Saturday, March 29, 2008

Carringer Family Letters, 1890 to 1900 - Post 6

This series of family letters is from the parents, brother and aunt of Henry Austin Carringer residing in National City and San Diego in the 1890 to 1900 time frame. Austin's parents (David Jackson and Rebecca (Spangler) Carringer and brother (Edgar, unmarried) resided in Boulder, Colorado during this period of time and there is news of towns people and events in these letters.

The sixth letter is from Austin's mother, Rebecca Carringer, in Boulder.

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6. Letter from Rebecca Carringer of Boulder, Colorado to Austin and Della Carringer in San Diego, California. No envelope.

Boulder Colo Mar 13 [18]97

Dear children your good letter found us all better. My side hurts me some yet and between my shoulder aches but my limbs is better then they have bin since last fall and pa is better but he dont do any thing but feed the chickens and cary out the ashes just such little things like that. Now Austin there is know use in talking we cant go until we sell and cant sell until some one comes to by now it is four weeks since we put in the add and there has not any one bin here yet and we have it in agents hands. When the weather gets good some one may come but this is the last week we will have it in the paper for we have not got the money to spare.


Now I will tell you have much there is against the place. There 1500 [could be 2500, overmarked] on this 2 ackers that is the old debt and a year ago this winter and fall on account of my sickness we had to get 50050 so you see if we have to sell one lot we can get enough pay it all off but as long as we can pay the ins[urance] we can have the money but we will do every thing we can to sell so if it is the Lords will we will sell and if we have to stay here and die there will be some way provided for us. We wont dy alone for I think we can get one to do the work if we have to stay we are going to sell the big wagan if we can for we don’t need it now when Pa is not able to haul.

14. This is a bright morn with snow on the ground and we need all of it. There was a fire in Macks house Friday morn it burnt up his bed we are not shure how it caught fire he had some old close hanging against the chimney over the stove pipe hole it had a cap on it so it might of caught from that he takes his meals over town and sleeps there in the up stairs room and he had not gone more than an our when Mr Walton saw the smoke a little more it would got the start of them and not having watter it would of burnt the house down and I think that was Macks idea as he will have to leave the house soon as it will be sold this week Mack wont put it off any longer we don’t say what we think – tell Lyle the snow boy is all around the house this morning. There has been more Deaths in Boulder this winter then has bin any winter since we have bin here. No more winter.

Love to all from Parents and brother.


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It appears that DJ and Rebecca Carringer want to sell their place - they have put an advertisement in the newspaper but have had no takers. They apparently have a mortgage on the house and owe money on it. The "50050" is a puzzle to me - it may be $500.50 but I can't tell. The weather and their physical health situation dominates these letters. The big news is the fire at Mr. Mack's house.

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