Uncovering History In Maria’s Undated Letter
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Hill Country Living
By Coulter Fussell
It’s a Wagner Week! This week, we have a letter from the Wagner matriarch, Maria, to her firstborn son, John Henry Wagner, who is off at the private Bingham School in Orange County, North Carolina. This letter isn’t dated by year, and that is very annoying because Maria is recalling a pretty severe Yellow Fever outbreak in town. Date your letters, Maria, so that when some random girl publishes them in the town newspaper a century and a half later for all to read, we will know what year you all almost died from Yellow Fever. I know the year isn’t the main outbreak of 1878 because John Henry was off at Bingham School as a teenager. He would have only been 10 years old in 1878. So, my current guess is that this letter was written around 1883, at the earliest.
To prove it, I looked up the ancestry of “Ella McFarland,” who is referenced in the letter, to find out when her mother died. This would date the letter. The mother who died seems to be Adaline McFarland , and she is listed as having died in 1883 at 51 years old.
Sadly, I saw that “Ella,” who is referenced in the letter as well, is listed as having died that same year at 23 years old! And, even worse, someone named Beulah McFarland died the same year! This was Ella’s little sister! Yellow Fever wiped out not only Mrs. McFarland but her two daughters as well. Little Edward, though, who is referenced in the letter as having a spasm , was only a toddler at the time and lived to be 90 years old!
Wednesday, October 3
My dear son,
I intended fixing up a nicer box but eggs and butter are not to be had and then you know how it is, everything depending on me at home here. Yesterday, just as I was ready to begin in on the cake, I was sent for to go stay with Miss Ella McFarland and wait on her. She is very low with fever. Her mother died last night with it. She was out at Mr. Suggs. He was her brother. Ella is at Dr. Mc. It is too sad. Mr. Tom Bell died last Saturday down in the bottom with fever. There is a good bit of sickness.
We are all well for which I’m thankful. Uncle Henry is sick for several days. Little Edward had a spasm several days ago, his mouth is sore inside and he is very cross.
The curtain I would hang up over the one you have. It will darken the room more, get a cane or stick and sew through the hem and put the ends in the rings you will find and you will have no trouble with it. You remember that is the way we had ours in the dining room. Put screens up first.
I wish I could see you I wish I could see you. It rained a shower and is more pleasant. Write soon.
With so much love from
your loving Mother
P.S. I heard Miss Ella was better. Julia made the cake for me. I hope it is nice. Tell me how it is. The box will send in the morning. Let me hear as soon as it’s received.
