Without a surname, I have not been able to find Emily in the census, so I know next to nothing about her. And with only one letter to go on, I can't say whether she had a morbid turn of mind and always concentrated on bad news, or simply happened at this time to find herself surrounded by illness, death and other misfortunes. [8/27/2019 update: I have identified Emily.]
Mary Wood was about 30 years old when she received this letter. The 1870 Census shows her living with her parents in Deep River and working as a dressmaker. At the end of that year, she married Dr. Alonzo Vincent (Indiana Marriage Collection).
Here is my transcription of the letter, as best I can read it:
Andover June 19th/70
Dear cousin Mary,I intended to have written you at an earlier date, but have had my time occupied in duties that could not well be neglected. I presume you received a Lawrence American* in May containing a notice of sister Hattie's death which occurred on the eleventh of that month. Her sufferings though borne with great patience were extreme, and we felt glad to have her relieved of them. We miss her very much and I cannot refrain from tears at times when I go into her room and see all the varieties of things she had collected together, and think how much she enjoyed in arranging them so as to please the eye. They are all left now for others to enjoy and will soon, by her wish be distributed among her relatives and friends. It falls to my lot to make the distribution and it will cause many feelings of sadness. I think she would like to have lived and she did not give up the hope that she should get well until six weeks before she died, but when told that she could not get well she made up her mind to be resigned. You know how unwilling she always was to have others wait upon her and do for her, and not till the first of March did she yield to others in that respect. She told me at that time she would allow me to take care of her and I willingly devoted my whole time to her from that time till she died. She went up and down stairs as long as she could and just four weeks before she passed away we had her bed put into the sitting room and she did not go out of it after that. She was entirely helpless the most of the time of course it was rather hard taking care of her. I took care of her through the day and Lucy and Mary Ann in turn took care of her nights, previous to her keeping her room I took care of her both night and day getting up from two to four times every night. I spent six weeks at Mrs Johnsons in the winter and my health improved in that time except for that I could not have held out to do what I did for her. I feel very thankfull that I was able to do for her as long as she lived. I have been very unwell the most of the time since but am in hope to feel better soon. Mary Ann & Lucy were about used up from loss of sleep and they have had to work very hard since as much was left undone during her sickness and has to be done now. I hope they will have a chance to rest before long. We are however feeling quite anxious about our mother. She has taken cold and coughs very badly at times. We think she has failed a great deal since Hattie died. Her flower garden is looking very nice just now Mary Ann takes care of it. The season has been favorable as we have had considerable rain. We had a fire a few weeks since quite near us. I think you will recollect the old house just above us and opposite Mrs Prichards[?] that was occupied by Trisk[?]. The fire commenced there and was not subdued until Mr Higgins Paint shop and John Cornells stable. Herman Abbots furniture establishment and Mrs Merrills House were consumed. The most of the contents of the buildings were saved. I was in Boston when it occurred. Melville Johnson came home with me and stayed four days. He had a fall about six weeks since and injured his head. He has fits every few days and if they continue I fear the result will be serious. Addie has been very sick in Philadelphia Mrs Johnson is feeling anxious about both of them. Mr Mason has moved from the house they occupied when we were there last summer. Mrs Tapla has burried her husband. He died two or three months since and she has broken up in Danvers and is tending in a fancy goods store in Lawrence. I have not seen any of Fidelia Taplas family since we were there last summer. I received a letter from Hattie Holliday last week. She is at Mr Mudges in Belvidere, has been keeping house for Mary E. while she makes a visit at her fathers and Michigan City. She says her health is poor and her cough is bad. I do not think she will ever be well. Mrs Mudge is very miserable or was when she left home. How is your health this summer? I wish you could look into our garden and see the raspberry bushes. If all ripen that have set we shall have three times as many as we had last year. The prospect for an apple crop has not been so good in many years as it is now. In fact we have had a good season and every think is looking well. Would you not like to be here? I hope this will find you all in good health. Please write soon[?] and tell us all the news. Mother Lucy & Mary Ann join me in love to your father & mother and all the cousins also accept a large share for yourself, from your cousin
Emily
[written crosswise in the margins of pp. 2-4:] I hope you will excuse the blots I have got on this. I have got some new ink and it is so thin it drops off of the pen. What do you think of Ellens going to Colorado?
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*An Andover newspaper.
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