Olive Smoot Bean, Correspondence, 1883

File — Box: 1, Folder: 21

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May 8, 1883-Provo City, Utah
My own dear true loving husband
"...We are not as well at home as I could wish to say we were. I had a severe attack of sickness on Saturday and Sunday and for about twenty four hours suffered the most excruciating pain which I ever bore....I suppose it was caused by over doing and then taking cold. I had done a very heavy washing, getting ready to clean house, and sprained my side, where it is weak, and baby was not well and I was broken of my rest, and all together it used me up....Our darling little Virgie has the measles at last, but they have been very light and she is doing well....but it seems if I could have your dear company I would be perfectly oblivious to all else in the world....9th Ma Smoot is very ill this morning with something like a paralytic stroke, and looks like she could not last long, but she may rally. She has been feeble some time."
May 8, 1883-Conejos, Colorado
My Blessed true and loving ones at home.
"...I am also pained to learn that you, my darling wife, have had to endure so long the fear of staying at home alone of nights....I want you to hire some one you can trust, if possible, to stay with you: if you can not, you will have to make arrangements to stay with some of the folks, for it is much better that we run no more risk than possible in the rearing of our Heaven born treasures, our darling babes...."
May 16, 1883-Manassa, Colorado
My own true loving wife and loved ones at home.
"...It seems as though, with all my cautioning, you will still over-work yourself, in your ambition to do more than is required; and again I implore you to be careful, and not undertake such heavy work alone.... Bro. Wm/Ball who was one of my companions in Va. got home on the thirteenth inst. having been gone only four months. I think the cause was timidity and lack of courage on the part of his wife, who was scared on account of the small pox [epidemic in Manassa County, Colorado]."
May 19, 1883-Provo City, Utah
"...Pollie hasn't come back yet and says she dont know when she will. She wrote to me, and said to remember her to you when I wrote. I suppose that is unnecessary as you will remember her any how.... Oh! how I long for the time when writing will be unnecessary, and we can talk unrestrained to each other. Some times my impatience is so great, that I can hardly content myself to wait. I feel as though I must do something to hasten the happy time. And yet God knows I am willing and desirous that you should fill an honourable mission, but time drags so heavily without you. And my anxiety is not for myself alone, but for our children. I need the aid of your cool head and kind heart, in rearing them for I feel incompetent to the task alone."
May 25, 1883-Provo City, Utah
Dear loving husband
"...We are at mothers now and will stay awhile. She gave birth to a very fine son yesterday.... She was very sick, but is as comfortable as can be expected today....Ma Smoot is much better today, and if she takes no back set, will be able to be around soon, though I fear she will never talk plain again...."
May 29, 1883-Alamosa, Colorado
My Dearest Loving wife
"... I am now in the largest R. R. town in this county, and, according to my way of thinking, it is about one more step to the "Lower Regions"? It is comprises [sic] the R. R. machine shops a few stores, saloons, and lumber tenement houses etc. and the influence felt here is not very agreeable to say the least of it...."

Dates

1883

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