Annie [Clapp] to Frederick Douglass, June 25, 1876
Homer June 21st, 1876.
Dear Friend Frederick
Nearly a year has passed since we have heard from you and it has been a year fraught with many changes to father and I. As I am sure you will be interested I will send you an account of the sad events that have filled the past year. Perhaps you may remember how feeble sister was in the spring a year ago. She grew more feeble until in late July Will wrote so urgently for me to go to her that I left father in the care of kind friends and came out here only to find sickness and death. Sister's little
girl about four months old died the afternoon I arrived had only been sick a day or two and I found Mary oh so sick. She rallied a little after I got here but disease had too firm hold to be helped and she died the 20th of last September after a very suffering illness. I hardly left her day or night and it was so hard to see her suffering so entirely and no relief. She had an excellent physician but it was of no avail. You can imagine what a severe trial it was for me so far from home and father though there were kind friends here but to lose my darling my precious one I can hardly write of it now. Then I was very anxious after her death to know what to do Poor brother Will has indeed left desolate wife and child both taken in two short months. and as Mary left all in my care and he could not keep house without some one it seemed impossible to leave him so as father had grown too lame to continue his business in the mill we decided the best thing all round was for him to come to us and make one household for the winter and we hoped the change of climate and rest would benefit him. His general health does seem better but he is weak and his knees are much swollen he had to use two canes in walking. It is a great change from his former active life where he saw so many every day
to one of enforced quiet and so little change but he is very patient and cheerful far more so than I am. He sends his love to you and says to tell you we should be glad to see you out in this country at our present home. He was glad to see by the papers that you were at the Republican Convention. What stirring times you in the busy world are having but out here all is very quiet, too quiet for me. Father came out here the 1st of November and I went to meet him in Sioux City. He had come all that distance easily and safely but just as we got seated
in the wagon for our fifteen miles ride home an engine frightened the horses they startled and ran throwing Father and I out not injuring him severely and he was only bruised and two flesh wounds on the head a few weeks made him all right. I did not escape so easily for one of my lesser ribs was broken cracked injuring my right side very badly. I suffered a good deal all winter but am much better now although not so strong as of old call myself pretty well. This is quite a letter of mishaps but I thought you would like to know about it. I am still housekeeper for Will and we are quite cheerful and happy maybe most of the time but I reme think of sister almost all the time. You know how it is.
We shall stay here till Fall perhaps longer can't tell. I heard you were in Providence this spring and we were sorry not to be there to see you. We should be very glad to hear from you soon. Our address is Care W. H. Clapp. Homer, Dakota Co. Nebraska,
With much love
Truly your friend
AnnieClapp, Annie
.
P.S. I should have written before but I shrank from the task of writing such sad news.
A.