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This the second of a series of letters from early Kinzer settlers in the mid 1800s.The persons identified have their ID numbers in parenthesis and
italicized. Kinzers are in bold print.
LETTER FROM ALEXANDER BUFFINGTON
TO SAMUEL LINN
SEPTEMBER 25, 1846
Dear Uncle & Aunt
By this I wish to let you
know that I received yours of the 12th ____. I can ashure you it was very
gratifying to me to receive an epistle from you. I suppose you have no
recollection of me, as I was very young when we left Lancaster Co.
I am now in
my 49 year, was married in 1823. We have 8 children 6 are still living and two
are dead. My two oldest daughters are married and live in this place. Their
husbands are engaged in the grocery business. Four of my children are at home
with me three boys and one girl.
My dear companion was taken from me on the 16th
day of last October. She left the world in the triumph of faith. Anne has left
a bright testimony behind that she has made a happy change, and I know that my
loss is her gain. A more calm and peaceful death I never saw. She lived the
life of the reightous and her death was like unto theirs. On the morning of her
death she told me that we would be separated that day and exhorted me to try and
bear up under it, and make every arrangement about her worldly matters as though
she was going on a journey and expected to return and find them as she had left
them. We were both members of the Methodist E Church. She for niring of 23
years & myself niring 28, and we strove to live for eternity. Ann in her last
hours she felt that the promise of God was sufficient for her, peace to her
death. Uncle if it was not for the hope I have of meeting her in heaven, and
spending eternity with her, I don’t know how I would be able to bear up under
this mistereous providence of God but I know it is all for the better. Although
it is dark and mistereous to me in the day of eternity it will be all made plain
to me, the ways of the Lord are past finding out.
I wrote to you that I have two brothers & two sisters
here. Brother John is the oldest who is engaged with the Stage & Railroad __
here. Jane is living with a married daughter, and only child she has living.
Elizabeth is an old maid. William lives in Franklin Co, Pa but intends in two
weeks to come and make his home with me. He has had a very desparate(?) life.
I am engaged with the Railroad & Boat –Co- with a salary of eight hundred
dollars per year, with the privilege of keeping a wood & coal yard. My brother
Benjamin attends to it for me. I forgot to say that brother John’s wife has
been dead for a number of years. She left four children, they are all grown up
& three of them are married and all live here but one which resides in Hunts___,
Pa. Brother Williams oldest daughter keeps house for me. He is also a
widower. My dear Mother died in year 1805. I have a faint recollection of
her. Father died in year 1814. I recollect him perfectly well. Margaret died
in Illanois. Brother Henry in Sheppensburg, Pa. Brother Thomas died in
Cloversburg(?), Maryland, he left one daughter who still resides in Liberty MD.
Sister Ann died in Harrisburg and left one son and daughter. The son is
married, the daughter still single. The above is a brief history of our
family. In my next I will let you know something about the person you inquired
about in Lancaster Co. Mary Ann Paxton(5862) widow daughter of Uncle Kinzer left here
this morning after spending two weeks with us. My visit to the springs was a
great benefit to me. My health is better than it has been for ten years. I was
very much affected with the rheumatism, the last spell I had ___nearly fatal.
It commenced in my feet and moved from place to place and finally settled in my
left side.. I laid for 36 hours in a very precarious situation, but by the help
of God I was again returned to my family. After my arrival at the springs I
had a severe attack, every part of my system that ever was attacked with the
rheumatism was effected, and in the eighth day I was relieved and since I have
not felt the least sign of the desease. Uncle Kinzer(?) was also very much
_____ at the springs. I seen with this the Christain Advocate & Journal which
has a notice of the death of my companion anne. Write and let me know how many
children you have, where located and how employed and whether trying to serve
the Lord or not.
Your
Affectionate Nephew
A. Buffington
The letter was addressed to:
Mr Samuel Linn
Hillsborough
Highland Co, Ohio
Date of the letter was Sept 25, 1846 and was mailed from
Harrisburg, Pa. on Sept 30, 1846.
This letter was transcribed by Larry Kinzer on
Feb. 7, 2007 in Bradenton, FL. The copy of the original letter was acquired
through the Lancaster County Historical Society. The letter is part of the
Samuel Slaymaker II, White Chimneys Collection, MG-268 Series 2, Box 7.
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