Author: Lucy Woodcock
Recipient: Henry Woodcock
Date: 31 August 1871
Location: Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers, Record Group 30/81, Series 1. Correspondence, Oberlin College Archives
Document Type: Autograph Letter, Signed by Author
Introduction:
The following letter is the last one in the collection, which spans nearly half of Lucy’s missionary career. Despite the passage of time, her relationship with Henry remains nearly unchanged. Note the gossipy tone of this letter, but pay special attention to the fourth paragraph. Lucy still takes the time to convey more serious sentiments.
[torn, Eliot?] Mission House
Jamaica W.I
Aug 31th /71
Dear Brother
Yours of Aug 1st. came to hand the 23rd. so I will send back a reply by the returning Steamer which leaves Kingston for New York, the 5th of the each month, And from New York to Kingston the 15th of each month. It arrives here the 22ed [sic] of the month stops only a few hours goes on to Colon and returns here the fifth.1
I have not heard from home since Jan Last. I answered Bro Elijah2 letter in March. It was the same time that yours was,, [sic] I am glad to hear that Miles3 is Married. when I was at home I [thought?] that he was rather [torn, inclined to?]4 idle company. so sister E[torn] are getting married off on [torn, illegible, likely a date]. I suppose Mary [torn, Ann?] and her little girl5 is still at home.
You spoke of uncle [Ami?]6 being at Wellsville7 and I got the impression that he was living with sister Rachel.8 If so what has become of Cousin Elizabeth9 and her husband? Do you know if uncle Sartwell10 is still living I suppose not if so he must be very old
What has become of Uncle [illegible]11 Does, Cousin Othello and his two sisters12 still living at Rochester. This is sending far West for Eastern news. I am leaving Eliot for Richmond13 only two miles from here. bro [sic] Wolcott14 has plenty of room and the house is breaking down here, And there is on the Richmond Estate about 200 children that does not attend school any [torn, where?]. So I have [concluded?][torn] a day school at the [beginning?] [torn] the coming year and a [torn] a girls school for sewing and fancy needle work.15 After taking a few month’s rest I feel like work again. It [inserted above line: is] as destitute field as any where and as long as I am able to labor I may remain here as to come home and being fitted for labour in these day [sic] of progress. I am far behind the present age _ I choose to labor as long as I can with success. None of the Friends at home would not like to have to mind me all the time. I am not possessed with much worldly goods. What little I have here I can manage with very well, What stock I have I can [illegible] them at Richmond as it is a large estate [torn]16Mr Wolcott. about 100 [torn] [cattle?].
I have [four?] [torn]17and one horse [which? torn] is an indis pensable [sic, line break] thing in the country. I have a comfortable supply of household furniture for house keeping. years will accumulate thing [sic] where one remains in the same place. The past few years has been rather expensive. I have not saved much.
You speak of Arthur18 being engaged in teaching. I [sic] glad that he has entered into such employment. I should like him to send me his photo-graph [sic] and also Lizzies and Ellen’s.19 I want to see how the young folks looks. I am trying to get all my nephews and necies [sic]. I think there is enough for a large album. [torn] Love to all
Yours in [God?] [torn] L.A. Woodcock
Transcribed by Rebecca Debus.
1Though issues with both punctuation and spelling are a constant theme in these letters, this letter, compared to Lucy’s earlier ones, has far more problems with grammar and syntax. Missionary work was not easy in Jamaica, and the quality of this letter seems to reflect either strain or at least a lack of time for letter writing.
2Brother Elijah is probably her actual brother Elijah, born in 1832 (Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers. Series 2. Writings. 1987/67. 1989/141. RG 30/81).
3Miles is probably her oldest sister Eliza Marie Jones’ son, born in 1842. He was a Civil War veteran who became ill and was discharged from the army in the spring of 1864 (Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers, Series 4. Files Relating to the Woodcock Family).
4This is likely the name of Miles’ prospective bride.
5This may be Eliza Marie’s oldest daughter Mary (Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers, Series 2. Writings).
6Uncle Ami’s identity is somewhat unclear. In an 1866 letter, Lucy refers to both an Uncle Ami, and an Uncle Thompson with sons named Ami and Sartwell, but it’s uncertain if these “Amis” are the same person (Oberlin College Archives, The Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers; Harry Edwin Woodcock family Collection,” Kansas Collection, RH MS 729, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas Libraries, web address, accessed 23 June 2015).
7Wellsville, NY was the home of several of Lucy’s family members, including her oldest sister Eliza Marie Jones, and the place of Lucy’s eventual death (Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers).
8Rachel is probably Lucy’s sister, born in 1820, who was married to John Cline. They had three children (Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers, Series 4. Files Relating to the Woodcock Family).
9This is perhaps Elizabeth Stevens (not the sister of Othello Stevens), who seems to have been a relative of Lucy Thayer. Thayer’s sister Susan appears to have married into the Stevens family. Alternately, Henry Woodcock was also related to a family named Stevens on his mother’s side. One of Patty Osgood Woodcock’s sisters, also named Lucy, married a W. Stevens. All of these Stevens appear to be living in the New England area, and so could possibly have been branches of the same family (“Harry Edwin Woodcock family Collection,” Kansas Collection, RH MS 729, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas Libraries, web address, accessed 23 June 2015; Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers, Series 2. Writings).
10Uncle Sartwell is probably the husband of Lucy Woodcock’s, maternal aunt, Polly (Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers, Series 2. Writings).
11The name of the Uncle here may start with a C. If so, this could be have been an uncle named Carnet who was married to Lucy’s maternal aunt, Betsy (Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers, Series 2. Writings).
12Cousin Othello is Othello Stevens. He was a lawyer in Rochester, New York, and lived with two younger sisters, Elizabeth and Ellen. The Cousin Elizabeth mentioned above is likely related to him, but is probably not his sister, as the Elizabeth Stevens living with him appears to have not married. Like Cousin Elizabeth, it is unclear how precisely he is related to the Woodcocks (“Harry Edwin Woodcock family Collection,” University of Kansas Libraries; “1910 Federal Census, Rochester Ward 18, Monroe, New York.” Ancestry.com. web address, accessed 27 June 2015).
13The Eliot Mission appears to be the one Lucy taught at the longest, and most of her preserved letters come from there. As the letter from John McLeod after her death was sent from Eliot, it seems as though she may have moved back there before she died.
14Probably Seth Wolcott, one of the ministers in Jamaica with the American Missionary Association. He was educated at Oberlin College (Gale L. Kenny, Contentious Liberties: American Abolitionists in Post-Emancipation Jamaica, 1834-1866. Race in Atlantic World 1700-1900 (Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 2010) p. 108, 134).
15This section of the letter is torn, and several words are missing. However, a transcription of the letter made by Henry Woodcock’s granddaughter, Mina Ferguson, appears to have been created before the letter tore. According to her, these last few sentences read: “And there is on the Richmond Estate about 200 children that does not attend school anywhere, so I have concluded we need a day school at the beginning of the coming year and also a girls’ school for sewing and fancy needlework.”(Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers, Series 4. Files Relating to the Woodcock Family).
16Mina Ferguson’s transcription suggests that this phrase was “a large estate belonging to Mr Wolcott”(Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers).
17Mina Ferguson suggests that the torn phrase here is “four cows”(Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers).
18Arthur is Henry Woodcock’s son from his first marriage. At this period in time he was probably still living in Chicago, Illinois. (Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers).
19Lizzie and Nellie are Henry’s daughters from his second marriage (to Lucy Thayer). Letters from Henry to his daughters are included in this mini-collection (Oberlin College Archives, Henry Edwin Woodcock Papers).
