From Edward Fitch to Those...Who So Generously Responded to the Appeal for Help
Friends,
In the good Book we read “Blessed is he that consideroth the poor,” and if that is to be fulfilled to the letter, you in Hopkinton will certainly come in for a share of that blessing, for to your consideration, many of the poor in this troubled country will be indebted for many comforts that they will enjoy this cold winter.
When I wrote of the suffering that I know of here, it did not occur to me, that I would be made the instrument (knowing your Liberality) of ministering to the comfort of so many of them, as it has been my pleasure to do, but right nobly have you answered the appeal for aid, and you will accept the heartfelt thanks of our of very many citisens of Kansas, for your liberality and kindness. As you were promised that if your donations ever came into my hands you would be advised of their disposal, I feel it my duty to render to you an account of my stewardship. I have been so much driven with my own business that I have had to crowd the dispensing of your charities into a small compass of time, but I have tried to make every article tell for the comfort of someone who, without it, might have suffered, and I trust I shall have succeeded so well, that if it is ever necessary for you to repeat the effort, you will be encouraged to do so by my report of benefit that your charities have been this time.
I have kept a Record of account of what had been given and who has rec’d the different articles and as the donors names were inscribed on some of the things I shall be able to tell the names of where and when those things have gone, but it was not possible for me to keep an exact acct, so that some things even that were marked I cannot tell the location at present. I shall try and give some account of some of the families that I have helped most, drawn from such sources as I think reliable.
In almost all instances the donations have been rec’d with marked expressions of thankfulness and in only one instance have I yet found that there was any doubt of the worthiness of the individuals receiving aid.
For almost all cases those to whom I have given, I have myself been acquainted with during some part of my residence in Kansas and I have tried to give to those only whom I knew to be needy for this, I think, has been one great trouble in the distribution of things by the National Com. Many would go there and get things who did not really need any aid, when many who really needed could get none. But I suppose that they have done the best they could, under existing circumstances.
The bbls which contained the things you sent, and I refer only to those four, which were sent by my Mother, were a long time in reaching me and at one time I thought that I never should see any of them, as the marks were taken from them in Chicago, and they were sent on with different marks. The first arrived here Nov. 10, and the 2nd, 3rd, Nov 17 and the last on the 24, and up to this time I have disposed of most of the articles, contained in them, I have a few still left, because I have had no time to find, or rather to carry them to those who I know to be in need of them. If I had five times as much sent to me I could find enough who need and would be thankful for them. But what I have not I cannot give away.
I will now give some sketches of families that I have helped with your charities. Mr. Savage’s family consists of himself, wife, & three children. His oldest, a boy of seven, is afflicted with Chronic Rheumatism, and is so bad that he cannot sleep nights more than half the time, but requires someone to nurse him; during the day he gets around quite well, with the help of a crutch. Mr S has been here through all the troubles, and has had his share of the losses to bear with the rest and had it not been for the troubles with which we have been surrounded he would now have been in a fair way to live, but as it is he has to live from hand to mouth as best he can. He is a hard working good honest man but poor. To particularise, he has had no butter for family use for many weeks, an article which I think few of you do without, and much of that time he has had neither molasses nor syrup in the house. To him I gave the Overcoat sent by Den Freland, an under coat, pr of pants & pr of shirts. To his wife I gave a dress and some undergarments, to this sick boy I gave a pr of Boots and a coat sent by G. C. Webster. Gave also a flannel night dress and some stockings. He was very thankful and very often speaks of the nice comfortable things he received and your liberality. To the other children I gave boots & some small articles. The whole family both speak and seem to feel thankful for what they have rec’d. Mr S wishes his special thanks to be given to Den. F for that overcoat. This family came from Vermont.
Mr. Lindsey is a man who came from Ind. in the spring of ’55 to Kansas. He has a family of three small children. They have had much sickness in the family; Col Lane cheated them out of some of their earnings and tried to bust the character of Mr. L. to save his own. They have been robbed by Border Ruffians yet they are still here. I gave Mrs. L the dress sent by Charlotte Freland and some undergarments together with some clothing for the children for which they are very thankful.
Mr Elmore Allen came to Kansas from New York during the winter of 54, 55, and settled four miles from Lawrence. He has lost his crops by fire, and three horses by means of the war. His wife & children have been sick a great deal. I have him a coat sent by Mr. Raymond that he was much pleased with and some small articles for his wife and children. I have promised his wife more, as soon as she can come __ __.
Mr. Smith came here from Maine in the fall of 54 & has been sick most of this time, has had three houses burned by the Ruffians and one by prairie fire. I gave him __.
Mr. Paul Jones came in the spring of 55 from Ind. to Kansas. He settled on the Wakarusa, and was one of the 14 who rescued Branson from Sheriff Jones last Nov, or rather Nov 55. The rescue of Branson was the immediate cause of the war last fall, for being concerned in that he was taken to Lecompton and kept there for some time without sufficient clothing, and was exposed so much that he has not been able to do any work this whole past summer ( except a very little), thus leaving the whole support of the family to come on his children, of whom there are four, of the ages 13, 15, 16 & 18 years, the oldest a girl; their mother has been sick for a long time. I was there within a week and he told me that he had but a very little flour in the house and when that was gone, he did not know where he would get more. He had corn but cannot get it ground. I gave him & each of the boys a coat, and some under garments, also dresses and stockings to the Mother & daughter. I have bought some flour and shall send it to them, in the course of a few days.
Mr Mears was another of those concerned in the rescue of Branson for which crime he, like Mr Jones, must suffer. The Sheriff [ Samuel Jones] harassed him all last winter, and all the fore part of summer, so that he could not get his crops in, but has never been able to catch him yet, but it kept him from getting in a crop, so he is without means. I gave him pants & a coat, also a dress for his wife, sent by Mrs. Perry, and some clothes for his children, of which he has three, all small.
Mr. Sam Reynolds came from New York to Kansas a little more than a year since. He has had a hard time with sickness and the war. He has always been on hand to fight when needed. He has a family of three children and last winter he had no sugar nor flour all winter but lived on corn bread and molasses & coffee. I gave him a coat sent by Mr Baker and some smaller articles, some boots or shoes for all three of his children.
Mr. J.F. Reynolds came here in the fall of 54 and has been a hard working man; had a house and some corn harvested this year but in an unlucky day it caught fire, and house, corn, and all were burned. I gave him coat and pants. His wife had been provided for by others and he is now in a fair way to get along.
Mr Ela was one of the pioneers of the Neosho settlement. He has been sick much. To him I gave the coat sent by David Eames and some other articles.
Mr Burroughs is a young unmarried man from Conn. who has been one of our brave defenders in time of war, and in time of peace has been sick so much, that he had not been able to earn his clothes. I gave him a pr of boots, pants and shirts. He was very grateful indeed for them and said when he was able he would do as much for some other poor man.
Mrs. Pratt came from Boston in June 55 to join her husband who had been here since 54. She had three small children to bring. The journey was too much for her, and she has not enjoyed good health since. Mr. P was among that ill-fated party that was taken prisoner at Hickory Point in Sept. and have been kept prisoner at Lecompton ever since. She was in a very destitute condition. To her I gave a sack sent by Mrs Webster, and a skirt of a __sent by Sarah Eames , also some stockings & shoes for herself and children. She was profuse in her expression of thanks, for the articles which she really needed.
Miss Jane Davis is a Welsh girl, who has supported her Father and Mother principally by her labor this past summer. They are quite aged. I gave to them the Basques & skirt sent by Frank Gillinghast, now Mrs Pierce, and a more pleased girl I never saw, or a better fitting dress. She was perfectly delighted, and the dress fits admirably. Mr Kitchenner a round Englishman, I supplied with a coat & some other things. He was in Lawrence and his life was threatened the 21st of May, and has been sick most of the summer. His crops were all destroyed.
That coat which was twice Mr. Underwoods wedding coat, now clothes the back of a young man from New York, who has been unfortunate and is or was sadly in need of clothes. Rev. Mr Clough is a Methodist minister who has had much sickness in his family. He has, and now preaches when he is able. I gave him a Coat sent by Daniel Eames & a Vest from Lowell L Claflin and some other articles of warm clothing for his wife and daughters. He has had some experiences among the Border Ruffians, and his son has had to flee the country.
Mr. Palmer came from Mass to the Territory, and sent for his family to come this last summer. His guns were all stolen and his tools also (he is a gunsmith) on the Mo River. I have for his wife and children some clothes which they have not yet rec’d.
I have thus given you some account of most of the families that I have helped. I have some more children’s clothing to give away yet, and I expect to have some time to see to it this week but I am not sure. I could not tell more particulars about single things without taking too much time, and wearying your patience to hear them.
In conclusion let me express for all those who have benefitted by your liberality (among whom was myself for I have two coats and a vest that were sent, one by Artemus Johnson) our heartfelt thanks and our prayers that your charities be returned in blessing on your heads fourfold for “They that give unto the Poor, lend unto the Lord.”
And that the richest of Heaven’s blessings may rest upon you all, is the best [wish] of your absent [son], the almoner of your Bounty to the poor of Kansas Edward P. Fitch
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