Background: George Jayne was a student at Fergusonville Academy in Fergusonville, NY.  Many of the students at the academy came from the New York City area.  It was thought that the isolation of Fergusonville would protect the children from corrupting influences such as drinking and gambling. George Jayne's family lived in Orange, NJ.  This letter is from his sister Charlotte.

Dear Georgie,

I have written you several letters lately, and have received no answers. This will be but a short letter, for I am going to write to you again on New Years. I hope you had a merry Christmas. We had. We are all enjoying the holidays very much. Christmas Eve, Frank and I went to a Fair. WE had a pretty good time. I filled the children’s stockings. I put a large amount of “goodies”, and besides those, Annie and Eva each got an India rubber comb, a silk scarf, a pair of leggings, and a pair of gloves. Addie got a donkey going to market, his panniers filled with candies and almonds. I will tell you some of the other presents. I cannot remember all. Father got some shirts, mother a collar, Bell a pair of gold sleeve-buttons, Frank, a dressing gown and slippers, and I a collar, a $2 ½ gold piece. There are more presents coming on New Years. Christmas day, Frank, Bell, and I, spent alone at Mrs. Heath’s. Mr. and Mrs. H. were in New York and as Mary, their girl, was going to be away, too, Bell promised to keep house on Christmas. Frank and I went to keep her company. I lay on a lounge, and read all day; Frank and Bell read and played cards by turns.

When dinner time came, I went home, and packing up some turkey and its usual Christmas Accompaniments, took it up, and we three had a dinner by ourselves. We had a nice time, I assure you. What did you do on Christmas? Did you enjoy yourself? You remember I will be sixteen on New Years. It is so funny. I can hardly realize it.

Mother still continues very sick. She has been growing worse every day for the past week. Grandmother is here, nursing her. She sits up in the rocking chair once in a while but most a great deal. The rest of us are well. Juliet died on Christmas day, at her mother’s house in New York. I believe she had typhoid fever. She was buried on Tuesday. Father went to the funeral. Mrs. Rometza told him she believed if Julie had staid at Grandfather’s, she would have been living yet.

It is now snowing hard, which is an uncommon thing in these regions. I thought when I began this letter that it was going to be very short but never mind. Won’t you please answer my letters soon.

Lottie.

Grandmother, and the rest, send much love to yourself, Em, and Mr O. I send mine separate from theirs.
Lottie.

 

Courtesy of the Davenport Historical Association, Davenport, NY, 13750. Over 500 letters from the Ferguson and Jayne families, most dating from the mid-nineteenth century, are available from the Davenport Historical Association in The Ferguson-Jayne Papers, 1826 - 1938, edited by Mary S. Briggs. Transcribed for this web site by Margaret Monaco. All misspellings have been carefully preserved.