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1885 Condolence Letter Winterset Iowa Child Death Mourning Ephemera Religion Historic
4 pages approximately 5" by 8"
Antique 1885 Condolence Letter – Winterset, Iowa to Keota, Iowa – Mourning & Religious Ephemera (Child Loss)
Description:Up for sale is a deeply moving, original 4-page handwritten letter dated March 3rd, 1885, sent from Winterset, Iowa to Brother & Sister Richey in Keota, Iowa. The letter is signed by their true friends, S. B. T. & Minnie.
This poignant piece of late 19th-century social history is a letter of sympathy following the tragic passing of the Richeys' young child ("your little Darling," "our Little Lamb"). The authors offer deep comfort rooted in faith, sharing their own past experience with the loss of a child. The letter contains extensive religious content, citing Revelations, Hebrews, 1 Thessalonians, and a specific selection from a Gospel Hymn Book. It also includes local historical details, mentioning a "Glorious protracted meeting" at their winter church that brought in about thirty new members, and asking about the church community in Keota following the departure of a "Bro Wolfe."
Item Details:
Date: March 3, 1885
Origin: Winterset, Iowa
Destination: Keota, Iowa (referenced near the end)
Format: Written in ink on a single large sheet of lined paper, folded to create four distinct pages of text.
Condition: Good antique condition with normal fold lines, uniform aging, and minor wear along the edges appropriate for its age. The handwriting is clean, elegant, and highly legible. Perfect for collectors of Iowa history, genealogy, religious ephemera, or Victorian-era mourning customs.
Complete Transcription
[Page 1]Winterset, IowaMarch 3rd 1885Brother & Sister Richey
Dear friends, it is with a sad heart that I now try to write you a few lines, to try to comfort you in this, your sorrowful bereavement. Oh we do know how to sympathize with you dear friends.
But we hardly know what to say. We can only point you to Jesus. He alone can give true comfort and He is always ready to comfort His dear children.
This morning we mailed a letter to Lettie telling her how much we wanted to see you all and especially the Baby Sabbath day, and all day yesterday I thought so much about you folks and so
[Page 2]I thought I would write in order that we might get to hear from you all, and today we received a letter from Mr. Brinkley saying that you had to part with your little Darling. Oh how it thrilled us. Yes dear friend you have our heartfelt sympathy though we cant express it in words. We know what grief & pain came to our hearts when we had to give up our Little Lamb, but the Lord says (in Revelations 3. 19) As many as I love I rebuke & chasten &c.
I have found great comfort in the 12th chapter of Hebrews and I find that all the way through Gods word He has given us words of comfort and precious promises and His words are sure. Now just take the Gospel Hymn Book and turn to No 245 and read, One day when I was weeping and I just thought
[Page 3]I could not be comforted I happened to turn to that piece and when I read it I turned to 1 Thess. 4:13 and I was satisfied and I told the Lord it was all right and so I found that our earthly friends can only comfort for a little time, and we are always glad to get that. But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother and when we go to Him for rest and comfort we get it and it satisfies the soul as nothing else can do, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.
We had a Glorious protracted meeting here this winter I think they received about thirty in to the Church and great good has been done where of we are glad. How is the church getting along
[Page 4]in Keota. We heard Bro Wolfe has left. I hope you will soon have another Pastor.
Well I will bring this letter to a close. We must not grieve too much over our loss, for our earthly loss was their Heavenly gain. Then let us Pray to God for each other, that we may meet with our loved ones again.
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