"I found the enclosed letter from dad's sister, my Aunt Lu, sent to me way back in the 1940s. The first and last pages are missing but the Historical Society was delighted to get it." (Ethel Margaret Mannen)
On July 25th 1866 Alfred Morris Burnham and Rachel Jane Hord took a saw to the justice of the peace in Freeborn County Minnesota, to be filed [ie, sharpened]. They returned home husband and wife =
Our daddy was like that. Hated publicity.
Mother was his second wife. The neighbors resented over daddy remodeling the house for a second wife. It was quite some time before mother won her way into their hearts.
Daddy took a sub-contract to furnish ties for the Union Pacific R.R. = in 1868 I think.
He and mother together with mothers sister Elsie who we call Eltie = traveled over the Black Hills in an open buggy drawn by a horse they called Maggy - Father was a reckless daring type and took our mother into many dangerous and exciting places.
I have heard her tell many many times how they were escorted from place to place by a party of soldiers. Once when father was in a hurry to get to Fort Larramie = he accepted the service of a stranger who assured him he knew the way well. After driving several miles the guide who as on horseback suddenly turned off the main road into an old skid road. Father became suspicious and turned back as fast as the old horse could travel. The guide overtook them and tried to persuade daddy to retrace his steps. Suddenly some six men on horseback were soon approaching from the direction from which they had come.
They were sure the men were Indians on the war path.
Mother and Eltie got in the bottom of the buggy -- mother driving, and father got his old musket out. The Indians turned out to be soldiers who had been dispatched to find father and his party. The guide turned his horse's head and raced off whistling as if calling somebody. Mother said they were sure his [unknown 3 or 4 letter word] the leader of a band of thieves who intended to rob and perhaps kill them.
Another time, while being escorted over the Black Hills, a soldier offered to let mother ride his horse to rest her. He assured daddy he was gentle. So mother accepted the offer. The horse ran away with her. She said the last she remembers the horse suddenly stopped and mother leaned over and saw they were at the edge of a precipice. She fainted. Mother said the officer in charge sure told that soldier plenty = Said he knew the horse was not to be trusted. The minute mother got on him the officer took out after her and caught her as she fell from the horse.
Let one pause to state, our daddy was born in Chautauque County [Note: the C is written with a curious "o" overprinted on the end of the lower part, somewhat like French usage, and is repeated for "Clark"] New York state on Oct 16th 1825 to Clark Burnham = I do not know his mother's name = Louise, I think.
Mother was Rachel Jane Hord = She was born March 19th 1845 to Anselia and Harrison Hord in state of Ohio = There were eleven children in the family.
A girl and boy died very young and are buried some where in Minnesota. Aunt Mice as we knew her was the oldest -- then came Nepolian who died of fever in the army mar 1860 = then mother, Mattie who was Mrs Frank Hunter [or Huester] -- Martha Elsie who we call Eltie -- was Mrs. Mitchell Wright. Elizabeth was Mrs Will Arnold -- Daniel Hord = and Lena Issabell who was Lennie -- Mrs Ed Patrick = All are dead.
Father had several brothers and sisters. Louise Burnham was the sisters name. And Hannah Burnham.
Daddy graduated from a Medical college in Buffalo in 1858 = He served as Surgeon during the civil war. Was City physician in Albert Lea Minnesota until we moved west in 1885 =
We arrived in Tacoma Jan 1885. Frank was born the following Sept 9 - 1885 = He -- Mother and daddy are buried in the Gig Harbor Cemetery =
We lived on 15th and Tacoma Ave in 1885 = They were grading and plowing Yakima Ave at that time.
Father bought one acre on 13th & Lih = several miles out of town. He took up a homestead at Gig Harbor. Had to pay the stern(whell)wheel steamer "Bob Irving" $5.00 to cross from Point Defiance to the spit. Later father and my brothers built a large flat bottom boat which they rowed from Tacoma over to the harbor carrying our house hold goods = Even took a cow over in it.
Father lived (there) on our homestead at Gig Harbor = We would spend the Summer vacations with him.
There were about fifty Indians at the head of the bay where we lived. One night when we were about to go to bed we saw an Indian squaw peeking in the window with her hands close to her face = We were frightened to death = But the poor old thing had come up to tell daddy somebody was trying to steal our rowboat. We later attended school at the harbor =
How well I remember carrying my lunch in a tin pail = I can still smell the huckleberry pie I so often found in my lunch.
Bertha Cobb came [back?] to live with her aunt Mrs. Hiram Hall. Her first day at school she sat with me. I can see her now in a grey flannel dress with a little pocket in her blouse embroidered in green = Later she became my sister-in-law = She and Nick slipped out one night and were secretly married by Rev. Catore. Nick was [sixteen or nineteen] so father had to buy their licenses for them. When we found they were married the bunch of young people surprised them. Nick was a bashful young chap and fled leaving Bertha to stand the brunt of it all =
They had one child -- Harry Alfred Burnham born Sept 6th 1896 in Tacoma Washing. Just 2 months and six days after father passed away at Gig Harbor.
Alfred Bismark was born Oct 15 - 1870 at Fort Steele Wyoming. Father filled a contract for getting ties for the Union Pacific Railroad. They moved to New York where Bismark was a baby = Spent a year there.
Mabel Messinger came to Gig Harbor with her parents. They later moved to Albert Lea Minnesota. In the fall = Sept 24th 1894 or 96 =
The following genealogical information is derived from the letter:
Harrison HORD
Anselia
Children (eleven):
girl buried in Minnesota
boy buried in Minnesota
Mice
Nepolian, died in mar 1860 of fever while serving in the army.
*Rachel Jane
Mattie (Mrs. Frank Hunter or Huester)
Martha
Elsie (called Eltie) (Mrs. Mitchell Wright)
Elizabeth (Mrs. Will Arnold)
Daniel
Lena Issabell (called Lennie; Mrs. Ed Patrick)
Alfred Morris BURNHAM (siblings: Louise, Hannah, others)
Born Oct 16 1825, Chautauque County, New York, to Clark Burnham & Louise
Married July 25 1866, Freeborn County, Minnesota
Died: Buried: at Gig Harbor, Washington
Rachel Jane HORD (second wife)
Born Mar 19 1845, Ohio state, to Harrison and Anselia Hord, one of eleven children (see list above).
Historical events:
1858: Graduated from a medical college in Buffalo, New York.
Served as surgeon during the civil war.
1868: Subcontracted to Union Pacific RR for railroad ties, in Wyoming.
City physician in Albert Lea, Minnesota.
1885: Arrived in Tacoma, Washington.
Children:
Alfred Bismark, Born Oct 15 1870 at Fort Steele, Wyoming. Married Mabel Messinger; "they" moved to Albert Lea, Minn. (who moved -- her parents, or Mabel and Alfred?)
Frank , 9 Sep 1885 at Tacoma, Washington. Died _________ buried at Gig Harbor, Washington.
Nick, married Bertha Cobb, had son Harry Alfred Burnham born 6 Sep 1896 in Tacoma.
Lu (author of the letter; is it derived from Louise?)