Olive Smoot Bean, Correspondence, 1883

File — Box: 1, Folder: 17

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January 1, 1883-Swords Creek, Virginia
God bless my own loving ones at home
"...Polly must always remember she is indicated among the truly loved, and I trust the truly loving ones at home. Heavens riches blessings be upon you all according to your needs is ever the prayer of your devoted husband, lover, and father."
January 8, 1883-Provo City, Utah
My own dear loving husband
"...There has been no less than seven or eight women died in childbed in the last two months and the old people are rapidly dropping off....It has cast a gloom over the whole community, so many deaths in rapid succession."
January 9, 1883-Swords Creek, Virginia
My loving Wife, Sweetheart, and Babes
"...There were some shooting, cutting and killing scrapes going on in this vicinity during hollidays: a "nigger" killed a white man in Jeffersonville, he was put in jail then taken out and linched: at another place a party in this county tore down a womans house in the night, and next night she gathered more women and boys, and went and shot through the windows into the bedstead of the leader of the farmer party, scaring him pretty badly: Thus we see strife, division, and contention among the peoples who are fast ripening for destruction....If you could only see how these people live in these mountains, and at what disadvantage they do their work, you would not wonder at their ignorance or poverty...."
January 15, 1883-Swords Creek, Virginia
My true and Loving darling Wife
"...Oh! I know that you are thankful that you are permitted to make these sacrifices for the Gospel's sake....Do not let it appear that you are depended upon any one for favors because your husband is on a mission....accept with true gratitude all kindness offered by our friends, but do not let them think you seek them....I know you gratefully appreciate "our little home" and the society of the Saints; yet if you could only contrast the condition of the women among the Latter Day Saints, with the women of this land, you would not wonder at the prophecy of Isiah, 4th chap, and you would pray for the day of fullfillment to be hastend: there are plenty of them here who know that their husbands are untrue and break their vows, and some who are threatened with their lives if they expose them....Oh! the wickedness and abominations that is abroad in the land; yet what a howl they raise against the purest and holiest principle of marriage ever given to man....I pray Our Heavenly Father to still watch over you all and grant that your joy in His work, and love for each other may continue to increase, until I am privileged to return and our joys be complete by her [Polly] being united with us in the bonds given to Latter Day Saints for their perfection here on earth."
January 21, 1883-Provo City, Utah
My own devoted husband
"...[Polly's] folk think they cannot spare her all the time, but she always comes and helps me wash, and stays part of the time. She is always good and kind, and the children love her as well as I do, and that is very dearly, you may be sure....Your ma is in trouble again on account of the widow. Your father has started there again as bad as ever, and your mother thinks he will succeed. He seems to have no consideration for her feelings at all."
January 29, 1883-Provo City, Utah
My own dear absent husband
"...You speak [in your last letter] of having just taken a bath, the first for six weeks; I can fancy how good you felt, and I, like you, often think of the loving embraces which nearly always followed a bath at home on Saturday night. And when I think of the long time which must elapse before we can again enjoy each others society my impatience is so great, that I feel as though I can hardly wait....Pollie has not been here but once since a week last Friday....She cannot come to stay here much more, for Singleton will not give her work, and she says she cannot afford to do nothing, so she helps her father. Of course I will not urge her to stay against her own inclination, but I miss her most awfully. You advise me in your letter of the 15th not to appear dependent upon those around me for favors in your absence. Will, my own dear husband, you do not know me if you think I will seek favors from any one. Our Father in Heaven knows that dependence on any one but you, is gall to me...."

Dates

1883

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