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March 20, 1864

Glen Cottage Ohio
Sabbath Afternoon March 20th/64

Ira,

Your long looked for and almost given up letter arrived this morning. I really had begun to think that Jennie B. was only another neglected girl but I was forced to think otherwise. This morning before I finished reading yours of the 7th of March. Your letter had been laying in the Office since Wednesday the roads being almost impassable it was out of the question for any one to go for the mail. However I am glad that you are as well situated as you are. I am expecting to hear one of these days the Rebels have you fast enough. You seem to have more of a dangerous position now than ever. I don't think I would have much like to have been in that soldiers place when he was running from the Rebs After they had taken him prisoner. A great wonder they had'nt popped him over and it seemed to me all this time. I was reading about it as though the soldier was yourself. I may be mistaken hope I am but I cant help thinking untill I find out better.

Think Anderson is enjoying himself while at home - Yes I think so too he came up to spark Han last night so I heard.

I was up at your Pa's (our Pa's) house last week staid three days. Sallie Han and I had a gay time of it. I would knit until I got tired. Then Sallie and I would come in and accidentally throw his hat on the checker board and spoil out fun. Han Sallie and I would get after him pull his whiskers for him Till he would be glad to promise he would let us alone. But he was sure to forget it in a few minutes time. Your cousin Jake Vandorn is visiting us now. There hasn't been any turkey roasted yet for Anderson neither do I think there will be very soon unless things should take a change pretty soon. Mr. Apgar says he is not going to let Anderson get married until after the was is over. If I was Anderson I would show him if didn't get married if I wanted to I would be my own boss about that little matter (wouldn't you Ira?)

Ira you think Anderson is not like you or he would have gone to see his girl before he went home. Well if you didn't do just as he done when you was home then I am badly mistaken. I would like to know where you did go Ira Conine if you didn't go home before you saw your girl...

It will be three weeks tomorrow since brother George started for Dixie we have had one letter since he left we heard they had gone to Knoxville so look out for the 9th Calvary perhaps you will get to see George. There are a great many people sick here - nearly every one that is taken dies - old Paul Mathias was buried last Wednesday sick only one week - Lorenzo Fowler wife and Louis Maddox youngest child were also burried last week - Jess Sparr has been laying sick two months the doctors have gave him up they say he cannot get well. Liet. J.C. is going to resign and take care of the property he called on me as he said he would - took dinner with us. I heard yesterday that he and Angie are trying to compromise. I hope they will succeed if they do there will be a wedding there in short order as a matter of course it will have to be before they get out of the notion again J.C. has bet five dollars he will never go back to the army untill he goes a married man! He has been several places already however I think he has not made up his mind yet as to who the Lady shall be. Angie acts very independent toward J.C. I don't blame her either he has treated her shamefully

March 24, 1864

Glen Cottage Ohio
March 24th, 1864

Ira,

Your letter of March 11th was received this morning, it truly met with a hearty approval and I shall respond immediately that you may have a speedy answer.

I cannot say that your letter found me as well as usual. Mother was taken sick last evening with rheumatism having been up with her all night and not being well myself you can easily imagine how I feel to day. However I shall try to answer your letter as well as I can. You say I stated in my letter of February 28th that I had only written you two letters since the 1st Dec. I think I must have been mistaken and you think if you was that negligent in writing to me I would say you had played out. I am led to think so sometimes and then about once a month I get a letter from you and I am led to think otherwise.

Ira you say you are glad we did'nt get married and you think I should dislike to hear that my husband had lost a limb or perhaps be killed and leave me a widow while as it is I should only be losing a friend.

I cant see how those few words should make such a change in my feelings. I should dislike to hear such news as that let me be married or single but Ira if you are ___ the way matters stand at present of course I am.

I have always done every thing that laid in my power to suit you only in that one instance and it has already turned out that I suited you that time. but I have been thinking that you ___ ____ ____ pretty soon that we had better not get married at all and I presume I can ____ in that. Ira you say that I may just correspond with who I please and will as many as I choose. I am heartily glad that you have come to that conclusion. It has saved me the trouble of asking your permission to correspond with a soldier that handed me his address in Findlay last Monday and by the way he is quite a hansome little dutchman. I really took quite a shine to him but you say for God's sake ___ think of Ira once in a while. When I am writing I'll consider the matter, perhaps I can manage to think of him twice in three months at any rate.

You cant for your life find out to whom Dilworth was married. It was Miss Blakemore You don't blame the 21st for having a gay time but you say how foolish for them to get married. What does a soldier want of a wife? That is just what I have been wondering at. It is a pity their sweet hearts did'nt get as wise as I did. Perhaps they might have written other soldiers then. But enough of this. J.C. and Angie were here visiting me yesterday and by the way don't you show J.C. this letter the next time you see him or he might think we were quarreling and might try to wing in here again. The reason I write this way is that he seemed to be pretty well posted in our matters, he had me pretty well trained for a while, but he says soldiers never show letters only those they care nothing for and I presume that is the reason you showed mine. Excuse all mistakes for I have written this in a great hurry. Father was going to town for the doctor and I wanted to send this along with him. Write soon and believe me to be as ever your

Jennie.

May 12, 1864

Simpsons School House
Thursday, May 12, 1864

Dearest Friend:

It has been a long long time since I have heard from you and I have come to the conclusion that if I don't answer your letter which I received nearly two weeks ago that I wouldn't hear from you very soon. I should have answered long ere this but I have been more than ordinaryally [ordinarily] engaged for the last two weeks. Have been moving and then getting ready for my school and a great many other things to numerous to mention. If mothers health had been as good as it generaly [generally] is I would not had so much to see too. You must pardon my seeming negligence for it was not intentional. I don't think I ever put in as long and lonely a week. Oh how often have I though of you Ira and wondered where you are and how you are getting along. I dreamed two nights you had come home but when I awoke it was only a dream. How I wished it was reality.

I like my school pretty well but some how it seems a kind a ____ to me. Seems as though I can not take the same interest in it that I did last summer and winter. I should be sorry if I felt so all summer. I am going home to morrow evening. I hope I shall find a letter there from you.

I was up at [Hall] Hickersons last night. They live where Radabaughs used to live, I thought of the times you used to spark Jane. I also thought of the time that Jane and Eliza [Spar] outwalked you. Jane went to town to get a letter from her [other] half. She was awfuly [awfully] tickled but not any more than I should be if I would a letter from you today. O Dear I shall have to quit writing. I cant write with ___ a regiment of children tearing around so good by for a while.

Ottawa
May 12, 1864

Dearest Ira,

I came home last evening and found two letters from you. Dated April 25th and May 3rd. I was very glad to hear from you but very very sorry to learn that you was in the convalescent camp. I always flattered my if that you would never have to go to a hospital. But so it is ___? The soldier there is no telling what day they will be [taken down with some disease]. I hope ere this reaches you you will be blest [blessed] with reviving health.

In yours of April 25th you was looking for letters form home but received none. I can not tell why you did not get the letters. I am very sure they write [quite] often enough and I have been writing too pretty often of late. I wanted [to] make up for writing that naught letter I wrote to you a while ago. I wrote more than a week ago and ___ a ___ have you received it? If so do you think it is natural?

I think you are rather unfortunate to have to march every time it rains.

There ___ am real sorry I sent you a ____ of you. Think no more of it than the ___ ___ of his ___. Mr. [Cousine] from ___ just and it back. Just as quick as you can too. For a half cent I would just come down after it.

Think I wrote more about the ___ than I can explain. Don't believe I could explain on paper very well that I could if you was here-do you believe that?

I am of your belief in regard to soldiers being a dangerous set. I am going to be very careful of them in the future.

May 27, 1864

Friday Morning
May 27th, 1864

Dear [Sam]?

One of the scholars came in this morning handed me a letter on opening it I found it was from that soldier boy of mine! Dated May 15th.

I suppose Father had been going along the River road and had a chance to send it to me.

I am glad he did send it. I can answer it and have it ready to go in the office when I go home this evening.

I should think you had ought to be tired scouting around on Sunday. Better have been reading your Bible. I suppose you soldiers think to little of trying to be good that you hardly know when the Sabbath Day comes.

You have had no letters since you have been in Convalescent Camp? That is singular, I wrote nearly two weeks ago. Directed to convalescent camp. There is two or three letters at the Regt for you by this time.

I sent my photograph three weeks ago, if I thought you would'nt get that one I might send another one, that is if you want me to.

I presume if you stay at Knoxville very much longer you will be so stilish that I will have to go studying Dictionary to understand your letters.

I seen Ruff Jones yesterday. He was talking about you. He wondered if you had forgotten the time that you and him drank so much coffee at [Harve Cousines] husking. He said he never had as much fun in all his life. I must quit writing it is almost time for school.

You would rather have spent the evening with me than to be writing to me. You have done very well to spend it the way you did. Cant tease me near as much in writing; can you?

Do I remember "Ashamed of Jesus?" I should think I did. I wont be forgetting either very soon! Oh Dear but you was a naughty boy! Needed hanging up by the ears! I'll do it too if you don't behave yourself when you come home! Remember that as you go along!

Ira I received a letter from Mollie Coats the other day! It was the best letter I ever read! (except your letters) Moll is teaching school near Leipsic. I cant help but love that girl. She is such a dear good girl! She said something about you in her letter but she said I should'nt tell you or you might think she was green! If you knew her as well as I do you would think so.

Dan Wood and Minerva Fisher are going to get married this fall! I wish you was home, we would go to the wedding.

Well, indeed I must quit writing. Try read this if you can. Pardon all mistake for I am in a dreadful hurry. Ira please do write often if you have'nt more than a word to write. If you knew how lonesome and homesick I get sometimes I know you would do so!

If I had time I might find some more foolishness to write but I think your patience will be tried sufficiently by the time you get this read.

No more from your own Jennie.

MS 673 - Ira B. Conine Papers, Introduction | Transcript List
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