My Old Ohio Home - England

1869 Letter from Henry and Maria Boswell to Emily Hall

2026-01-23T00:00:00-05:00

Included in the Gratton family files collected by Wilfred Harrison (1905 - 1992), of Tenby, Pembrokeshire, a descendant of James Gratton, was the following letter written in 1869 from Henry and Maria Boswell to Emily Hall. Following the letter is a transcription and some notes regarding the people mentioned.

Transcription

Boyds Mill Street
Attercliff Road
Jan 14th 1869

My Dear Sister,
I should have answered yours sooner but thought I would wait and see if Maria got any better. But I am sorry to tell you she is no better and little Harry is very poorly. We have tried all over to get a woman but cannot. We should feel vary grateful if you could come and stay with us, as I should then know the house was left in honest hands. I think of sending Maria to Buxton to see if that will do her any good, as she had been recommended to go. I hope your mistress will let you come and I will pay all expenses. Be sure to write by return of post.

In haste from your affectionate brother and sister, H & M Boswell

P.S. Mr H Billops called to ask for your address. His mother is dead.

Notes

I corrected or modernized the spelling and added some punctuation. "Little Harry" is their son, born in the 2nd Quarter of 1868 and died 2 years later in the 1st Quarter of 1871. They also had an earlier son Joseph, born in the 1st Quarter of 1866 and died in the 2nd Quarter of 1869.

I don't know who little Maria was. She is not with the Boswells on the 1871 census. There are no matching birth records for a Maria Boswell or Gratton from 1861 to 1869, unless she was born pretty far from Derbyshire. Maria Boswell probably wanted to send little Maria to Buxton because of the thermal mineral waters found there.

Mr H Billops is Henry Billups who married Maria and Emily's sister Agnes on 31 October 1869 in Sheffield. His mother, Jane (Davison) Billups Golding, died 8 November 1868 in Attercliffe.

Possibly a Letter from Emily Hall to Jane Billups

2026-01-15T00:00:00-05:00

Included in the Gratton family files collected by Wilfred Harrison (1905 - 1992), of Tenby, Pembrokeshire, a descendant of James Gratton, was the following letter, probably from Emily Hall to Jane Billups. Following the letter is a transcription and some notes regarding the people mentioned.

Transcription

My dear Niece, This your dear mother history. I thought you and John would like it.

Agness Gratton 4 daughter of James and Ann Gratton, born April 4th 1845 and was married Oct -- 1869. She came to America in 1873 and brought John Henry with her. Jennie was born June 15, 1874 and James William August 11, 1876, Tom September 1878, and dear mother passed away March 13, 1880 and entered Episcopal Church or the Church of England Cemetery Lewistown, Mifflin County, PA.

Do you know when James William died or where?

Notes

This looks to me like a letter that Emily (Gratton) Hall intended to send to her sister Agnes (Gratton) Billups' daughter Jane, or Jennie, some time after Agnes' death. Agnes and her husband Henry "Harry" Billups kept in touch with Emily after they moved to Pennsylvania, and their letters included the exact birth dates of their three children born in America. See Harry and Agnes (Gratton) Billups, Letters on this site. Of course it could have been one of Jennie's other aunts--perhaps Harry and Agnes had written other people besides Emily--but I'm guessing it was Emily since the letter was found with her papers.

It must have been written after April 27, 1882, since that is when James William Billups died.

The letter raises a few questions:

1) How did the writer know James had died?

2) Did Harry continue to write his in-laws in England after his wife died? How else would anyone in England know about James' death? If Harry was still writing as late as 1882, why aren't those letters with the other 35 in Emily's collection? Or did he write someone else, maybe the Boswells?

3) Does it tell us that Jennie and John were still together? If so, were they still with their father, Harry? Tom had been with his paternal aunt Naomi (Billups) Jackson in Pittsburgh since at least the date of the 1880 census.

4) But the biggest question to me is: Why was the letter never sent? Had the family in England lost touch with Harry? Had he, perhaps, written to tell them he was moving and then never wrote to tell them where?

Why Did Some Grattons Marry in Sheffield?

2026-01-14T00:00:00-05:00

While writing the article 1873 Letter from Agnes Billups, probably to Emily Hall, I asked myself some of the Grattons married in Sheffield, Yorkshire, and not in their home parish of Dronfield. I didn't know. But soon after finishing the article, I saw a topic on rootschat that raised the same question. The topic was called "Anything special about Pattingham" and is found at: https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=890798.msg7647584. Someone asked why a couple would marry in Pattingham when they lived 32 miles away. The answers included the statements:

"A vicar once told me that couples usually married in the large diocese church, which could be several miles from their homes."

"I believe, although I may be wrong, that the 'large church' mentioned is usually the mother church for the diocese. Many coupled chose to travel to and marry in the mother church in order to save money. If they married in their Parish church they had tp pay to both the Parish church and the mother church. Going straight to the mother church cut out a payment."

So that might be the reason why at least some of the Grattons married in Sheffield. I don't know for sure whether the parish church in Sheffield, St Peter and Paul, was the mother church for Dronfield in the 1860s, but I'm pretty sure that has been the case today since 1914. I'm not familiar with Church of England parish boundaries and the like, but a couple articles seemed to say that St Peter and Paul was granted cathedral status in that year and the diocese included Dronfield.

I say "at least some" because only 3 of the Grattons married at St Peter and Paul Church, namely Emily (in 1861), Agnes (1869), and Henry (1878). Maria married Henry Boswell at St Philip, Sheffield, in 1861, but Henry was living in Sheffield at census time that year. That may have been his home church. Francis married John Birley at St Silas, Sheffield, in 1873. I don't know where John was living in 1871.

Four of the marriage records said that both parties were living at the same address when marrying. That doesn't seem to be very likely, when you think about it. But a possible reason for that was in a different thread at rootschat, "Marriages mid 19c" at https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=884731.msg7577552#msg7577552, which included this comment:

Banns had to be called at both the bride's parish and the groom's parish. Much easier to live at the same address for the requisite period of time, and just use the one parish.

1859 Letter from Sarah and Maria Hall to their Parents

2025-04-29T00:00:00-04:00

Included in the Gratton family files collected by Wilfred Harrison (1905 - 1992), of Tenby, Pembrokeshire, a descendant of James Gratton, was the following letter from Sarah and Maria Gratton to their parents. Following the letter is a transcription and some notes regarding the people mentioned.

Transcription

6 George Street [later notation: Liverpool]
May 30, 1859
My dear Father and Mother

You will think us a long time since writing our last letter but we have been waiting for some money we have owing us for some work done. We have not received it as yet and you must know to live as cheap as we can it takes 10s/weekly. We pay 3s/ per week for lodgings, then it takes 6s/ to keep us, without anything else. We pay our rent every week to the day so we could not send any home at present. But don't think it unkind but we are a long way from home and if we had not a penny I don't know where to get one. Although we can have plenty to say [who say?] "if you are short Miss Gratton any time we will be most happy to lend you any thing you may want," but we never lend or borrow. If we have not it ourselves we do without. We have a many little things to send home. We know Emily might do them up well now she is at home, [or We know Emily might do them up. We know she is at home] but its no use sending one thing till we send all and we will do as soon as we can.

[A corner of the page is missing, affecting this next paragraph]

Dear Father Mother, we have not wrote to Denton as yet. I do not like to write to Miss Taylor, I would sooner write to cousin James ... send us word how she likes. We hope she w... very well. We have many little things for. I will tell you what we think we would ... to see her and the fare home ... ??/6 and sometime next month or the month after to ask cousin James to come up and bring Agnes with him and we will pay her fare. Come in the morning and go back at night. Then she will see us both and see Liverpool as well, as we can not both leave home at once as many might call about work, and so sure would it be the case if we were out. But just as you like send us word when you write.

I will tell you how we saw the other day George Topliss of Chesterfield but he goes by Roberts, not Topliss. He said he was going to America. He has been in Dublin. We have not seen him since. Send us word how wrote the address on the Sheffield paper you sent which we were very glad of. We sent a paper every week and one today along with this letter.

O I forgot we are leaving this house this week and they're (?) been out. I can not send you the number of the other house they have taken, but I will write you again this week and let you know as we want to hear from [you.] Give our kindest love to all friends and accept our kindest love Dear Father and Mother, Brothers and Sisters. Kisses for the Boys and Dear Sister Frank, they all must be getting big children by this. God Bless you all from your ever affectionate Daughters, Sarah [and] Maria Gratton.

Notes

There were a lot of people mentioned in the letter but the only ones I can identify are Sarah and Maria's sisters Agnes and Emily. I have a little information about the Jenkinson cousins and don't see a James mentioned among them. Maybe James was on the Gratton side of the family. I don't know who Denton is, and I am curious as to why the sisters didn't want to write Miss Taylor. As far as George Topliss, AKA Roberts, of Chesterfield is concerned, he is a complete mystery, as he might have been even then.

The letter was sent from 6 George Street, Liverpool. You can find it on the map off Old Hall Street, one street in from Chapel Street.

6 George St, Liverpool, 1854

Sadly, Sarah died within 7 months of the writing of this letter, on December 27, 1859. Notes on her findagrave page, presumably taken from her death record, say she had contracted pyemia (a type of sepsis) and died in the Workhouse, Brownlow Hill, at age 25. She is buried in Walton Park Cemetery, Liverpool.

Credits

The full map of Liverpool in 1854 can be found in the Harvard Map Collection of Harvard University at https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/ids:10327532. The clip is provided by Harvard University for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Sarah Gratton's findagrave page: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/274770192/sarah-grattan.

1873 Letter from Agnes Billups, probably to Emily Hall

2025-04-10T00:00:00-04:00

Included in the Gratton family files collected by Wilfred Harrison (1905 - 1992), of Tenby, Pembrokeshire, a descendant of James Gratton, was the following letter from Agnes Billups, probably to her sister Emily Hall. Following the letter is a transcription and some notes regarding the people mentioned.

Transcription

Dronfield June 11, 1873

My Dear Sister,

I want you to get my black waist finished for Saturday and Harry shall come for it if you can. For we are out on Sunday and I should like it and if you can't, do write by return of post. We all come home on Tuesday and all is well at present. With love to all from your loving sister, Agnes Billups

Notes

A waist is "A garment, or part of a garment, which covers the body from the neck or shoulders to the waist line" according to Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913).

A calendar might be helpful in understanding the rest of this letter:

This letter was most likely written to Agnes' sister Emily Hall, since the collection of letters and documents are in the possession of her descendants. It was written on Wednesday, June 11, 1873. On Monday, June 9, Agnes had been a witness at the marriage of her sister Frances Gratton and John Birley in Sheffield. The other witness was her sister Maria's husband, Henry Boswell. Emily and William Hall were living in Newbold, Derbyshire, in 1871.

Since this is written from Dronfield, I think Agnes might have left her two year old son, John, in Dronfield with her parents when she went to the wedding, and has now returned there to retrieve him. While in Dronfield she asks Emily to have her garment ready by Saturday so "Harry", likely Henry Boswell, can go and get it. Then on the following Tuesday Agnes, John, and the Boswells plan to return home to Attercliffe.

Agnes' husband, Harry Billups, had already left for America in March, so she can't be referring to him when she says "Harry shall come for it."

For more details on the Hall and Billups families, see the Pennsylvania Families tree on this website.

1873 Letter from Henry Hall to William Hall

2025-04-05T00:00:00-04:00

Included in the Gratton family files collected by Wilfred Harrison (1905 - 1992), of Tenby, Pembrokeshire, a descendant of James Gratton, was the following letter from Henry Hall to William Hall regarding the death of their brother Tom Hall in Warminster, Wiltshire. Following the letter is a transcription and some notes regarding the people mentioned.

Transcription

Market Place
Warminster
Oct 24th, 1873

Dear Brother,

I write to inform you that the interment of Bro Tom will take place at the Parish Church Warminster on Wednesday next. It was his wish to be buried there. Should you think of coming to the funeral, you could come either Monday or Tuesday next as most convenient. If you come, book through to Bath then change stations to the Great Western line. The railway fare is 15/2'/2 to Warminster. As regards the settlement of Tom's affairs, I will inform thee when I get home should thou not be disposed to come. From thy affectionate bro, Henry

The Halls

Henry, William, and Tom Hall were all born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, the sons of Henry Hall, a joiner and cabinet maker, and Anne White.

Henry was born in 1832, married Mary Ann Wilkinson in Chesterfield in the last quarter of 1862, and died in the second quarter of 1890 in Warminster, Wiltshire.
William was born in 1840, married Emily Gratton September 26, 1861, at St Peter and Paul's Cathedral in Sheffield, Yorkshire, and died in the fourth quarter of 1908 in Chesterfield. Findagrave says he died 18 Nov 1908.
Tom, the youngest child, was born in 1847, never married, and died October 23, 1873, in Warminster.

Tom Hall's death, burial, and estate

I was curious how Tom died at the age of 26, so I requested the image of Tom Hall's death record from the GRO and it says the following:

23 October 1873 Warminster Tom Hall 26, ironmonger's assistant, cause of death: [top of word cut off], duration 8 months, and phthisis pulmonalis, duration 4 months, medically certified. informant: Jno Hall of Market Place, Warminster, present at death.

Phthisis pulmonalis is another name for tuberculosis, and the best guess on rootschat for the secondary cause of Tom's death was enteritis. Tom was buried October 29, 1873, at the parish church of St Denys with St Lawrence, Warminster. Henry's letter said it was a Wednesday, and so it was:

Ancestry had information for Tom Hall's estate from the National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) for England & Wales. It included the information that the sole executor was "John Hall of Warminster, Ironmonger, the Brother." A search found this newspaper legal notice mentioning John:

Warminster Herald, May 23, 1874
notice re: estate of Tom Hall

John Hall

John Hall was the oldest child of Henry and Anne (White) Hall. He was baptized July 1, 1830, in the parish church in Chesterfield and was in Warminster by 1861 when he is listed as an iron merchant on the 1861 Census. He married Sarah Whittock Harris on April 11, 1864, in the parish church of Warminster, and died May 26, 1909. His information in the National Probate Calendar said he had been a wholesale ironmonger.

Concluding thoughts

Notice that the letter is edged in black, indicating that it announces a death.
Without the letter, I think I would have made the same mistake a number of people on ancestry.com have made regarding Henry Hall, namely thinking that he died in 1894 in Derbyshire. The letter implies that he was writing from Warminster, so I looked for his records there. There is a death of a Mary Anne Hall, age 38, in Wesbury, Wiltshire, in the third quarter of 1877, that could be his wife. Also, he is on the 1881 Census of Warminster, working as an accountant for an iron monger, most likely his brother John. Finally, as mentioned, he died in Warminster in 1890, and is buried at the parish church.

For a few more details on the Hall family, see the Pennsylvania Families tree on this website.

William and Samuel Arlidge Family Trees

2019-07-23T00:00:00-04:00

Below are brief family trees for William Arlidge of Deddington, Oxfordshire, and New Brighton, Pennsylvania, and his son Samuel Arlidge of Deddington, and of Lower Heyford and Weedon, Northamptonshire. The information came mainly from censuses and parish registers. The family name is poorly indexed in the US censuses on familysearch.org and ancestry.com.

I am not related to this family. For how I became interested in them see the articles William Arlidge of Deddington, England, and New Brighton, Pennsylvania and Samuel Arlidge, of Deddington, Weedon Bec, and Nether Heyford, England.

William Arlidge (c 1795, England - after 1880)
+ Lucy Bennett (1788 - bur 19 June 1822, Deddington)
1. Samuel Arlidge (bap 11 May 1818, Deddington - bur 25 Mar 1892, Nether Heyford)
  - see below
2. Lucy Arlidge (baptized 26 Dec 1819 - )
  + Benjamin Arlidge
3. Thomas Arlidge (1822 - bur 8 Sep 1822)

William Arlidge (c 1795, England - after 1880)
+ Elizabeth Gregory (c 1794, England - after 1850)
1. Charlotte Arlidge (bap 30 May 1824, Deddington - after 1841)
  - 1841: with family in Oxfordshire
2. Ann Arlidge (bap 11 Mar 1825, Deddington, Oxfordshire - after 1841)
  - 1841: with family in Oxfordshire
3. Elizabeth Arlidge (bap 11 Apr 1830, Deddington, Oxford - after 1870)
  - 1860: Census, McClure, Allegheny County, seamstress
  - 1870: Census, Ward 2, Allegheny City, dress maker
4. Mary Arlidge (8 Jul 1832?, Oxfordshire - 24 Jan 1905, Pennsylvania)
  - bap 20 Apr 1835, Deddington
  + Theodore Wilson
5. Hannah Arlidge (bap 20 Apr 1835, Deddington, Oxfordshire - 19 June 1909, Pittsburgh)

Samuel Arlidge (c 1818, Deddington - bur 19 June 1892, Nether Heyford)
+ Rhoda Billing (1818, Heyford, Northampton - after 1891)
1. Hannah Arlidge (c 1837, Heyford, Northampton - )
2. Lucy Arlidge (c 1840, Lower Heyford - )
3. Sarah Arlidge (c 1843, Lower Heyford - )
4. William Arlidge (c 1848, Lower Heyford - )
5. Comfort Arlidge (1850, Lower Heyford - )
  - baptized 29 May 1868, Weedon
6. Thomas Arlidge (c 1852, Heyford, Northampton - )
  - baptized 29 May 1868, Weedon
7. Samuel Arlidge (c 1855, Heyford, Northampton - )
  - baptized 1 Dec 1866, Weedon
8. Joseph Albert Arlidge (4th Qtr 1862 - bur 7 July 1870, Weedon)
  - baptized 29 May 1868, Weedon

Samuel Arlidge, of Deddington, Weedon Bec, and Nether Heyford, England

2019-07-22T00:00:00-04:00

1870 Letter, Weedon, Northamptonshire, to New Brighton, PA, back

On July 18, 1870, a letter edged in black was mailed from Weedon, Northamptonshire, to New Brighton, Pennsylvania. A handwritten note on the back says that it was received in Pennsylvania on August 4, 1870. Who sent this letter, and what news did it probably contain?

As noted in the last article, William Arlidge of Deddington, England, and New Brighton, Pennsylvania, the baptism records of two of William Arlidge's daughters recorded his residence as the Brick Kiln or Brick Yard in Deddington, England. While looking for William, I found a short autobiography of a Samuel Arlidge, organ builder, who was born in Deddington and brought up at the brickyard there. In 1842 he left for the United States and spent some time in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. He returned to England in 1847.(footnote)You can find the complete autobiography in the PDF at The Tracker, Journal of the Organ Historical Society, Inc., Volume 21, Number 1, Fall 1976, page 15, or in The Organist and Choirmaster, Volume 4, Number 42, October 15, 1896 at Google Books.

This information matched that of William so closely that I felt they must be related. I decided to learn more about Samuel. It turned out that Samuel was William's son from his first marriage.

Samuel Arlidge

Samuel Arlidge was baptized 11 May 1818 in Deddington parish, the son of William and Lucy (Bennett) Arlidge. On 25 Dec 1836, he married Rhoda Billing in Heyford, Northamptonshire. In 1841 Samuel, Rhoda, and two daughters, Hannah and Lucy, were living in Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire. And in 1851 they were in Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, with children Lucy, Sarah, William, and Comfort.

At this point I should point out that Samuel's autobiography was signed "Samuel Arlidge, husband of Rhoder Arlidge" and was written in 1855. The typescript copy I had access to said he was from Lower "Flyford", Northamptonshire. I suspect this was an error in transcribing "Heyford." So the place and the name of his wife match the Samuel Arlidge on the 1851 Census listed above.

The only step remaining to identify Samuel as the sender of the letter was to put him in Weedon in 1870: He and his family, including a son Thomas and grand daughter Lucy Faulkner, are found in a cottage in Weedon on the 1871 census of Daventry, Northamptonshire.

The Letter

The postal cover was $25 to purchase, and I almost would have been tempted to spend the money if there was a letter enclosed. But the owner of the site (see the credits below) informed me in the past that the accompanying information would have mentioned a letter if there was one. Still, I think we can make an educated guess as to its contents:

Joseph Albert Arlidge was born in the fourth quarter of 1862 in Northampton Union, his mother's maiden name being Billing. He was baptized 29 May 1868 in the parish of Weedon Bec, the same day as his sister Comfort. Their parents were Samuel, an organ maker, and Rhoda. They lived in Weedon. On 7 July 1870, Joseph Arlidge, age 7, was buried from the same parish.

The letter to Pennsylvania was mailed 11 days later. So sadly, William Arlidge learned of the death of his grandson Joseph Albert via this letter. Hopefully this article will tie up a few loose ends of the Arlidge family history, especially if someone is wondering what happened to William Arlidge of Deddington.

There is a brief family tree for William and Samuel Arlidge at William and Samuel Arlidge Family Trees.

Sources

Censuses of England
Church of England Parish Registers, Deddington and Weedon Bec
The Tracker, Journal of the Organ Historical Society
General Records Office of England and Wales, website.
Google Books

Credits

The image of the envelope sent from Weedon, Northamptonshire, to New Brighton, Pennsylvania, is from Jim Forte's Postal History site and is used with his permission. It was for sale at the time of this writing. I am not connected with that site in any way.

William Arlidge of Deddington, England, and New Brighton, Pennsylvania

2019-07-21T00:00:00-04:00

1870 Letter, Weedon, Northamptonshire, to New Brighton, PA

On August 4, 1870, Mr William Arlidge of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, received a letter edged in black from Weedon, Northamptonshire, England. Who sent William this letter, and what sad news prompted its sending?

William Arlidge

The 1870 US Census finds William Arlidge and his daughter Hannah in Ward 2, New Brighton, Pennsylvania. William was a male citizen, age 70, who was born in England and worked as a clock repairer. Hannah's age was given as 25, though she was actually 10 years older, as we shall see. She also was born in England. The date on the census sheet was June 30, 1870, not long before the letter William received was mailed.(footnote)For the date and place of mailing, see the next article, Samuel Arlidge, of Deddington, Weedon Bec, and Nether Heyford, England.

The Arlidges had moved to New Brighton sometime after 1867 or so, since William is listed in the Pittsburgh City Directories through 1868 as a clock maker in Allegheny City.(footnote)Allegheny City, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, was annexed by its neighbor, Pittsburgh, in 1907.

William Arlidge, clockmaker, Benton Ave, Allegheny City,
1868 Pittsburgh City Directory

The 1850 Census of Allegheny City provided the names of other members of the Arlidge family. William, age 57, is joined by his wife, Elizabeth, age 56, and daughters Elizabeth (21), Mary (18), and Anna or Hannah (16). All were born in England.

This gave me enough information to find the Arlidges in England in 1841, in Barford St Michael, Oxfordshire. William was a pot maker, age 40. His wife Elizabeth and daughters Charlotte (15), Ann (15), Elizabeth (11), Mary (7), and Hannah (5) complete the household. All the daughters were born in Oxfordshire, but William and Elizabeth were born outside the county.

Images of the Church of England parish registers for Oxfordshire were available at ancestry.com, and provided a wealth of information about William and his family. He and Elizabeth Gregory were married 28 January 1823 in the parish and all the children's baptisms were recorded there as well. William was a widower when he married Elizabeth–his earlier marriage to Lucy Bennett was on 17 April 1817. The marriage register noted that parental consent had been given, evidently for William, since Lucy's burial record (19 June 1822), said she was 33 when she died.

There is a brief family tree for William at William and Samuel Arlidge Family Trees.

Where next?

All well and good so far, you say. We have William Arlidge traced back to within 30 miles of Weedon, Northamptonshire, where the letter originated, but who sent it and why?

One clue in William's records that will lead us to the answer is his residence at the time of Charlotte and Ann's baptisms. On Charlotte's record it said her parents were living at the Brick Kiln, Deddington. On Ann's record "Brick Yard" was crossed out, leaving just "Deddington." Keep that in mind as we continue to the next article: Samuel Arlidge, of Deddington, Weedon Bec, and Nether Heyford, England.

Sources

US Federal Censuses
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, City Directories 1876 Weyand and Reed's Beaver County Centennial Directory
1841 Census of England
Church of England parish registers for Oxfordshire, England.

Credits

Harry and Agnes (Gratton) Billups, Letters

2018-10-11T00:00:00-04:00

The Documents section of this website has a transcription of thirty-five letters sent by Henry "Harry" Billups and his wife Agnes Gratton from Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, to Agnes' sister Emily Hall in Derbyshire, England. The first letter was actually written in England on Harry's behalf by Agnes' sister Maria Boswell. They are in a collection entitled Agnes and Harry Billups, Letters from America to Emily and William Hall, at the Derbyshire Record Office, with the Reference Number D2941/2/1/1-35.H.

The early letters reflect the Billups' enchantment with their new country, "all hills and holes where we are." They stayed with Henry's brother Thomas upon arrival, until they got their own home, "for the houses are all wood here and they're carried here." (Letter 6, Oct 20th, 1873).

Henry would send back coins and other "new world" curiosities to Agnes' younger brother. Once Henry sent back a lightning bug to England saying "this little fly is A curiosity for it lights Every time it Draws its breath. the Natives Call them littiningbugs And thay Sleep All Day And fly About All Nite time many A hundred of them" (Letter 3, Aug 4 1873).

Henry never identifies his actual place of employment, but it is some kind of factory. Work seems always to have been scarce, with much talk of half-shifts, weeks laid off and so forth. They had a garden and Henry hunted to supplement their income. The 1870's were difficult times everywhere.

Axe Works at Mann Narrows (ca. 1885)

His first letter home was sent from Freedom Forge, which is in Logan, Pennsylvania. Then in 1880 his place on the census puts him in company owned housing labeled Wm Mann Mfg. & Co. on an 1877 map of Yeagertown, copyright but viewable here: Mifflin County 1877 Pennsylvania Historical Atlas. So he might have changed employment from a factory in Logan to the Mann Axe Works in Yeagertown at point in some time.

There was a lot of discussion about returning to England, either for a visit or temporarily, but they never actually had the money to make the journey. They evidently decided to stick it out in a country where [if Henry went to Indiana with his brother] "i have been [in] this Country long Enuf So that i cood Get 1060 [or 10-60?] Aikers of land free. All it wood cost me is forteen Dollers for the rittens but i have not Got Enuff to Just Give Me A start. And that is More then England wood Do for A pore man."

All talk of returning, moving to Indiana, or improving their situation ended when Agnes was found to have breast cancer. In Letter 19, dated Jan 26, 1878, Henry says "[all is well here] At present Ondly for My Maggys brest And it is very bad And keep Gettin Wors, but i hope it will be better After a wile, for thire is A Old Docter 12 Miles from us that has Cured lotts of boath Men And Wimen of Cancers And i hop And trust in the man Above that he will Cure My Wife of hers for God Above knows best wot i Should Do withOut her for i Do not."

In Letter 24, Yeagertown August 17 1878, Agnes writes: "[we had] the Docter to see it and he sad that cud not be cut out for it is lo on the Brast but he thinks the stuf I ham usen will Cure it." Despite everything they tried, Agnes' condition worsened. They soon needed assistance to care for her and the children. She died in March 1880, a year and a half after her last child's birth.

In Letter 33, edged in black, dated Mar 29 1880, Henry says "now i Sit Down to right to you All with A hard foal of Sorrow And Grief" to inform them of his wife's death. In Letters 33 and 34 he tells them of the arrangements for the funeral and burial '[not] in Yeager but in Lewistown it was the Episcople Church Or the Church Of England Cemitery the best Around heair." And in Letter 35 he includes the inscription for Agnes' headstone.

There are no more letters. Within a few months Henry was forced to start breaking up the family, placing the youngest child, Thomas, with his sister Naomi (Billups )Jackson in Pittsburgh. Their daughter, Jane, was raised by Quakers, apparently in New Jersey. Harry and his two other sons moved to Philadelphia where a son James William died in 1882. Their daughter, Jane, may have stayed with them a while, but was eventually raised by Quakers, apparently in New Jersey. Harry The oldest son John remained in Philadelphia and Henry went to join his sister in Pittsburgh. The three surviving children were reunited as adults.

Harry's date of death and place of burial have not yet been determined. For what is known of Henry Billups later life, see Henry "Harry" Billups, Pittsburgh, 1890.

Credits

The image of the Mann Axe works comes from File:Mann's Narrows upstream.jpg at Wikipedia, and is said to be in the public domain.