Relatively Speaking

Here are two photos I have of my Irish great great Grandma, Mary Donaldson Higginson Shattuck.

This is my grandpa Briggs standing in front of the Methodist Parsonage in Barryville, New York. The Delaware River is in the background.

Richard Arnold Bassett, or Arnold, as he was called, married his first cousin Rachel Crabtree. I think both last names were Crabb when they married, but the name was changed to Crabtree by the time of the 1850 census when they were living in Kane County, Illinois.

The story my grandma told me of her Grandma Rachel is that Rachel went to England to work when she was 16. She did not want to work on Sunday, so her employer paid for her to sail home.

This is a pastel that my mother has in her collection. It was said that a relative did the drawing. I have Arnold’s will and a copy of his Intent to become a Naturalized Citizen. Arnold died in 1873 of consumption, also called TB.

Arnold and Rachel had 11 children. Their son John, my great grandpa, is the only one who lived longer than 33 years old. Two of John’s children, Amanda Myrtie, (my grandma), and LeRoy Howard, (Cal Biven’s Grandfather), had Arnold and Rachel’s only grandchildren (8) that lived past 2 years old and into adulthood.

Here are two photos of William Henry Austin He is listed as Henry with his family in the 1860 Census in an earlier post. He’s a bit older here than 35.

These are two of my granpa Briggs’ brothers, Carl and Howard.

My Great Grandpa Clinton Briggs’ home.

I think this is some of the Briggs Grandchildren with a Briggs uncle.

I was excited to find a letter from Great Grandpa John to his daughter Myrtie, my grandma, in the family papers that my mom has.

Dear Myrtie,
the why I do not write aint because I don’t want to or because i have forgotten that we have a dear Daughter that is not here that we think very much of and are proud of. I am a poor speller and poor writer and don’t like to wright more than I can help but I often tell Mamma things to write. I don’t want you to worry because you disliked to repeat to me when I didn’t hear. My hearing is no better and I guess no worse. I thank you verry much for helping me with some money in starting a shoe business. I am doing fine have more than I can keep up with am 3 or 4 days behind and more coming every day during the blizard west of here I lost a lot of time. the traines was snow bound and couldn’t run on time. they are on time now and I will have a chance to catch up the people in the pine are quite sociable and seam to appreciate welcome other business coming in and act like you are one of them and worthy of notice
if I don’t write regular don’t think I forget you belong to us and are very thankful that you are in so good a place  and have the opportunity and the will to help in religious doings  We always look for a letter from you  Am glad your health is good  I hope you will keep well,
ever your loving Papa