Amanuensis Monday – The Death of Lizzie

“An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin – some we never met – others we see a time in their life before we knew them.”

May this letter stretch back in time to the family of Ward, Leivers, and Barton and help breathe life into the branches of our Tree.

Letter dated April 19, 1880
To Hannah, From M.E. Leivers of Newthorpe

Newthorpe

April 19^th/80

Dear Hannah

            I am sorry to say that it is my painful duty to tell you that Lizzie passed calmly away at half past five o clock this morning, her sufferings have been so great that it would have been cruel to have desired her to live.  Your Mother has been with her since Saturday night and has not had her clothes off since she left you.  She had begged very hard to be taken home since her Aunt came back, she said she wanted to see her Uncle, her Aunt asked her if she would like to get better or weather she would like to go to heaven, she said I should like to go to heaven, she asked her again if she knew she was going to Jesus and she said, Yes.  Your Mother says she called you about a dozen times last night, she asked her what Hannah she meant and she said, our Hannah, Your Mother told her that she had told you how poorly she was and how sorry you were and then she was a deal calmer   The Fever is very bad about here there are a very many children dying, Two more girls out of Lizzies Class are at home very bad,  Lizzie is to be buried tomorrow afternoon in the Baptist Chapel Yard, her father hears it very calm, he is going to send a POO for Polly to have some Black, it will be a great shock to you but you must bear it as well as you can we none of us know how soon we shall be called, we little thought a fortnight since of this.  I am glad to say your Father is better, We shall write again soon but you Mother wants a letter from you
            With kind regards to yourself and Husband
            I remain Yours affectionately
            M.E. Leivers

Your Mother had not time to write today

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