LOCKRIDGE letters - 1840

Source: Indianapolis Star Tuesday 31 July 1934 p 6

Even as late as 1840 there was much difficulty in delivering mail in the middle Western states and an instance of this is found in a letter written by the great uncle of Miss Belle Lockridge of this city from Kentucky to his sister, Miss Lockridge’s grandmother in Putnam County, Indiana. Miss Lockridge’s grandmother, Elizabeth Meloan Lockridge came, a widow, from Mt. Sterling, Ky to a farm in Putnam County, Indiana in the early 30s with seven children and one slave. The two older children had married and remained in Kentucky. The letter was written by her brother, O.A. Meloan and is dated Calloway Ct, Ky, May 10, 1840.

“Dear sister,” he begins. “yours of the 19^th of December 1839 has just come to hand. It has been six months on the road. This delay must be attributed to negligence of postmasters. “You complain of my not writing to you, particularly of my not writing you about the death of our venerable old mother and sister. I assure you these are matters I have not neglected. I have written you twice about these matters, but it seems you have not received my letters. I will again state to you the whole matter.

“Mother lived with me five years lacking a few days. She enjoyed bad health nearly all the time. Her old complaint, the hystericks, increased until there was very little intermission between the hardest kinds of spells. Some six months before she died she was attacked with the dropsy. Her feet and legs swelled to double their ordinary size and bursted in several places. As soon as she began swelling in the body she was relieved by death from all her sufferings. She died on the 29^th of July, 1839.

About one month after mother’s death sister Permelia was attacked with the same kind of complaint on the lungs and a few days terminated in death. Our friend, Lewis Utterback, died some time in March. His complaint was similar to sister Permelia’s. Our old friend, James McCarty is no more. He died with the consumption some two months ago. I have just heard of the death of our cousin, Alexander Feris, which happened day before yesterday. He was rowing his ferry boat across the Tennessee River and in the act of stepping out of the boat he fell and in 15 minutes was no more. He was buried yesterday…

I have given you a long list of deaths and am happy to tell you that the balance of our relatives are all in pretty good health, except Rachel Utterback. She has been complaining a good while. It is thought she has the liver complaint, I have not yet got relieved of the rheumatic pains, or do I expect to ever be entirely clear of them, though, thank God. I have got able to labour a little on my farm.

I got a letter from brother Thomas a few days ago; he and his family are well. I have also heard from John and Andrew not long since. They and families are well.

Sister, I often think of you. When I look back and think of the pleasures we enjoyed in each other’s society I am brought to exclaim, my God, will those happy days never return; whether we will or not is not for me to say. My situation is such at present that puts it out of my power to visit you and I have a stout family to support and none able to help me work much. Of course, it takes all my time and money to make a reasonable support. But, sister, your situation, I think is different. Your family is pretty well raised; your youngest is 13 or 14 years old and I am in hopes you are enjoying good health with prosperity. Then just fix up and come over and see us; nothing on earth, I am sure would give me more pleasure.

When Andrew left me he promised to write so soon as he got home; as he had had luck coming here I was fearful he had not got home, as I have never heard from him until I got your letter. Tell him to write and not be so lazy. I have taken the headache since I sat down to write and must come to a close. Emily joins me in love to you and family. Farewell OA Meloan.”
P.S. Direct your letter to Williston Post Office, Calloway County, Kentucky. OAM