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[typewritten] now in the next town to us eight miles away.
I should be very glad to receive a letter from you. Will you
not write me soon. Please remember me with much regard to uncle Williams I desire to be remembered to all the friends there. With much love, my dear aunt, I remain
Your affectionate neice, Anna E. DeWitt
Elyria Ohio Jan 2d 1866
My Dear Aunt, I have sad news to write. Our dear mother, your sister, has left us. She was taken sick Saturday night Dec 23 and died this forenoon between nine and ten oclock. She suffered a good deal during nine days with severe cough and pain in the side but her end was entirely easy. Doctor called it Lung Fever and from the first gave little encouragement to hope for her recovery. Mother was indeed ripe for heaven and our so great loss we know is to her an exceeding great gain. While we sorrow for the lack of her society and her counsel here and her earthly love, we can but rejoice for her transition to glory. Mother spoke frequently of her "Two Dear Sisters" in old Warwick. You were evidently among her last thoughts. She has often wished to visit you once more. We have all been sorry she did not that last time she was in Maine. But it makes no difference now. You will soon meet where partings are no more forever.
It had been great comfort to us, as it was great pleasure to Mother that my brothers are both here this winter. Charles you know moved out here with his family a year since, and now lives on his new farm, less than a mile out of the village from here. Eliab came out here with his whole family in October to spend the winter. And they could both, as well as sister Anna, be with Mother much of the time during her sickness. Mother has enjoyed very much having her grand children about her. Charles, Eliab and I, you know, have each five children here. The fifteen (or 16 including Lizzie DeWitt, Anna's youngest step-daughter. Hattie the elder was married last Spring) made quite a company of young folks and were a great pleasure to Mother. Mother's health has been very good in Ohio tho' we could see that her strength had failed some during the past year. Still she was in the frequent habit of walking between my house ad Anna's, about half a mile, and would have so the day she was taken sick if the walks had not been very slippery with ice. I wish we could see you and talk with you and tell you many things about Mother's last days. Perhaps we may sometime. Most sincerely your loving nephew Isaac J. Metcalf