Letters of John O. Gallagher as written to Sarah Loretta Lincoln, 1894-1896
Background information from contributor:
John O. GALLAGHER was the son of Gibson G. and Mary (LEONARD) GALLAGHER. He was born 7 Aug 1872 in Glandorf, Putnam County, OH. Gibson and Mary GALLAGHER moved their family to Clay County, IA about 1880.
Sarah Loretta LINCOLN was the daughter of George Washington and Hannah Caroline (FAULKNER) LINCOLN, Sr. She was born 16 May 1872 in Wellington, Monroe County, WI. George and Hannah LINCOLN moved their family to Clay County, IA about 1893
John and Sarah were married 3 Sept 1896 in Spencer, Clay County, IA. Their children were James Louis, Mary Caroline, Fred John, Mabel Elvira, Nettie Freida (aka Peggy), and George Washington GALLAGHER.
John O. GALLAGHER died 9 May 1954 in Zimmerman, Sherburne County, MN. Sarah Loretta (LINCOLN) GALLAGHER died Jan 1939 in Zimmerman, Sherburne County, MN. Both are buried at Bellwood Cemetery, Zimmerman, MN.
Contributed by: Bonnie M. Gilson.
Original letter to Sarah dated 1 Dec 1894. No postmark.
Addressed to Spencer, Iowa, Clay County (ribbon and cutout attached to letter):
Dickens, Iowa
Dear Etta,
I will answer your kind letter tonight. I am glad to hear from you that you are well and happy.
You wanted me to come up and see you Sunday. I cant come Sunday but I will come Wensday or Thursday evening if it will suit you.
You rote if I was mad at you yet. No Etta, I am not nor never was or will be. I hope you are not mad at me either. I hope to see you soon as I can come.
Will you be at home W. or T. evening? If not pleas leave a letter with Gritie where you will be. I have got threw working where I was. I have bought three more horses last Saturday in Dickens
Well I must close for to night. Best wishes to Etta.
From your friend,
John O. Gallagher
Good night Etta.
Dickens, Iowa
Original letter to Sarah dated 11 Jan 1895.
Postmark unreadable. Addressed to Spencer, Iowa:
Dickens, Iowa
Dear Etta,
I will rite you a few lines to day to keep my word good. The wind is blowing out here. I went one mile in it so I knew that it blows a little. Is it cold up there to day. Dr has gone over to Pats. He will get all he wants before he gets back. We did not get the well done that we was digging in. We went twenty feet in the new one and gave it up and started on the old well and got 2 feet of watter and quit. To day is Friday so we had fish for diner and they was as salty as salt could make them. I have been drinking all afternoon. Not strong drink, only watter.
How is Etta getting along these cold days? Dont you putnear freeze? Dr has come so I must close for now I will finish this tomaro.
Saturday 12. Well I do not knew what to rite. I have been hauling straw and corn fodder to day. I am going to Dickens now to mail this to where I do not knew. I think it will stop off in Spencer to a dear one that is wating for it.
Well I must close for to night.
All my love to Etta
Rite soon.
From J.O.G.
Good by Etta, a kiss for you.
Original letter to Sarah dated 7 Feb 1895. Postmark not readable.
Addressed to Spencer, Iowa, Clay County:
Dickens, Iowa
Dear Etta,
I will rite you a few lines to night. I am well and hope you the same. It has been very cold here for the past few days. I went to Dickens this evening. It was all right going down but coming back I cought it in the face. Yester-day I dident do any thing only feed my horses and set in the house. Last night I rote a letter to my brother in the black hills. I was going to rite to you last night but it got to late and I was to sleepy so I went to bed. I came home Monday morning. It was a cold ride. I got here just day light. I went to bed and slept till half past eleven oclock.
Well Etta, I dont knew what else to rite about now. Only I will be up and see you Sunday if it hant to cold. If I come Sunday I will come about noon or one oclock. Well I must close for now so goodby, yours respectfully,
John O. Gallagher
Dickens, Iowa
Etta if I dont come Sunday pleas rite Sunday night or Monday so I can get it Tustday. I am going to Dickens. Good night. Best regards to Etta
J.O.G.
Original letter to Sarah dated 30 May 1895.
Postmarked Spencer.
Addressed in care of Ed Claypool south of Spencer:
Dickens, Iowa
My Dear Etta,
I will answer your kind and loving letter and I was glad to get it. I wasent looking for any letter from you this week so I will rite you one. I have been bilding hog pasture to day. I got me 2 more hogs and one pig more to feed. I wont tell you what I did Saturday four noon. I knew you wont like it but I couldent help it. I will tell you when I come up and see you. You wanted me to come up Sunday morning and go and see Purley. I dont believe I can go for I have took some braking to do for Mr. Kingsley and I am going Saturday to comence so that will bee to far to drive in one day. The braking is 12 miles from Spencer. If we went over there we would hafto drive over 50 miles so that is to far and hafto work my horse too. Wait till one week from Sunday and then we will go. I will come up Saturday night and take you home and start from there earley in the morning. It wont bee so hard on the horse. I think I will go to town tomaro and get me a (??). So I will mail this as soon as I get in town so you might get it before Sunday.
I was up to the lakes last Sunday. We had a good time. Only I wished that you was with me so we could take a boat ride on the nice water. The lake was still and nice. What do you think about going up there the fourth of youlie I mean July. It is the nicest place I have seened for a dog age and an old dog to.
Well I wont say any more about it now. We can talk it over after the lamp burns dry.
Well I dont knew what else to say or rite. Only I wish you was here with me. I have a kiss for you. O yes, I was looking over my garden to night. It looks good enought to feed a woman on this winter if it don't dry out. So live in hope that two may bee one.
Well I must close for now so I send you my best love and wishes. I would like to come to town Sunday but I cant. I will be there one week from Saturday night. Pleas rite if that will suit you. So good by E.
From J. O. Gallagher to Etta
I will rite you a little more. I have furgot what I was going to say. I am so sleepy I cant hold my eyes open. It is 20 minutes to eleven 11 oclock. It is time for me to go to bed. I wish it was we instead of me.
Good night
A kiss and love to E.
J.O.G.
Original letter to Sarah dated 14 July 1895.
No postmark.
Addressed to Spencer, Iowa:
Dickens, Iowa
Dear Etta,
I will rite you a few lines to day. I am at home. Had company all day till now they have gone home. I am out in the hamock riting a letter to keep peace in the family or else I could take a nap of an hour or two to make up for the fourth. How did you feel the next day. I felt good after taking couple of sleeps threw the day time. I set down on the railroad and took a nap. I see Pat and Buss is comming over now. I and Buss is talking of renting this place for five years. I dont knew for (?) how we will make it out. I will quit for now. I will finish this this evening and tell you then so goodbye.
Tuesday night. I will finish this now. I did not have time Sunday night nor last night. I have got a little time now while supper is cooking. I wish you was here to help ate it. I will tell you what I have got for supper. Potatoes, biscuit, oat meal, coffe, meat, cream, butter and sugar and dirtie dishes. I herd some bad news to day a bout you. What some one else had been doing to you. Next time dont (?) give them so mutch jaw (?) and you wont get hurt. I had my wheat cut to day. It is nice wheat I tell you.
I will tell you about the place. I cant get the house till April the first. He said that I could have the down stars but I dont want that. I want the whole house or none atall. Two familes cant live in the same house.
I will be up Sunday and see you and talk it over. I must stop and eat supper now.
Well I dont knew shat else to rite about now only I steped on a nail and run in my foot last night. I have been going around like old dunnell does. Oh yes I forgot I have got 15 more little pigies to feed now. I have got 32 pigs all togather and 3 old ones so I think I will have enough to keep me in meat this winter. I must close for I am sleepy so good by and a kiss to Etta.
From John O. G.
P.S. If you get this so you can rite and send it before Saturday noon, I will be in Dickens Saturday afternoon and I can get it. So goodnight. J.O.G.
Original letter to Sarah dated 6 Dec 1895.
No postmark.
Addressed to Spencer, Iowa, Clay County:
Dickens, Iowa
My Dear Etta,
I will rite you a few lines to night. I was to town to day or this after noon. I did not get time to come up to see you so I will rite to you. I have just come from Hughes. Been taking there buggies home that I had to day. I wish that I could see you this evening. They was no one to do the choars so I had to be home earley to do them.
I will try to come up Sunday night. If I haint there by half past five or six oclock you needent to look for me. Have supper redy for I will be hungry.
Well I don't knew what else to rite about so I will stop and go to bed.
So good night. My love to Etta
from John O. Gallagher
The Dickens
Original letter to Sarah dated 16 Jun 1896.
No postmark.
Addressed to Spencer, Iowa:
Dickens, Iowa
Dear Etta,
I will rite you a few lines to day. I would have rote Sunday but I went to the lakes and I dident get home till it was to late. The other morning when I got home the sun was nearly up. I cralled in the hey mour (?). I did not loose any time after I got there. The first thing I herd was "hay get up and pay your lodging". George wanted to know where I had been. I told him I was hay the horses (?).
I am cultrating corn now and it is so warm so I take 2 hours for noon and wish I could take another one.
I will be up Sunday if it don't rain. I will be there about 2 oclock. I don't knew any thing else to rite about so I will stop and go to work.
So good-by.
John Gallagher
You need not answer this.
Original letter to Sarah dated 21 July 1896.
No postmark.
Addressed to Spencer, Iowa:
Dickens, Iowa
My Dear Etta,
As it is raining I will rite you a few lines. I comenced cutting oats this morning but the rain stoped me. I got home the other day all right and got my barley cut in the after noon. I was down to camp meeting Sunday evening and had a good time. They are in Dickens now. I don't know wat else to rite about only I took a shave Sunday so I guess maby I will quit.
So good by from your lover,
John Oens (?) Gallagher
Dickens, Ia
My love to Etta
