Condolence letters re: death of Leland Stanford: Mad- Men includes Jerome Madden, O.B. Mahone, and Margaretta Manning

Franciscan Convent

118 Brewer St

Norfolk Va.

June 24, 1893

+ Deus det nobis fuam pacem

Mrs Leland Stanford

Dear Madam

We have heard with deep regret of the death of your estimable husband Senator Stanford, and hasten to offer you our heartfelt [symap] sympathy for the great & deep loss you have sustained. He has gone to get his reward for many acts & deeds of kindness, and Benevolence, which he performed.

Our dear Lord has sent you a heavy cross, he will

I also wrote a poem for Mrs Judge Russell of Haywoods on the death of the Judge & have her kind reply & compliments & all of these poems were published in their home papers. I have seen great sorrow myself & I try to comfort the mourner & although poverty & ill health has been my lot - for years I do not envy the rich but my heart goes out in pity to the sorrowing ones that gold cannot releive [sic]. I have a beautiful letter from Mrs Henry Ward Beecher & the dear old Lady tried to find some way to have my poems entitled The Rifted Rook of Ages published in book form but she had not the means & I had not & therefore it remains unpublished. This month of June has a sadness to me that will never be effaced. On the 20th day of this month 1892 my dear noble father breathed his last in Grass Valley this state. He came to this state from Michigan seeking health & one of his sons came with him. He took the isthmus fever & only lived five weeks. Then my eldest brother one of the best-educated men in southern Michigan & one of Gods true noble men entered the civil war & was thrown into Libby prison after months of suffering came home to die. But dear Mother died first after having her home destroyed by fire and loossing [sic] all of the precious mementoes of dear father. In a few months our childhoods home & nearly all our property was gone & our loved ones were in their graves. Those who had helped the needy & friendless all their lives. My fathers & mothers families are noble in Christian virtues & pure characters. My Grand Mother was cousin of John Q Adams My family now numbers as yours once did three. I have a noble kind intelligent husband & full of energy In our little rented house hangs

[right side]

San Diego June 26th 1893

Mrs Leland Stanford

Dear Lady

It has been my mission for years to write obituaries for the mourner & I have many complimentary replies from noted persons I sent several poemes [sic] in the year 1884 to John G Whittier & I have a beautiful letter from him in reply. I also wrote a poem for Mrs U S Grant when the Gen died & received a complimentary card of thanks & her son called on me when here. I also wrote a poem for Ex Gov Downey when his first wife died & he wrote me a nice letter in reply & called on me in person to thank me. I wrote another poem for Mrs John B Finch when her husband died & I have a sweet letter from her

[left side]

On the wall a Life Diploma as a teacher & a Supreme court Law certificate all earned by Wm H Mason by as hard toil as ever a Garfield had Husband is a fine looking man & happy even in great financial troubls [sic] for our home lone [sic] cannot be broken. He was District Attorney of Humboldt co but my health failed in that damp climate. My dear adopted niece Amelia Ruth Hubbard is the other loving member of our family. For over seven years she has been cashier and bookkeeper in the oldest bookstore here. Her health is failing for the need of a change. She only weighs one hundred & six lbs & oh how my heart aches for her. Oh will you not dear lady employ her in some way so that she can have a change. She is as sweet & pure as an angel & the rich & poor love her. She was once a sholar [sic] in Oakland. Mr Huntington knew my mothers cousins in Sacramento. They were Henry Merwin & Fen Massal. If you

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could give my husband a chance to settle your estate as your atty you would confer a lasting favor & give up hope to him. You would find him ever ready kind & willing to aid you in every way He is very temperate & does not use tobaco [sic] or liquer [sic] in any form You may be able to help us as we can labor for your good Husbands owns an interest in gold mines here but is too poor to work the mines. It is a comfort for those who mourn to help the worthy if they are unselfish & therefore dear lady I have told you a part of my life history. I love my Saviour & try to serve him. If my lines comfort you will you please be so kind as to reply to this letter & add one who feels for you in your great sorrow

Your Friend

Mrs Martha H Mason 926 E Str

San Diego City

one

[embossed] GOLDEN GATE

Dedicated to the memory of Hon Leland Stanford. These lines are written to comfort the lonely wife who is now bereft of both husband & son

Lifs [sic] Broken Chords of Love

Lifs [sic] chords all broken neath loves familiar gleam

Gone o'er the silent river called deaths dark stream

Gone ere the sad mourner left standing alone

Saw the rifted Life threads falling one by one