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Theodore Drake to Jennie McQuivey
dated: St. Valentines Day Feb 14, 1869

Dear friend Jennie,
Since I last saw you there has been quite a change in the weather. a change to the
worse. I hoped for a snow storm instead of a splashy time like this. but I really hope it
will change to good sleighing before Friday. well Jennie how do you feel after the party &
how are times since you returned to the City. I suppose to day you are so busy preparing
Valentines for to send to some of your Friends: well I will not send any. I thought you
would rather receive a letter from me than a Valentine. how is it. we had a call from
Lafayette and wife friday evening. Emmaline came with them and remained until this
morning. Ann and Mary Jane were here a visiting Tuesday. The three of them had quite a
pick at me about my little school marm. you know they always do that is old maid
fashion. but as long as they do either of us no harm it won’t trouble me. they can’t learn
anything from me. I like to joke with them, nothing more. have you seen Maggie since
the party if you have what did she say because she did not have an invitation. Jennie
please do me a favor it is this. It is reported that Mr. Christie has promised Maggie our
school this summer, try and find out about it. ask her if she is going to teach and where.
don’t say anything about Christie or what the report is and don’t mention it to anyone.
what did Mr. Woods have to say when you returned. was your father at Mr. Woods
Tuesday. did you attend school in the afternoon. I did not stop in town I got home a little
after twelve o’clock. it has just commenced snowing I hope it will continue freeze up and
make good sleighing. every one that is the children are being vaccinated around here.
Your folks are all vaccinated except your Father. your father is just going home from
Hurfords, he called here this morning. There has been another wedding here since Fayes.
John Winter was married tuesday to a lady from Washington Co. it is reported that John
Hart and Bridget Sullivan are married, if you remember we passed them Monday coming
from town. I think this must be a wedding year for certain. I am afraid they will all get
married and leave us an old maid & bach. I think though you have a better chance than
me but enough of this. Well Jennie I don’t know what to tell you about coming after you
Friday. it gives me the blues the way it appears at present. if the roads remain in the same
condition they are today I don’t think I had better come. but it was my proposal in the
first place and will stick to it somehow if I don’t come this week I will next if it will suit
you as well. please write & tell me all, for I can assure you it gives me great pleasure to
receive a letter from you at any time as I consider you my best friend and hope I may not
be disapointed. with much love I remain as ever

Your true friend
Theodore Drake

P.S. Don’t look for me unless snow comes then you will not be disapointed

Dora Drake

Theodore to Jennie
Clyman, WI, to Waukegan, ILL.
dated: March 20, 1869



Dearest friend Jennie,
Your letter of the 14th was duly received & contents noticed it came very unexpected
the fact is I did not think of receiving a letter from you until after I had written. but all is
well as a letter from you will always be welcome. I had a pleasant ride coming home. I
got home at three Oclock. just three hours from the time I started a quicker trip than I
expected when I started. I see now that it was not necessary for us to start so early. to
start at 2 would of given me time enough. giving you two hours longer at home. I was to
town the next Tuesday until five p.m. looked for you but did not see you. well Jennie it
was to bad to disapoint Mr. M. to not allow him the privilage of your company to take a
ride. well all that I can say is it is your privilage to do so. perhaps he won’t extend you
another invitation on account of it. maybe he is like myself, don’t like [smittens?] but you
know I don’t care as long as you don’t mitten Dora, what am I thinking of (Jennie of
course) this is a big blow about nothing don’t you think so. I am sorry that you have been
disapointed about teaching at your Grand Mothers. I do not know wether the Fisher
school has been applied to or not. but will find out & let you know. I hope you can get it
but don’t believe your Father will be willing for you to have it. I was over there last night
he said he thought you had not better teach but did not know as he could coax you off of
the notion or not. don’t give up if you want to teach. but I don’t want to advise you
either way. he spoke of a school on the prairie. he was tellin Mr. Crandell this. he came
home with him last night from town. Jennie you have not sent me that paper you was
going to bring it when you come home Thursday. has Mr. Baker written to you yet. I will
tell you what he done before he left whn I see you. How is Maggie. I suppose she is
making great calculations on our school. I dreamed of asking a girl to marry me. She said
she would see what her folks said. what is it a sign of. of course you will come to the
wedding won’t you. Will. Christi has taken the Grove School receives $45 per month. I
will send you some examples to work. when you come home come over. How long does
your school keep. how soon is Maggies school out. Oh I see by your letter your school
will be out three weeks from Wednesday. Well Jennie I have written all that I can think of
this time so will close. your father hasn’t brought one of your letters to me from the
office. I expected he would & say something about it. from a true one, Dora.


P.S. Jennie I will not send those examples will show them to you when you come home.

T.D.

Jennie to Theo

School House, July 8th, 1869

Dearest and Best,
Words cannot express my feelings over reading your letter. Oh Dora, I did wrong in
writing that letter. yet I cannot tell wether I am most pleased or pained. It implied a great
deal more than I intended it should. I regret having promised to write. until I could know
my own feelings better. my reasons for wishing to go to grand mothers was that I might
hear from you and know that I loved you as well as ever. I think it was my promise more
than anything else that caused my doubt. I will tell you why until then I was happy. but
knowing it was my duty to love you somehow changed my feelings. love should be
spontaneous, unchanging under any circumstances.. burn up that hateful letter and Oh
forgive me for causing you needless pain on my account. but was it needless, had I not
written I should not have received your precious letter. I did not think you loved me so
much, Dearest; if I spoke the truth before I do now. I have never loved you so well as
now. and it was your letter that opened my eyes. that has shown me the depth of my
love. Let them talk-everyone if they will . they cannot change my mind. You seem
nearer perfect than ever. I would sooner give up all my friends and relatives that you. do
not feel hard towards me for anything I wrote. I did not know you had so much feeling.
your love is too precious to trifle with. but that I never intended. and am sorry to see you
sad. I believe all you said was true. Dora I don’t know as you can read this. the children
are all around confusinf me and jar the desk when they walk so I will not try to write any
more but wait til I see you.

Forever your own,
Jennie

7-8-1869 poem in letter to Theo