Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Letter from Mary Gilmer to her daughter, Emma Breckinridge, about the death of Jane Preston Gilmer. |
Dates of Creation |
February 2, 1852 |
Scope & Content |
This letter headed "Pittsylvania Feb 2nd 1852" from Mary Gilmer to her daughter, Emma Breckinridge at Fincastle, in Botetourt County, Virginia, telling of the death of Jane Preston Gilmer, who was married to George Gilmer and they had lost a baby boy born and died on January 25, 1852 just a few days before her mother died. This a very sad letter detailing the last few hours of Jane's life, of her manner of saying good by to her husband, mother, friends and servants, and the preparations that were made for her body to be sent back to Blacksburg to the family burial ground near Smithfield. Mary names many of the family and neighbors who offered assistance at this tragic time to her and to Jane's mother. George told his mother he would not want to return to this house and he would give it to his brother John if John ever got married. |
Year Range from |
1852 |
Year Range to |
1852 |
Subjects |
Bedrooms Beds Bedside vigils Birthdays Buggies Carriage Church Corpse Cravat Death Dining Doctor Evil Grandchildren Grief Heaven House House work Household affairs Housekeeping Housemaids Illness Kissing Marriage Meat Meat supply Mortality Neighbors Office Prayer Restoratives (medical aid) Servants (slaves) Shouts Speechless Stage Sunrise |
Search Terms |
Botetourt County, Virginia Buchanan, Virginia Fincastle, Virginia Gilmer family Pittsylvania County, Virginia Ridgeway, Virginia |
People |
B, Mr. [Breckinridge] Baptist, Mrs. Bennet, Mrs. Breckinridge, Emma Walker Gilmer Breckinridge, Mary Emily, Slave of George Gilmer Gilmer, George Henry Gilmer, James Preston (baby died at one day old) Gilmer, Jane (wife of George H.) Gilmer, John Gilmer, Mary (Polly) House Gilmer, William Martin, Dr. Minor, Ann Preston, Ballard Preston, James Preston, Mrs. ? Saunders, Jane Townes, Mrs. Tunstall, Mrs. White, Dr. |
Collection |
Breckinridge Collection |
Imagefile |
044\196951451.JPG |
Number of images |
4 |
Object Name |
Letter |
Object ID |
1969.51.451 |
Extent of Description |
Four pages, size 7 3/4" x 8" |