During this period of absence of letters between Edwin and Susan, another member of the family briefly entered the picture. We were confused at first because of how the letter was addressed; to "Brother Edwin." Later, we learned the writer was Sarah Elizabeth Jenkins, the sister of Edwin's deceased wife.
Lizzie, as Sarah Elizabeth is called, speaks of her younger brother, twenty-six year old Henry Jenkins who had travelled west during the gold rush.
Billerica, Mass July 8th, 1866
Brother Edwin,
I will write a few lines this afternoon, to tell you the news that came yesterday. We had a telegram saying that Henry sailed for home in the steamer June 30th and wished Father to meet him in New York. I knew you would be glad to hear there is a prospect of our once more seeing him. We feel very anxious for fear he will not stand the voyage, but hope for the best. He must be more comfortable, for in our last letter he wrote, that he would come east, but knew he could not stand the voyage. The steamer will get in the last of next week.
Father wished me to ask you if you would have business in New York soon, and if so you could make arrangements to go when he did, as he dreads so much going alone, for fear of what may happen when the steamer get in. He knew that some of you went once in a while, and did not know but you might be going soon. I wish it could be so, for he worries so much about Henry that I am afraid he will be down sick. Oh dear, have we got to go through another of those sad scenes that we have passed through three times, within as many years. I suppose we shall have strength given us equal to the day. Lizzie refers to the death of Edwin's wife Marie Jenkins. They had married in 1858 and she bore him a daughter, Carrie Evelyn Fletcher. On April 27, 1863, the two-year old child succumbed to fever. Five months later, on September 11th, Marie too passed away, a victim of pulmonary consumption, most likely tuberculosis.
In April of this year, 1866, Lizzy's brother Thomas Jenkins, Jr., also died of consumption. The letter continues with talk of the weather and a bountiful cherry crop.
It is as much as we can do to wait on ourselves. I have written much more than I intended to, and will close. Hope to hear from you soon.
Your sister Lizzie
P.S. I believe I did not owe you a letter, but never mind, hope you will excuse it.
While we do not know how long Henry Jenkins was in California, or how he ventured there, we know any means of travel undertaken by the gold seekers was an arduous journey. The transcontinental railroad would not be completed for three more years, when the tracks met at Promontory Point, Utah, in May 1869. A land journey might take up to six months, but the preferred route to travel west before the railroad was by sea.
By the 1860s, many steam ships left both New York and San Francisco for roundabout travel to the other side of our expanding country. Hearty voyagers would sail rough seas, until reaching either the east side or west side of the Isthmus of Panama where they would board the recently opened ocean to ocean railroad. The fifty mile train trip was no less dangerous as the intrepid traveler was exposed to cholera, yellow fever and malaria. The survivors boarded another waiting ship for the second half of what had, a few years earlier, been a three month journey. By 1866, with large paddle steamers, the trip could be made in but forty days.
It was sometime later we heard more of Henry's journey from a letter Edwin wrote to Susan.
I received news of the death of my brother-in-law on Monday. He died at Panama and was buried there. He was very feeble on the journey and could go no further. His father saw two men who were with him, brother "Odd fellows," who stayed till they were obliged to leave on the steamer. The physician said he could not live 15 minutes when they left which is the last his friends have heard from him and I suppose is all they will hear. It is very sad and is a severe trial to the family.
We made all the necessary preparations for his death and burial before starting thinking that he might not be able to reach home. He was very anxious to get home but the poor fellow was obliged to die among entire strangers with no one to shed a tear over his grave. There is to be a funeral service in Billerica on the Sabbath.
Later in July, correspondence between Edwin and Susan resumes with her Friday letter, following a visit together.
Lynn, July 20th 1866
Dear Friend,
I feel very much as I think a prisoner may when set at liberty and will spend a part of my leisure afternoon in writing to you.
Mr. Hills has been away from school three days, and has just returned home. We who were left with the charge of the 170 scholars have not only lived through the time but have been quite successful in our labor. But a great care was removed by his coming home. I think I rather act as assistant than principal.
I have thought with pleasure of the afternoon spent so pleasantly on Wednesday, as well as the agreeable surprise your call at the school-house gave me. I looked for you in the cars on Thursday morning and was sorry not to see you again, but inferred that you had not sufficient time to allow you to take the early train. I was hoping you with your brother would give the school a morning call & see that we started fairly for our day's work. I even looked for you during the day, thinking possibly you might remain in Lynn over one train.
How cool and delightful the weather has been since the shower! It was a fine rain and I have some faint recollection of being out at the time. I shall think you are a pretty good weather-wise & shall have less opinion of my own judgment in such matters.
You may be interested to know the result of my search for the missing porte-monnaie. I did not allow my fears to rise very high, and on reaching Lynn went over to my room before school & found it in safe keeping just where I had placed it. Saturday morning.
Miss Brown called yesterday afternoon and wished me to go with her to Gravesend , and although feeling rather too tired , as we had planned to make some calls there so many times I went with her. We found it very pleasant, but the attractions of the place can never be so strong as to cause me to desire to be permanently located there.
I trust you reached home safely and was glad to see that the weather was fair enough for you to take the route by steamboat, which, perhaps, you did not do.
I am beginning to realize that our term is nearly ended and that a vacation is at hand. I think the scholars are doing remarkably well considering the heat, but are longing for a rest. Today I shall go home, as usual.
As it is nearly school time I must bid you good morning. Hoping to hear from you soon & with much esteem,
I am very truly yr. friend,
Susan Smith
Edwin's letter to Susan crossed in the mail.
Acton July 20, 1866
Dear Friend,
Perhaps I owe you an apology for not meeting you yesterday but I believe it was left that it was your time to write if I should not see you again and so you must not expect much of a letter at this time. I arrived at my brother's before they had made any signs of opening the house but I succeeded in disturbing the sleepers and obtaining an entrance after the necessary delay under such circumstances.
We were meaning to take the early train and call at Lynn with you and open your school agreeable to your conditions of admission, but the time was so limited that the train arrived without giving us time for the necessary preparations and so we concluded not to call after the opening as our service would not be needed.
We left the cars at Swampscott and walked down to Nahant on the beach and took the steam boat for Boston and had a nice time. The tide was out and the beach more extensive and handsome than I had ever seen it before. The sun was clouded which made it all the pleasanter for us. I never had so good a view of rocky Nahant before and was not aware that it was such a rugged and romantic a place.
We could not resist the temptation to take a salt bath which we found very refreshing but rather cool for comfort. It was quite a long walk but we both enjoyed it. I should judge the distance must have been as much as six miles or more. We arrived in Boston at 12 o'clock and were glad to find ourselves seated at the dinner table.
As we had a little leisure in Boston we went through the unpleasant operation of sitting for our shadows and succeeded in getting some small pieces of tin with colored images on them. I will send you one of mine and would also send one of James but perhaps he will not wish me to assist in circulating them. We separated and left in the 4 o'clock trains for home.
I feel interested to hear whether you were robbed while with me on Wednesday, but hope you found missing treasure at your home in Lynn.
You must excuse me for writing so hasty a letter and I must close as my services are needed. I shall expect a letter from you soon and should it pass mine on the road you will remember that you are still in debt. With kind regards, I remain very truly your friend,
E. Fletcher
Ferry service between Nahant and Boston began in 1817. Prior to 1853, the peninsular community was part of Lynn. Hotels and summer homes for the wealthy became increasingly fashionable during this time. A different view of temperance caused the split. A few years later, Nahant was home of some of the nation's first amusement parks. In 2014, commuter ferry service across Boston harbor from Nahant was renewed, after perhaps a hundred year absence.