Letter from T. Q. Matthews to his daughter Ruth Alkire Sterling, Johnson Co. Nebraska; Nov. 5, 1876 Dear Children; You request me in your last letter to give you what information I can in reference to your mother and other relatives of the past, This I have been thinking of for sometime past . Your mother Jane Chloe Morgan was born on the 10th day of May 1807 in Pulaski Co. Ky. I was born in the same neighborhood on the 23rd day of Sept. the same year. Her father moved from there to Fayette, Co. Ind. My father moved when I was about eight years old to Ross Co. Ohio. When I was about 20 years old, we moved to Indiana, near where your mother then lived. I think her father's name was Adonijah, but am not certain. She had six brothers, Amaziah, Lewis, John B., White, Adonijah, and William, in the order named. There were four girls in the family. Ibby, who married Thomas Sargent; Dorcas who married Peter More; Ruth, who married Rans Bird Green, who was my father's cousin; Margaret who died when she was a young woman. Jane C. was the youngest. Lewis married Sally Matthews, my fathers sister. They had two children, Madison, with whom you were acquainted, and Clabaum, who died when he was a young man. Adonijah married Betsy Matthews, a cousin of mine. I had no acquaintance with your mother's father or mother. They were both dead before we were acquainted. My father was born in Virginia, on the 23rd day of March 1779. Died on the 16th of Sept. 1837. My mothers name was Margaret Reed. Was about five years younger than my father, and died Dec. 1824. Grandfather Matthews was a Baptist preacher, had three brothers that I have heard spoken of, James, Samuel, and Obadiah. My father's brothers were Daniel, Father next, David, Obadiah, and William. My father's family was John Harvey, Mary C., Tunstal Quarles, and Lucinda R. My brothers and sisters are dead. I do not suppose that any of your mother's brothers and sisters are alive except William Morgan of your county maybe. I do not know how long, but it was some years, that your mother belonged to the Baptist church before we were married. But about the time we were married the Reformation was introduced, as it was then called. And she went with the party that took the Bible for there creed. This was called the little Flat Rock Church, Rush Co. Ind. John P. Thompson, Preacher. He was Calvanistic in his views, but had made a visit to Kentucky, and heard John Smith preach, and came back, what was then called a Campbellite. I united with the same church after the division of the summer of 1829. So have been a member for over 47 years. Nearly all the time I have been an active member, giving the church my most earnest thought, and labor with a large amount of my substance. And have received but little pecuniary help. I have received more since I have been in Nebraska, than I ever received before. But I do not feel I have labored in vain. The Lord Knoweth them that are His. Your mother was well informed in the Scriptures, zealous and a good talker, pleasant but firm. I was 21 years old the 23rd day of Sept. 1828, and was married the 25th day of Dec. following. Your mother was four months and ten days older than I was. Had some very bad spells of sickness, and was not as healthy as some girls. Yet, she had generally good health for a number of years. I think we were as well suited to live together happy as any others. We were married in Fayette Co. Ind., lived there about three years then moved to Shelby Co. Ind. Louisa and yourself were born in Fayette Co. When we had been there about one year, we assisted in organizing the Church of Christ Brandywine. I was chosen one of the Deacons. I have held a public office in the church about every since. Sometime after this, the Scrofula showed itself by the swelling of the glands on the neck. These were removed, but she did not recover her usual health, and before Nancy Jane was born she was scarcely able to be about. After she was born she appeared quite smart. We were both in great hopes she would recover her usual health. But by a fatal accident our hope was all gone. The first or second [day] I was away from home a few hours. The Doctor had left some laudanum drops in a Bateman drops bottle , of which she was to take 15 drops for afterpains if necessary. Not feeling well she concluded to take some Bateman drops which we had in another bottle very near the same amount and color. But sister-in-law, Betsy Morgan, got the wrong bottle and held it up and asked her if that was it , she said it was. Betsy told her there was none too much to take and gave it to her. I think it was about two tablespoonfuls. She soon felt that something was wrong, and examined the bottle and found the mistake. We then sent for the doctor but did not get him until nearly morning. We kept her awake by every means at our command, but her fatigue and altogether was followed by a fever which was followed by a dry cough, which proved to be the Scrofula seated on the lungs. [Nancy J. was born the 27th of June 1836] She so far recovered that part of the time she was able to be up. She grew worse in Oct., we thought she would not live until morning. She sometimes appeared some better, but we never left her alone after that until she died the 7th of April 1837. From appearance she might have died any hour. She was so light I could lift her out and in bed as easy as a child. She had to lay on her back for so many months that the skin and flesh was all gone , the bone white and dry. She was so weak that the only move she would make was her hands and arms to the elbows. She could talk and had her right mind. She was very sensitive of noise. It appeared that loud talking would have killed her in a few minutes. After the disease reached her stomach her suffering was intense beyond anything she had ever endured. She told me to tell her friends how she suffered. It put an unusual brightness in her eyes and strengthened her voice from a whisper so that we could hear her across the house . She was a fond mother and loved her little girls as well as any mother. But in her extreme suffering and when all hope of life was gone, she gave them up, said she did not care to see them. She was only waiting, anxious for the moment to depart. There was only one earthly desire that never left her. That was for me to be by her side. When I had to sleep some of her friends would ask her if she could do without me awhile and she told them not to ask her any more, she never wanted me to leave her. When I could not set up and go to bed, she talked a great deal about dying. She said one evening it was a serious thought that before morning she would know what was beyond death and would enter that eternal state, though she was one of the best of women she said she could not trust in her own good work, but in the mercy of God through Jesus Christ. She said she would give no direction what I should do with the children. I knew better than she did. I feel thankful that I was able to raise them as well as I did. I hope those that have died have gone to everlasting life, and those that are alive will live in Christ, that when we all pass the river of death, we may again be united where parting will be no more and pain and sorrow will never come. Sometimes when I look back at the past and see how few of my early associates are living, what changes in society both political and religious, I feel bewildered and oppressed with the thought. I truly have spent a busy life, sometimes done far more that I have done, but circumstances seem to demand it. I believe I have had less hard toil and trouble since I have been in Nebraska, then I ever had for the same of time. There have been but a few days that I have not been able to work this season. Mother has been quite well. Mary is well and at home. Ella and Emma are well. The election is day after tomorrow, and if I vote then it will be forty-eight years since I first voted for president. I shall vote for Hayes and Wheeler. Mary will write you the news in a few days. As ever T. Q. Matthews. James D. and Ruth Alkire