meet in heaven, where parting is unknown, and be a re-united and happy family. The neighbors were exceedingly kind to us, and all was done for your father that could be done. The doctor was attentive, but could not save him. His time to die had come. Hemorrhage of the bowels set in and there was no help for him. We received your kind letter a few days before he died, and Amelia wrote soon afterward. If your aged mother should be alive next summer, I hope it will be so that you can visit us again. My health is as good as can be expected under all my trying circumstances. The children will surely be kind to a mother who has cared for and done so much for them during infancy and maturer years, and would gladly do much more if she could. Excuse my imperfect writing, and let us hear from you often. I remain your affectionate mother, CLARISSA HILDRETH. CHELSEA, VT., April 25, 1860. My Dear Children: How do you do, this pleasant morning? Well, I hope, and enjoy all the comforts of life. My health is about as usual, excepting a bad cold and cough. I have just returned home. from a visit to Corinth. Was gone seven weeks, visiting my three daughters, Amelia, Harriet and Almira. I had very pleasant visits with them. Stayed with Amelia the most of the time. She and her husband are very kind indeed, and did all they could for my comfort. Amelia's health is good. She and I wrote you, but have not yet received an answer. Mr. Burt gets your paper and is much pleased with it. Your brothers and sisters are all in usual health, so far as I know about them. Daniel and wife do not have so good health as they could wish. I hope we shall not be disappointed in seeing you both this summer, yet I know it will be difficult for you both to be absent from your business. Mr. and Mrs. Prentiss have buried their only child, a daughter of fifteen years. Her disease was consumption. I have many things I wish to talk with you about that I cannot write, and I do hope that I may see you once more. I realize that my time is short. The aged are dying all around us. I try to be patient and reconciled, and I feel that I enjoy that peace and hope in Christ which the world cannot give or take away. I cannot thank you enough for being so kind to your poor lonely widowed mother. You know what it is to be bereft of a bosom companion. Excuse imperfections. Writing fatigues me. Liveria, please write. Your letters are so comforting. Your affectionate mother, C. HILDRETH. MARIETTA, OHIO, Nov. 15, 1860. To A. B. F. Hildreth, Esq.: Dear Sir: Your favor of the 5th inst. is at hand. I was much pleased to hear from one of the old Hildreth stock, there are so few of that name in the valley of the Mississippi. There is one in New Orleans, one in Cincinnati, and two in this vicinity -with three sons of my own family. I know of no others. I am not so fully posted on the genealogy of the race as I wish I were. I have been making inquiries on this subject for several years. to get all the branches of our own part of the name, but not very successfully. The records of Townsend, Mass., of an early day, where our portion originated, are said by the present clerk to be lost. I wrote last summer to children of Jonathan Hildreth, my uncle, for an account of that family, but got no answer. It seems to be a study in which few persons take an interest. I was acquainted with one of the sons of James Hildreth, who lived in Billerica, Mass., when I was 18 or 20 years old. I think his father was a blacksmith. This young man was living near Boston. I was born in Methuen, Mass., in 1783, the same year as your father. My parent was named Samuel, and practised medicine. He was born in Townsend in 1750. The great progenitor of the Hildreths was Richard who settled in Chelmsford, Mass., in 1642. Our grandfather, Oliver, who lived in Harvard, Mass., was the fourth generation in descent, and came as follows: Joseph, Richard, James who was the father of Oliver, also the father of James who was your father's father. Oliver married Anna Blaisdell and was the father of fifteen children, viz: Oliver, Jonathan, Samuel, Seth, James, Abijah-Molly, Rachel, Dolly, Lucy, Anna, Sarah, Rebecca, Joanna and Abigail. The last were twins. All these children lived to adult age, married and had large families. Molly was married to Edmund Tarbell, Rachel to Edward Tarbell, and Anna to Samuel Tarbell, brothers, and settled in Mason, Mass., and Cavendish, N. H. Dolly married Oliver Greene, of Ashburnham, Mass., Lucy to Mr. Barnes and lived in Concord, Mass.; Sarah to Job Brooks of Stoddard, N. H., Rebecca to C. Elliott, a Baptist preacher in Mason; Joanna married Reuben Davis, and lived in Chelsea, Vt.; Abigail to Jabez Greene of Marlborough, Mass. Whom the sons married I do not know. Samuel married Abigail Bodwell and had five daughters and two sons. Jonathan had four sons and five daughters. Oliver four sons and seven daughters. Seth had two sons and seven daughters. Abigail one son and three daughters. James had a large family, how many I do not know, but you can tell me, with their names, and I will add them to my record. So you see that you belong to a numerous branch of the race and have a great number of relatives. Richard, the historian, has done more on the genealogy of the family than any other one, but mainly on his own branch, as published in the Massachusetts Genealogical and Historical Register, about two years ago, in a letter to a relative in New Orleans. I shall be pleased to receive from you any additional facts on the subject. I wrote to your father a few months ago, and received an answer from your brother, but he could give no definite account of the family ancestry. [Father was dead. -A. B. F. H.] Richard Hildreth was a son of Hosea, a preacher of the gospel, and nephew of Abel and Ezekiel. both teachers of academies, the latter in Wheeling. Va., where three sons now live. Abiel is now in Newton, near Boston, teaching. I am pleased with the appearance of your newspaper, its size, neatness and business aspect. I shall be gratified in hearing from you. My age is seventy-seven years. I cannot write with the facility of forty-five. Very truly yours. S. P. HILDRETH, M. D. CHELSEA, VT., Oct. 21, 1860. My Dear Children: It is a long time since I wrote you and received a letter from you. I have just returned from a visit to my daughters, and have been absent about six weeks. I enjoyed my visits very much. I love to visit my children, for they will sit with me and be as sociable as possible, and that takes away the feeling of loneliness. My health is better than it was during the warm weather. Your brothers and sisters are well. Almira has a pretty little girl about a year and a half old. They think much of her. Her husband, Mr. Wason, is in poor health. He is a kind husband. I expect you are busy with political affairs. Do you think Mr. Lincoln will be the next President? We recently received a letter from Dr. S. P. Hildreth of Marietta, Ohio, a cousin of your father. He wished for information in regard to the Daniel and I an Hildreths as far as we knew. swered him, but could not give him much of such information as he desired. Do you know about him? I have heard that he is very wealthy, but do not know his object in writing. Please write Your mother, soon. CLARISSA HILDRETH. CHELSEA, VT., Jan. 2, 1861. Dear Children: I received your kind letter a few days ago. You requested me to write about your father's family-the Hildreths. Only two are alive your aunt Dolly in Chelsea, Mass., and your uncle Samuel who lives in Mouut Vernon, Ohio. Polly died several years ago in Derby, Vt. Jamés died in Cavendish, this State. There was a Sally, but I do not know where she died. Nancy married Dr. Jonathan Griffin and died in Ohio. This is all I can tell about your father's brothers and sisters. My health is very good for me this winter. I took Thanksgiving supper with Amelia and her husband. Was there two weeks, and had an excellent visit. Harriet has buried her little son. He was five weeks old. They took his death very hard. Harriet's health is not good. The rest of your brothers and sisters are well. I thank you for the presents that you have sent me, and I may have some for you when you come to see me. I hope I shall not be disappointed in seeing you next summer. I will write more par ticulars next time. Your affectionate mother, CHELSEA, August 28, 1861. Dear Children: I seat myself to write to the best of children. My health is good for me. I have been visiting in the village among old friends— |