Letter from Margaret Duncan on her mother's health and uncertain wedding plans
Union Falls, N.Y, July 10th/82
Rev. Horace Lyman
Forest Grove, Oregon
My best Beloved,
Since writing to you last week, I have received 2 good & affectionate letters mailed June 21st & 26th. I think I am truly thankful that you have, through our Heavenly Father’s great kindness, returned in safety of your loved ones at home. You must enjoy home life after so long an absence. It is pleasant to me to hear from you more directly than I did when you were in W. T. [Washington Territory.] I rec’d 5 letters, written by you, while you were there. I presume these are all you wrote to me during that time.
I am constantly oppressed my beloved, with the thought that you are to be so troubled with the change in your arrangements, if we can not be married about the time we had expected: but it seems to me that it would be cruel, almost, for me to leave mother just now, when she is feeble. She seemed so comfortable last winter, that I really hoped she might be able to go with us, on our long journey.
Mother said sometime since, that perhaps here you might come here & do missionary work here, for a time. Perhaps there isn’t a place in our country, where such work is more needed for a few scattering people.
It would be very gratifying to my feelings to have some thing done for the spiritual welfare of the people of this community before I leave it; Yet I can not urge you to do it. I can not hope that you would think favorably of such a project. If you should you would not need to come quite as early as you talked of. Perhaps that Horace might fill your place in Oregon for a while, but I am running too fast & must close. May God direct us in the right way. I have thought that if our marriage should take place this season it would be pleasant for us to attend meeting of A.B.C.F.M. to be held at Portland M[ain]e afore part of Oct. While taking our wedding tour it has been my privilege to attend 2 such meetings; which I much enjoyed the one held at Rutland V[ermont] a few years since & the one held at Lowell, Mass, 1 year ago last Oct.
Perhaps you would prefer to be released from our engagement, however, in which case I should comply with you request. However trying it might be to my feelings. I trust your children are all well now. Suppose H. is “homeward bound” ere this.
With unchanging affection
Your Margaret
Rev. Horace Lyman
Forest Grove, Oregon
My best Beloved,
Since writing to you last week, I have received 2 good & affectionate letters mailed June 21st & 26th. I think I am truly thankful that you have, through our Heavenly Father’s great kindness, returned in safety of your loved ones at home. You must enjoy home life after so long an absence. It is pleasant to me to hear from you more directly than I did when you were in W. T. [Washington Territory.] I rec’d 5 letters, written by you, while you were there. I presume these are all you wrote to me during that time.
I am constantly oppressed my beloved, with the thought that you are to be so troubled with the change in your arrangements, if we can not be married about the time we had expected: but it seems to me that it would be cruel, almost, for me to leave mother just now, when she is feeble. She seemed so comfortable last winter, that I really hoped she might be able to go with us, on our long journey.
Mother said sometime since, that perhaps here you might come here & do missionary work here, for a time. Perhaps there isn’t a place in our country, where such work is more needed for a few scattering people.
It would be very gratifying to my feelings to have some thing done for the spiritual welfare of the people of this community before I leave it; Yet I can not urge you to do it. I can not hope that you would think favorably of such a project. If you should you would not need to come quite as early as you talked of. Perhaps that Horace might fill your place in Oregon for a while, but I am running too fast & must close. May God direct us in the right way. I have thought that if our marriage should take place this season it would be pleasant for us to attend meeting of A.B.C.F.M. to be held at Portland M[ain]e afore part of Oct. While taking our wedding tour it has been my privilege to attend 2 such meetings; which I much enjoyed the one held at Rutland V[ermont] a few years since & the one held at Lowell, Mass, 1 year ago last Oct.
Perhaps you would prefer to be released from our engagement, however, in which case I should comply with you request. However trying it might be to my feelings. I trust your children are all well now. Suppose H. is “homeward bound” ere this.
With unchanging affection
Your Margaret
- Title
- Letter from Margaret Duncan on her mother's health and uncertain wedding plans
- Description
- Letter from Margaret Duncan to her fiance, Reverend Horace Lyman. She discusses her mother's health, her fiance's missionary work, and the possibility of ending her engagement.
- Creator
- Lyman, Margaret Duncan
- Source
- Pacific University Archives
- Date
- 1882
- Is Part Of
- Lyman Family Papers
- Format
- Letter
- Language
- English
- Identifier
- PUA_MS31_45_p
- Rights
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/
- Type
- Text
- Media
-
https://exhibits.lib.pacificu.edu/files/original/cd12c29646805a41f3ebc5789e6564fb.pdf -
Union Falls, N.Y, July 10th/82 <br/>Rev. Horace Lyman <br/>Forest Grove, Oregon<br/><br/>My best Beloved, <br/><br/>Since writing to you last week, I have received 2 good & affectionate letters mailed June 21st & 26th. I think I am truly thankful that you have, through our Heavenly Father’s great kindness, returned in safety of your loved ones at home. You must enjoy home life after so long an absence. It is pleasant to me to hear from you more directly than I did when you were in W. T. [Washington Territory.] I rec’d 5 letters, written by you, while you were there. I presume these are all you wrote to me during that time.<br/><br/>I am constantly oppressed my beloved, with the thought that you are to be so troubled with the change in your arrangements, if we can not be married about the time we had expected: but it seems to me that it would be cruel, almost, for me to leave mother just now, when she is feeble. She seemed so comfortable last winter, that I really hoped she might be able to go with us, on our long journey. <br/><br/>Mother said sometime since, that perhaps here you might come here & do missionary work here, for a time. Perhaps there isn’t a place in our country, where such work is more needed for a few scattering people. <br/><br/>It would be very gratifying to my feelings to have some thing done for the spiritual welfare of the people of this community before I leave it; Yet I can not urge you to do it. I can not hope that you would think favorably of such a project. If you should you would not need to come quite as early as you talked of. Perhaps that Horace might fill your place in Oregon for a while, but I am running too fast & must close. May God direct us in the right way. I have thought that if our marriage should take place this season it would be pleasant for us to attend meeting of A.B.C.F.M. to be held at Portland M[ain]e afore part of Oct. While taking our wedding tour it has been my privilege to attend 2 such meetings; which I much enjoyed the one held at Rutland V[ermont] a few years since & the one held at Lowell, Mass, 1 year ago last Oct. <br/><br/>Perhaps you would prefer to be released from our engagement, however, in which case I should comply with you request. However trying it might be to my feelings. I trust your children are all well now. Suppose H. is “homeward bound” ere this. <br/><br/>With unchanging affection <br/>Your Margaret <br/>