Sunday, April 24, 2016

1860 Letter from Eliab & Sally Richmond of Rumford, Maine, to Daughter Aurelia M. Plummer


Letter dated October 28 and November 5, 1860 from Sally (Bullen) Richmond and husband Eliab Richmond of Rumford, Maine, to their daughter Mrs. Aurelia Malvina (Richmond) Plummer, wife of Charles Baker Plummer.


By the time of the letter, Aurelia and Charles may have been in California, where Aurelia would die around 1865, after having three children, one of them, Cora, mentioned in the letter.  Or perhaps Charles had left, and Aurelia was deciding whether to join him or stay in New England for the time being.

Transcription at the end of this post.


From online research, hopefully correct:  [corrections and additions requested]

Eliab Richmond, who carried the title Captain from his service in the militia, was born May 20, 1786 at Hebron, Maine, the son of Eliab and Hannah (Holmes) Richmond.   On June 13, 1811 at Hebron, Maine, the younger Eliab married Sally Bullen, daughter of Daniel Bullen and Lydia (Rawson) Bullen.  Sally was born at Rumford, Maine, on April 2, 1879.

I believe Eliab and Sally had ten children, the last of which was letter recipient Aurelia Malvina, born January 31, 1834 at Rumford, Maine.  Eliba died in 1867 and Sally in 1871.  They're buried in the Severy Hill Cemetery at Dixfield, Maine.

 On April 26, 1856 at Dorchester, Massachusetts, Aurelia Malvina Richmond married Charles Baker Plummer, son of Bradford Gay Plummer and Mary (Hamlin) Plummer.  Charles was born at Alna, Maine, on June 8, 1831.

Their first child, Cora Plummer, mentioned in the letter, was born about 1857 in Massachusetts.  Within a year or so, it appears, they had moved to California, where Charles became postmaster at Dutch Flat, California.

They had two more children, Ada Plummer and Charles Bradford Plummer, born August 9, 1863.  Sadly, it appears that Aurelia died about 1865.

By 1870, Cora was living with the William Brown family at Napa, California, and Ada and Charles Bradford were living in the Napa household of E. W. Robinson and wife Diantha.  Could their father, Charles Baker Plummer, may have been the C. B. Plummer working as an actor in 1870 at the Loon Creek Mining District at Lemhi, Idaho.

Charles Bradford Plummer died in Sonoma County, California, in 1947.  I haven't yet found more information on Cora and Ada.  Hopefully a reader will provide an update.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Transciption

Rumford, Oct. 28, 1860
Dear daughter, I expect you have been waiting impatiently for answer from your last letter but I have neglected writing because I was not well last week but have got better.  I have not been so unwell but what I could do my work about the house.  I have spun and wove what few rolls I had then was enough to make your father one pair of [shirts; shorts ?].  We have plenty of apples have dryed some, have not got through.  Dear Aurelia, I was glad to hear that you was well.  that Cora had got so smart.  I hope she will not be sick again.  I want to see the dear little chatterbox.  We should be glad to have you spend the winter with us if you think you can be comfortable here with Cora.  I should be very glad to have you.  When we parted last I never expected to see you again.  Now I hope that I shall.  Our corn crop is small but I am in hopes we shall have enough to make a few jenna cakes and pudding.  The wheat is not thrashed.  Our potatoes are good.  I hope we shall make a live of it through the winter.  I have no particular news to write so I will close by wishing you to write and let us know when you will come to Rumford.  I remain your affectionate mother.
Sally B.
November 5, 1860
My Dear Daughter Aurelia,
I was glad to hear from you & daughter, I shall be glad to see you and Cora if you can put up with ____.  I have but a small Crop but we shall have enough.  Please to come as soon as may be.  I wish you health and Prosperity.  This in haste.
Yours in haste,
Eliab Richmond
Aurelia M. Plummer


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