before. I got no answer as yet, but it is scarcely time yet. The order is drawn by Wells Fargo & Co. and the number is 295.030 (two hundred and 95 thousand thirty and dated June 21, 1865 so don't be uneasy about it, for it is all safe. Write to me as soon as you read these lines and let me know if you got the money. I mean the 50 dollars I sent June 21st. The number of the order for the 60 dollars is 295.188 and dated 15th of August, 1865.

I come here to make some money. I am in good health and have steady work for the winter at fifty dollars per month and board and lodging with it. I will send you the money as I earn it (provided you don't spend it foolish, or lend it) I will send you 300 dollars in gold. I will depend on you to save this money. For I need it. You must save this money before I get back, for I want to buy a team, wagon, and harness with it. I think you can keep it more safe than I can. I need scarcely tell you, I am glad to hear from Samuel Carr and James Beggs. I had some notion of going to Idaho when I was in Dutch Flat, California but long since I am glad I didn't. I saw Robert Leech about 3 weeks ago, and then he was well. It is very doubtful to get money in this country even when a man works for it, and there are at present a scarcity of men for they are going to the states very fast.

I now will send a letter to Belle [Isabella Dooley] and a 2 1/2 gold piece in it so she can have a letter for herself from me. Keep her to school and Johnny [John Alexander Dooley] also. I often think about them. You forgot to mention the name of the Baby [Sophia C. Dooley].

Dear Wife I am aware that we are long enough separated, but as I am here, I want to make something by it. Write as soon as you receive this for I will be expecting it. Times are dull here as yet. I am 20 miles from Virginia City working on a Ranch (this is a farm in the country). I was working in a sawmill, but did not like it, in a place called Washoe, 12 miles from here. Once in a month or once in two months I come to Virginia City and my reason for coming is to get your letters. This time I was glad to get two. Give my love to Belle, Johnny, and the Baby. Also my very best wishes to Mr. James McMulgrave. If he will write to me I will write him a long letter.

Dear wife, write as soon as you receive this letter, and you shall find by me that your true and loving kindness, shall never be neglected by your true and faithful husband.

WILLIAM DOOLEY
Direct to John Slattery. 87 C Street, Virginia City, Storey Cou. State of Nevada (Direct as I Mention And I Will get them)

[Genealogical Notes:
William Dooley: b. March 17, 1832 at Cloghanmore, Kinnitty, Kings County, Ireland, d. November 21, 1922 in Van Buren Co., Iowa; m. October 01, 1855 to Sarah Craig: b. July 27, 1832 in Queens County, Ireland, d. May 05, 1898 near Selma, Van Buren Co., Iowa. Both are buried in Passmore Cemetery, Van Buren County, Iowa

Isabella Dooley: b. March 10, 1858 in Van Buren Co., Iowa; d. February 18, 1932; buried Iowaville Cemetery, Van Buren Co.; m. February 25, 1884 to Oscar A. Dulin, b. February 26, 1856, d. April 11, 1928 in Van Buren Co., Iowa.

Rev. John Alexander Dooley: b. September 10, 1860 near Kilbourne, Van Buren Co., Iowa, d. February 23, 1941 in Minneapolis, Minnesota; m. December 03, 1889 to Rev. Hannah M. Lippencott: b. May 13, 1868 in Illinois, d. February 1942 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Reverends Dooley were evangelical Methodist ministers who served numerous churches in the Midwest and ran a shelter in Minneapolis

Sophia C. Dooley: b. December 10, 1864; m. October 11, 1890 to Murphy Downing.]