Letters of Rev. John W. Alvord

Winsted Sept 4. 1850 To Dea Alvan Simonds Dear Brother

Your kind letter came duly & I was glad to hear of your welfare & to receive the assurance of your sympathies— Our dear mother left us at 7^oC on Sabbath morning & her funeral took place yesterday at 2 PM—Her sufferings no one can describe who did not witness there—but her patience held out wonderfully & her end was very peaceful—The last 12 hours of her life were comparatively free from suffering—and she died at last like one falling asleep—A great comfort to us & what we hardly could have expected—All has evidently been ordered by the grace of God—and although we have buried a very kind mother, whom a large family loved very tenderly. yet I trust the lessons of her life & death will not be lost. All the children ^& family circle^ were present at the funeral, except my own wife—She was in Greenwich & the death occurring on Sabbath morning, when no trains are running, it was impossible to send for her in time— I shall leave ^now^ as soon as I can—Some matters incident to such an occasion ditain me here to day—Tomorrow I go to Greenwich & prepare my family to go to Boston immediately— My plan is to be there Thursday evening—I feel quite worn with watching—(as Mother could have scarce any one about her but