Person:Rebecca Dawson (4)

Watchers
Rebecca Ann Dawson
m. 15 Jun 1837
  1. Rebecca Ann DawsonAbt 1838 - 1877
m. 11 Feb 1866
  1. Clara May BUTCHER1868 -
  2. Edward Calvin "Eddie" BUTCHERAbt 1870 -
Facts and Events
Name Rebecca Ann Dawson
Gender Female
Birth? Abt 1838 Indiana, United States
Marriage 11 Feb 1866 Montgomery Co., INto Harvey BUTCHER
Death? 25 Nov 1877 Montgomery, Indiana, United StatesPleasant Hill
Reference Number 2980

1851 Ontario, Canada, census, King Twp., York, Div. 1, p.27, lines 36-43: REBECCA ANN [DAWSON], F 13, States; with JAMES LOVE, M 46, md., b. Canada, the family's religion was Wesl. Meth., occupation, labourer; MARY JANE, F 31, md., States; JANE LOVE, F 10, States; JOAL LOVE, M 8, States; EVAN J. LOVE, M 6, Canada; ROBERT J. LOVE, M 4, Canada; LYDIA LOVE, F 1, Canada. http://www.census-sense.com/ogw/search.asp

1858, Rebecca's family returned to the U.S. 1860 census, Rebecca has not been located.

1863 Feb. 14, Tighlman Jones wrote his father Joel: "you spoke about REBECA DAWSON of getting her to keep house for you. not nowing any thing about them I cant say but if you think it would work well and if she is a steady girl and would like the situation I am sure I will not oppose you."

1863 March 15, Independence, Warren Co., IN (next north of Fountain Co.): Dear Uncle, / I received your welcome letter in due time and was glad to hear from you. We are all well what is left of us. JANE and the boys are gone to Ill. went upwards of a week ago; received a letter from them the forepart of this week. They were all well and well satisfied with their new home. The rest of us intend going in a few weeks, just as soon as the roads are fit for a wagon to travel. FATHER will tell you what part of Ill. we are agoing to. I expect you have heard before this that GRIFFIN JONES has lost his wife [son of Isaiah in Fountain Co., IN]. He wanted one of us girls to go and keep house for him this summer but I believe he has broke up housekeeping and is going to travel in Ill with an agency for the insurance company. You speak of wanting one of us girls. I expect perhaps JANE will go, but your terms do not suit altogether. I would not wish for her to be bound for any length of time as she may be needed at home or she may get married before she is with you six months, you know girls will always marry when an opportunity offers (I am not speaking of myself) but she will not be ready to go for some time yet as I want her to help me fix things up after we move. I must close as it is suppertime. please write soon and let us know how you are getting along. I remain your affectionate niece, / [signed] REBECCA A. DAWSON To Uncle JOEL L. JONES / When you write again give me TIGHLMANs post office address. we have not got a letter from him since Christmas. I suppose the last one did not reach him. / I cannot tell you where GRANDPAP is; all I know he is in the rebel army. / I told you FATHER would tell you where we was agoing but he has not time so I will tell you. we will be 16 miles north west of Middleport [Iroquois Co., IL], 7 miles north of ZILLMAN and 2-1/2 miles south west of Ashkum [Iroquois Co., IL; should be in Ashkum Twp.] right in the prairie. that is all I can tell you about it. I presume when we do get there we will be as far from you as we are now. If you do not answer this letter in the course of a couple or three weeks direct to Ashkum. We heard today the roads is getting good on the prairie. So I expect we will go in about two or three weeks. / [signed] REBECCA A. DAWSON JOEL L. JONES / Hazel Dell, Ill.

                                                              When this you see remember me
                                                              Though many miles apart we be
                                                              Remember me who loves you best
                                                              Remember me from all the rest.
                                                                                          REBECCA ANN

1863 May 4, Cedar Villa, Hamilton Co., OH. Ada Wyckoff wrote her cousin Tighlman Jones: "I received a letter from cousin Jane Love last week / they have moved to Illinois. Her address is Ashkum Illinois. I know she is a [d]ear good girl / I wish little Lillias was here awhile untill we could learn her to sew and knit and do a great many things that your Pa cant learn her. Poor man / what a charge he has but he bears it well. I was in hopes he would move in here and rent a house and shop and I would have kept house for him. Cousin Jane says she will keep house for him this summer if Rebeccas health gets better. I hope it will for your Pa needs a housekeeper badly."

1864 April 17, Zillman Jones wrote his brother Tighlman: "I have got two letters from Jane since she left. she was very homesick and lonesome and would give her eyes to be back again but that is impractible as Rebecca has left home and Jane will have to keep house for the old man."

1864 April 30, Attica, Fountain Co., IN. Rebecca Dawson wrote her cousin Zillman Jones and told him to direct his next letter to Darlington, IN [in Montgomery Co.]. Her youngest sister, Lydia, had had surgery for her hair lip the previous Wednesday, and Rebecca apparently returned home temporarily to help care for her while she recuperated.

1864 July 8, Darlington, Montgomery Co., IN. Rebecca Dawson wrote her cousin Zillman Jones: "I am not teaching this week / harvest hands is so scarce my schollars had to go to work but I will be in it again next week / have 5 more weeks yet to teach then I am free" She goes on to reveal to Zillman, reminding him to "remember what I disclose to you is between ourselves," that their cousin Griffin Jones (son of Isaiah) had come to their house the previous winter for a visit and attempted to court Rebecca but she spurned him. She had shown "him a picture and told him it was my soldier boy / I thought that was answer enough for a Gentleman, / A few week later he came again . . . next morning he wanted me to take a sleigh ride with him to Attica, / I thought it would be a good opportunity to forever close that subject so I went with him / he then and there asked me to marry him / I told him my word had gone forth to one that was in the army and I did not intend to prove false to him, / he said he might get killed that I had better not wa[i]t for him but had better take up with him / I told him was no use to talk my mind was made up on the subject / when we were in Attica I went to the post office to mail a letter for you know who, / I laid it and some change down to mail it with / while the P.M. was getting a stamp Griff picked up the letter and looked at the address, / some few weeks later I recd letter from him from Indianapolis still urging me to dismiss my soldier and take [_____] and wrote him a snorting letter and told him in un???sion [uncertain] never to mention the subject to me again either in person or by letter, / I did not hear from him again untill he came to our house on his way to Indianapolis / the evening before I started down here he staid at our house all night and next morning he came with me as far as LaFayette / when we parted he told me to write to him whenever I felt like / I have never yet felt like it and therefore have not heard from him since, but I must go back a little / a few weeks before I came here I recd a letter from my soldier with a wish to close our correspondence as there was some talk about our writing / I did answer his letter but some time after recd another letter with his minatue, / I sent him a letter a few week ago asking for an explaination of the course he was pursuing but have not yet got an answer / my firm belief is Griff wrote him a mess of lies if I must talk so plain, / now what do you think of such conduct, / When we was going to the station he asked me when I had heard from my soldier / I told him a short time ago / he then asked me if it was our intention to marry when he came home / I told him I could tell him better when he came home / now why did he ask me such a question if he did not want to find out whether he had separated us or not, / after the way he has acted do you blame me for despising him, / well I will close that subject for the presant / tell me what you think about it . . . I must close and go and help Aunt get supper for we have 10 or 12 harvest hands to cook for" [The identity of Rebecca's soldier is not known; a record has not been located that her future husband, Harvey Butcher, was in the army. The identity of Rebecca's Aunt is unknown.]

1864 August, Rebecca Dawson wrote her sister Jane Love: "Jane I wish you would com home for Joel is going to Attica and father is going to Chicago to get into some business and I will be so lonesome I cannot live / I will not consent to stay without you / come home / it is so lonesome / if you was home I would not mind it . . . send me a piece of your new dress. What are you a going to get this winter to wear around you / also on your head / Jane when you write me again Tell me all about coming home / I want you to soon come so do the boys for we may not always have a chance to be together / I never knew what [it] is to be deprived of your society altogether before / I must close as I have a shirt to make for Even / yesterday I made one for Pop" She also wrote about her unnamed soldier: "I think siss and the boys has a good deal of fun about my letters but I do not care / if he lives to get home then a change [will] take place / I got a letter from him Friday night / he has gone back to the army again"

ca. 1865 May, At home, Sunday Morning. Ada Wyckoff wrote her cousin Jane Love: "I am glad to hear of Beccas marriage* if she has done well / did she teach all winter or not and will she take her little sister to live with her."

  • Was there a misunderstanding? Rebecca did not marry until 9 months after this letter was written.

1866 Feb. 5, Attica, Fountain Co., IN. Evan Love wrote his sister Jane: "iseen Rob and Joel last Sunday week / they are well or was then / Joel and Mahlon Beadle was up to see Beck about 2 weeks ago / She has had hard Sick Spell but is a getting around again."

1866, Feb. 11, REBECCA DAWSON md. HARVEY BUTCHER, Montgomery Co., IN, Book 6, p.425

1866 Aug. 11, Sherburnville, Kankakee Co., IL. James Love wrote his daughter Jane: "I got a letter a short time ago from beck / She wants all her things Sent out to her / I wrote to her that her & her man could hitch up their waggon & come after them"

1866 Dec. 7, Sherburnville, Kankakee Co., IL. James Love wrote his daughter Jane: "got no word from Beckey for a long time."

1870 Montgomery Co., IN, census, p.126B, Franklin Twp., Darlington P.O., June 6, 1870, I.S. McLaughlin: 29/29, HARVEY BUTCHER, 33 M W, farmer, $500 personal, OH; Rebecca, 31 F W, keeping house, IN; Clara M., 2 F W, IN; Calvin, 1 M W, IN.

[postcard addressed to] Mr. Joel J. Love / Hazel dell, Ill / Nov 3rd 1877 Brother Joel / at last I find an opportunity to write you / we are all well and able to eat a hearty meal / we are at last settled for the winter / we are living with a widow woman board her for the house / she is young without children / we are one mile east of Pleasant Hill / do not think we will rent her farm / she wants 225 dol[lars] / large orchard / we got our winter apples and cider apples from her / made apple butter yesterday / have a jug of cider for you when you come / the widow is a great hand for music / has an organ / bring your accordion with you / Harvey get[s] his pasture corn and hay for work on the place / write soon / Direct to Pleasant Hill / Montgomery Co., Ind love to all / I will write to Jane as soon as I get time / your sister Rebecca

November the 29 1877 / P. Hill Ind [Pleasant Hill, Montgomery Co., Indiana] Dear brother and sister an[d] family / I take mi pen in hand this stormy morning to try to answer your letter of the 14 the best I can and to let you no of our deep sorrow and berefment / Rebecca is dead / she died sunday morning 25 at one in the morning after an illness of nine days / the doctor said she was taken with billious fever* and hur lungs some affected but at last run ins to tifoid / I think he was some what mistaken / she suffered to mutch from in for tifoid / she had hur rite mind to the last and died believing in Crist that he had forgiven her sins and would receive her into his kingdom / we berried her at darlington** / the children takes it hard / poor Clarry says hoo [who] will cut and make our close [clothes] as good as Mother / I was by her bedside day and nite / wated on hur thru all of hur sickness / as that was hur wish the children will go to Elses? [Eli Bundy?] for the present / I would like to keep house if I can / Joel I wish you would see ?? if you can get hur to keep hou[se] for you and me if she would / I think we could get along and keep the children / let me no as soon as you can if she will try and mabe [make] some arrangments for the same. [not signed; probably written by Rebecca's husband, Harvey Butcher]

  • Bilious Fever, Typhus Fever, or Remittent Fever. A term loosely applied to certain intestinal and malarial fevers. See typhus. [Thomas1907] <http://www.antiquusmorbus.com/English/EnglishB.htm>
  • Typhus: An acute, infectious disease transmitted by lice and fleas. The epidemic or classic form is louse borne; the endemic or murine is flea borne. Synonyms: typhus fever, malignant fever (in the 1850s), jail fever, hospital fever, ship fever, putrid fever, brain fever, bilious fever, spotted fever, petechial fever, camp fever. <members.tripod.com/PearlsPad/Medical.htm>
    • possibly Darlington I.O.O.F. Cemetery where Harvey Butcher's first wife is buried

The cemeteries of Montgomery Co., IN, are transcribed online; Rebecca's grave apparently does not have a stone. <http://history.cdpl.lib.in.us/montcocem.html>

1878 June 27, New York City, 200 Canal St. Luella Jones wrote her niece Jane Love: "I received your letter some time ago containing the sad news of our uncle's and your sisters death."

1882 Oct. 15, Edgerton, Johnson Co., KS. Lydia Love wrote her sister Jane: "Jane I want you to tell me where Beckies Children are / I want to write to them / I recon Harve will let them write if he wont him self / I supose Clara is a young Lady now / she is nearly 15 / how the time flies Past"

1883 July 15, Moran, Allen Co., KS. Lydia wrote her sister Jane: "I am so Glad you sent me Beckeys Picture / it Looks Just like she used to when wee were all at home togather" Correspondence from the family letters and papers of Jane Love and her cousin, Lillice Jones Harper, courtesy John, Danny, and Dave Harper in 2001 and 2004, transcribed by Brenda Boyer ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Love's, posted by Donna McCoy <dodamccoy@@hotmail.com>, 22 Nov 2000. My great grandfather was Robert Jasper Love b2/23/1848 near Toronto, Canada. His parents were James and Rebecca Jones Dawson.* They had 3 sons Joseph Joel, Evan or Ivan Jefferson and Robert Jasper. Looking for information on his parents and brothers.

  • This would be Mary Jane Jones Dawson Love; Rebecca Dawson was Mary Jane's dau. by her first marriage to William Washington Dawson.