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

Ship Esther May in the Cattegat May 18, 1851

My Dear Myrtilla & Dear Children

As we are drawing near Elsinore I have determined to have a few lines ready for you although you will hardly expect to hear from me from thence & I know not that I can with certainty get my letter ashore so that it will go. We have had a quick passage, 27 days out to day, and we expect to be on the [illegible] tomorrow at least. It was very rough for the first two or three weeks & I was very sea sick most of the time -- but since there the weather has been very pleasant & the winds light. I will not here give any description of things as they have occurred from day to day. I have kept a memorandum of events in a Note Book which I intend to send to you in my trunk from St. Petersburg. My health is now quite good & appetite has returned although digestion is not very perfect. It seems like getting well from a severe fit of sickness & I can hardly tell you how much I suffered; with no [illegible] friend like yourself near to comfort me, Ezra being much in the same condition & the Captain constantly occupied with working the Ship. My head has sympathized in the suffering of the stomach, & dizziness with return of the old pain when there was much motion, added greatly to my trouble. It quite discouraged me for a while in regard to traveling & indeed in regard to any very speedy recovery, if ever. My spirits sunk lower xxx though not entirely for I endeavoured to to feel that all was right & if turn aside from my work in the Gospel of Ch. I must & could submit some precious seasons of what seemed to his Divine Communion I certainly have had. How often I thought of you & the dear baby & of what

Peterhoff June 20. 1851

My Dear Myrtilla

As the steamer goes tomorrow I must dispatch a line of love to my dearest friend—I am now at this place preparing to leave. The ship is to sail in a day or two. I have enjoyed much in St. Petersburg & my health is better than when I came ashore. I have some head ache when I attempt to read or write & sometimes when I become more weary than I ought by looking about. I have concluded not to go in the ship beyond Elsinore, as the rough sea makes my head so much worse. From thence my present plan is to cut off a part of the route on the continent so that none of my friends willl say that I am imprudent. You will therefore write me at Paris only—& thence at London & Liverpool as agreed upon. I say this because it is so uncertain how far I may venture into Germany in that direction. Write to Paris care of Rev. Louis Bridell so that I can receive it by 1st of August. Do not think by this that I am not enjoying my journey -- or that my health is not as good as possible whatever more pleasures I may sacrifice.

[red US Postage stamp] [red stamp "Boston 18 Sep"] Mrs J.W. Alvord Greenwich Conn't [words crossed out]

[letterhead] American Tract Society, (Instituted at Boston, in 1814,) NEW-YORK DEPOSITORY, NO. 13 BIBLE HOUSE, ASTOR PLACE, NEW-YORK. WILLIAM A. BOOTH, Esq., of New-York, President. Rev. JOHN W. ALVORD, Secretary. JOHN G. BROUGHTON, Depositary. Communications relating to the operations of the Society, and donations, may be sent to REV. JOHN W. ALVORD. All orders and remittances for the publications of the Society may be obtained by addressing JOHN G. BROUGHTON. New York

Wash D. C. Sept 14, 1865 My Dear Wife

Yours, speaking of many things is here. Am sorry for the sake of Julias feelings that she did not pass the examination. But there is some good reason, hereafter to be developed. She need not feel bad, or only so bad as we all should under the dis-appointments so common to this life, which are all intended for our profit. She needs perhaps more such. Her past has not been thickly strewed with them. If any thing is to be regretted it may be that time (a week or so) was not taken for review—at least to have known what studies were to be the subject of examination. College students even never think of approaching the ordeal without being thus informed & prepared. Their whole preparatory course being with reference to the precise books to be used at the ex.

A second trial, thus prepared, may not be best, but it may be very properly due the candidate. You can think of it. I shall be at home. D. V. before the time when she must enter Dr. M.[C.]][illegible] & will endeavour to help in this thing, whatever the indicated course shall be.