Letter from [Ann Gilrye. Muir] to John Muir, 1876 Feb 28.

[4]married and settled in London Perhaps you will not any more engage in those dangerous enterprises in the mountains as you have so much writing to do – and the oftener you deliver a lecture the work will become easier to you We have had an unsually fine open winter we have had no snow and no sleighing thus far some think that we may have snow enough yet — Mary and Annie and Joanna join me in sending our best wishes for your comfort and happiness — I trust that where ever you may be, you will ever be shadowed and sheltered under the wings of Love and Mercy very affectionately Your Mother 00733 [1] Portage Feb. 28th 1876Dear John [in margin: 513] I have just received you third very welcome and interesting letter. I am thankful that your health is so good at present especially as you have suffered so many hardships and fatigue on the mountains — I trust you will yet see the day that will start you for home once more – those newspaper slips are very interesting. I am much pleased with your success as a lecturer, indeed we are all interested in every thing connected with you. I thank you much for all your kind attentions to me — We have had rather a tedious time lately — Anna was taken with Pleurisy five —[Page 2][2]weeks ago, and then fever set in she is now getting better – she is able to sit up most of the day — Joannas health has improved a little since she came home she still uses her cane, and as one eye has improved a good deal, we hope the other will also. Mary is well and has been home all winter, and has been a great help to me through this trying time — but she intends going to Madison tomor- -row — David’s wife has been very sick indeed, for the last four months but I am glad to write that she has been improving for the last two weeks an is now able to sit up for half an hour — the rest of them are well – Sarah and David Gall paid us a visit yesterday [3]they are all well – Margt and her family are well as usual but John’s business takes him a great deal from home now Tonight he starts for the east and will be gone for a month at least – your father has wrote me two letters since he left home, he is well and still likes Hamilton — A few weeks ago we had a letter from Racine informing us of another little girl being added to their family – so our circle still enlarges – My sisters daugh- -ter Mrs Lunam sent me her Photograph from Dunbar last week she very kindly sent me some very interesting news about our friends both in Scotland and England and last week I had 3 large papers from a Cousin that ha

Letter from Mother [Ann Gilrye Muir] to John Muir, 1893 Apr 21.

[4]the High winds have broken down a tree in the front yard and blown down some bricks and the stove pipe off the kitchen chimney and a very long narrow board from the top of the house, I hope nothing worse will occur – The snow is still falling fast We are all well as usual about here With kindest regards to all our friends I amAffectionatelyMother[1]Portage April 21st, 1893[in margin: 555]Dear JohnWith love and congratulations I write to you on this your BirthDay, I trust with Gods blessing you will be spared to see and enjoy many years to come I hope you and all your family are well also all our many friends that are now gathered around you in Cal

Letter from Ann Gilrye Muir to John Muir, 1862 May 12

[4] Dan seems to think you have forgotten him altogether - and the rest of us are all much of the same opinion I hope you will be persuaded to write something to us all very soon. I suppose your time is precious, but write soon, tell us if you have made up your mind to be here at harvest time, we will be glad to see you - from your affectionate Mother _____________ _________00294[1] Portage May 12th, 1862 Dear John For a while after you left us for Madison I thought you had surely stuck fast in snow or mud as you have never wrote to any of us, my anxiety about you was relieved when your Father brought me the news from John Reid that you had got safely through the bad roads. I hope your health is improving and I hope you are enjoying your studies at Madison as much as ever. I thought you would attend the funeral services of the governor there is a great deal said about him 508 [2]things move along here with us – in much the same old way we are all about the same as when you left us- Danl and the girls have spent about a fortnight at the farm, but were very glad to get back to the school again — your father has taken this house until the first of October, 002 don’t know whether I will be at the farm at harvest time or not. I have not been at the farm for a long time — during seed time Portage has looked like a deserted place but is not so bad now — I should think these were stirring times at Madison[3]we get a daily sentinel now, so I think we ought to know something about what is taking place in the world —Perhaps you know David is trying to buy Everests farm, that John Reed had – would you believe he would be so very foolish as get into debt for such a place — John Reed says he has done all he could to prevent him doing such a foolish thing but he seems determined to preserve in his own way – if he gets it, he will be the first to repent of such a transaction when it is too lat

Letter from Ann Gilrye Muir to John Muir, 1860 Oct 21

502 Oct 21st 1860Dear John We have received three letters from you two from Madison and one from Prairie du Chien, we were glad to know your health was pretty good, in the midst of so much excitement and praise - I hope you find yourself comfortable in you new home, and likely to learn some of those things you want to know. I am glad you found so many friends at Madison and hope you will find friends wherever you go - We were rather surprised to know that you had set your face westward, and so is every one that hears of it. however I hope that will turn out for your good - I always under- -stood that Prairie du Chin was and unhealthy place but perhaps it is healthy in Winter - your Father went down to Portage on Friday the 19th and bought a trunk for you and a suit of clothes and a hat and three pair of socks and a pair of drawers - and I sent three fine shirts and two common ones and you flannel shirt and your papers and letters and small books. your Father put them all in the trunk together at Portage and then put the key in a paper and took it to the Post Office I have been particular in telling you - of all things, as your Father left the trunk for the person to send off, that he bought it from, however I hope you have received the key and the trunk too, before this comes to hand - I hope you have received the letter we sent off last Sunday night wrote by so many, they will all be glad to hear from you we have received the books you sent and I think those not proposed giving you them [was?] certainly much interested in your welfare - Now John I hope you will write as soon as your trunk comes to hand as I am anxious to know that you have received it safe. I hope every thing will suit you, your Father intended to send a silk napkin for your neck but forgot until the key was sent off, let us know how much the carriage of the trunk cost you let us know how many churches there is in Prairie du Chien, and which you attend, and if there is any Sunday Schools and let us know how you are getting on - there is a prayer meeting every Sunday night at Midland School and is pretty well attended I intended to send this letter with them to night We all join in love to you hoping your health improves - from your affectionate (write soon) Mother 0024

Letter from Mother [Ann Gilrye Muir] to John Muir, 1893 Mar 8.

[4]Joanna is having very discouraging news from Walter at this time he writes that nothing he has engaged in lately has prospered she wonders if you could help in any way I told her I did not wish to write to you but she said, do Mother the children must be [fed?] I will now close with love to all your family and Margt’s and Davids and will be always glad to hear from any of youAffectionately Mother[1]Portage March 8th 1893Dear JohnWe all enjoyed reading the newspaper about the Bass Rocks [as?] I have often passed it in both boats and ships, and every year the Solan Geese were brought to Dunbar for sale, but few people liked to use them we never did – The sad story of the immigrants from Wisconsin to California for gold brought to[in margin: 554] [2]my rembrance the time when your pony Jack was sold for that very purpose I think What a great amount of snow we have had this winter and still have, but today we have a steady rain and the snow will not continue longer This is the first winter that I have seen the snow shoveled off the roofs of houses and so many have had it done here and so have we[3]We have been watching the Century Magazine for two Months to see something from your pen but have not been sucessful as yet Sarah has not been at home for some time she is making Anna a visit and Celia is house Keeper in her absence Will we have the pleasure of seeing you or any of your family this coming summer it would give us all much pleasure0163

Letter from Mother [Ann Gilrye Muir] to John Muir, 1887 Nov 8.

[embossed letterhead][4]Dear LouieI write to thank you for your kindness in sending me the glacier newspaper, same members of our church here. have sent a box of clothing and other things to \u27Alaska,\u27 for a number of years past, and we hear so little from them that many are delighted to see the small newspaperI hope you are all well and would be glad to hear from youAffectionately Mother01278[embossed letterhead][in margin: 541] [1]Portage Nov. 8th. 1887.Dear JohnI gladly received your letter of Augt 7th I am sorry you feel so tired and [illegible], but will hope you are now feeling more comfortableDoes writing steadily not tire you very much I hope you are all well now_ I am glad we got moved into Davids\u27 house as I like living here. better than any house. I have been in since I left the brick house over the school grounds [2][embossed letterhead]Last week we had a visit from Willis Hund he had business in Madison Mary and the family are well he is anxious to leave Phillips but has not yet decided where he will locateThe first number of the \u27Glacier, has arrived dated \u27Augt\u27 Fort Wrangle\u27 it is quite a novelty in the newspaper line, there is also a Sermon by Mr. Young on Glacier Bay, printed in 1880 describing a beautiful sunset while you accompanied him to some desert placeThe preface is edited by \u27Fannie Young\u27 probably his wife[3][embossed letterhead]as he had gone to visit a distant tribeI espect Danl has moved into his new home, it is much larger than the one he had before and with many improve- -ments \u27Emma, is very much pleased itI will be pleased to hear from you when ever it is convenientMay kind Heaven bless and ever keep you and yours is my most earnest wishAffectionately Mother\u27Annas letter arrived today I will write to her soon

Letter from Ann Gilrye Muir to John Muir, 1862 Jan 10

[4] Jan 10 62 City of Portage Dear John I have been at school al day but still I can write a little and I don\u27t se why you can\u27t I have been expecting ofne for along time. I am getting so I can study like sixty feel fine and get along nicely & do well and hope this will find you the the same. I wish your school was out so that I can come down there the folks here are scouring out my brain rather roughly but all the better I suppose. I wish you would tell me something about where you are what you are doing and what kind of folks you are among Sledell and Mason) good by Daniel Muir00284 [1] Portage 1862 Jan. 10th Dear John It seems a long time since we had a letter from you, I would like to know how you like to be a teacher I hope you have a comfortable boarding place, you will not see David very often I understand he likes teaching very well Daniel and Mary and Anna is attending the High school and like their teachers very well they had to be examined by the superintendent before they could receive tickets of admission - the school is very full. Joanna attends the intermediate school but don\u27t like her teacher very well. I cannot say I like to live in Portage. 506 [2] your father don\u27t like to live here either so he often goes away somewhere else, it is nearly a week since he was here he bought us a cow as we could not get along without milk we live in the house that Smith the founder lived in, a little nearer the church there [Deans?] - the house is a very cold one it seems a mere shell I went to the farm for a week Sarah and David and the children and Mrs Reid and some of her boys all came to Hickory hill to spend New Years Day . Margt is better than she was, but not very well yet she has a girl to do her work we have lived here four weeks and not one neighbour has called on us, however[3] our newest neighbour has sent in one of her boys to Borrow Mrs Parken has been visiting at Sarahs twice she came up to see Mrs Mitchell she was inquiring after you. I hope you will not be long in writing the girls all talk of writing to you but are so busy with their studies there teachers are so very strict, they are at home on Saturdays but have to do all the washing on that day. I hope your health is good and I hope you will be happier this year than you have been in any former year from your affectionate Mother _____ ___ ____ __

Letter from Ann Gilrye Muir to John Muir, 1862 Mar 1

[photography error, document illegible] he looks very thin and pale - your father has bought a house and lot he is getting a small barn put up and getting a well dug. They call it three quarter of a mile from miles corner it is beyond the railroad station - we will not move for a month or so as it is occupied - there has been a great fire at the station a long row of houses have been burned and the elevator containing thousands of bushels of wheat was burned to the ground - your father had about five hundred bushels burned - part of it being winter wheat. I am glad Dan and the girls has had such a good opportunity of attending school here I hope you will write soon - from your affectionate Mother ________ ______

Letter from Ann Gilrye Muir to John Muir, 1866 Apr 1

Farm April 1st 1866 Dear John I have received your last dated March 20 from Indianapolis the news of which much surprised me - You have my sincere sympha- -thy in this trial and disappointment and I hope it will be among the many things that will work together for your good - I am sorry for the men that owned the mill, do you think they will be able to rebuild it - did you get any money from them before you left Canada Dan would be surprised to see you at [Bafals?] he has not wrote home for a long time, you write that you do not feel at all discouraged I am glad you feel so perhaps this may be the beginning of better times with you - Your many hindrance may prove helps in the end.- We sent off a letter for you to Canada on the 26th of March never dreaming you were nearer home - I am glad you succeeded in getting a situation at such work as you like to do - and I hope you will yet find a home while you remain there. I think it would be quite a treat for me to have an opportunity of looking over your things and repouring or replacing them as I best could. I hope you will not be long in writing to let us know how you are getting on - from your affectionate Mother0036

Letter from [Ann G. Muir] to John Muir, 1883 May 23.

53101105Portage May 23d 1883Dear JohnI hope this will find you and your family enjoying the blessing of good health — I have not enjoyed the pleasure of hearing much about your part of the world as I have seen very little of Sarah as yet, but I expect to have a good visit with her bye & bye, and hear all about her visit to you I thought she looked much better when she came home, than when she left home I hope it may continue -[Page 2]Thanks for the beautiful Views of the Valley and surroundings you so kindly sent me. I like them very much – and they have been much admired by other – So you are a staid home body now – with a good many cares – and a great many comforts – Do you not some times wish for an opportunity to climb to some mountain top – where you have not yet been – David still continues to spend his life in that store with seldom a days vacation and not always quite well and his wifes health is not very good either – Carrie is teaching this year for the first time –Annie is again engaged in the store – she likes that kind of work much better than teaching We are having a very cold backward spring which causes the farmers to complain not a little – but we have not been visited with any very severe storm such as have swept over many places arround us – It seems a long time – since I have had a letter from you – but will hope to hear from you soon With much love to you dear John, and to your wife and little DaughterI am sincerely yours Mothe