Letter from Sarah Maria Barteau Cook to William Barteau: Byrne and Asimov Genealogy and Family Histories

Title	Letter from Sarah Maria Barteau Cook to William Barteau
Date	22 Feb 1866
Locality	Personal collection of Hugh Byrne
Source Type	Letter
Source ID	S524
Text	Galveston February 22nd (1866) My Dear Brother, I have news of the most painful character to tell to you. That is the death of Dear Martha. She died last Friday the 16th. I should have written to you immediately, but Charley was taken sick the day before her death with intermittent fever and pneumonia, and has been very low ever since. Today is the firdst I have dared to hope of his recovering. Charles would have written but he has gone down on the Island about 25 miles. He was ordered to go some three weeks ago but on account of Martha being so low he put it off until after her death. I am looking for you on here the last of this month if you received the letter we sent you by express, and Capt Dayton, and I think that kept Martha up a long time. She was very anxious to see you once more. She told me to tell you she kept her strength as long as she could and for me to tell you to take the children and got to church Sundays, not stay home all day Sundays. She was well aware how fast she was failing. She told Cecil two weeks before she died that she could only live two or three weeks. She wished to see the minister and there no Baptist minister here so we called the Methodist at her request and a few days before her death she partook of the Sacrament. She has been a great sufferer for the last six weeks and perfectly helpless. She has never been able to comb her hair since we arrived here. Her cough increased all the time and what she raised was the most corrupted stuff I ever saw. For one week before she died she had spells of being in great distress and short breath. We was afraid she would die in one of them but she didn't. She died very easy and was not sensible of what was taking place no more than if she was going to sleep. I cannot think of any more to write now. I am very much worn out, but will write again soon, and send a bill for the expenses and the Doctor's bill. I will send her trunk on (?) by the first reliable person. Give my love to all the Dear Children, and Hana and reserve a share for yourself. Sister Sarah
Linked to (1)	MATTHEWS, Martha

Documents
Sarah Maria Barteau letter to William Barteau, Feb 22 1866

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