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Theodore Drake to Jennie McQuivey
Clyman, Wisconsin to Waukegan, Illinois
dated: Jan. 8, 1870
My Dearest Jennie,
I should not like to have it known to any one but you, how wildly my heart beats, as I
commence this letter which you may receive with surprise, but not, I hope with
indignation-would not be without some tender emotions. you seem to doubt my love for you.
Jennie your letter gives me pain, there is parts I do not understand. there is something wrong.
certain am I that the flame of love is burning within my breast, that it is for you. how much,
how truly, how devotedly & how passionately, I only wait for time and permission to prove. I
thought I had that, but it seems not. Why do you doubt that I love you with the fondest
affection and am anxious to devote my whole existence to your happiness sure as by am that by
so doing I should secure my own. I beg dear Jennie that you will reflect upon this. my fate is
in your hands, I do not wish to counsel you rashly & should be very sorry to persuade you to
any step you would regret hereafter. but I have fondly imagined that your own feelings would
be my best advocate, and that your love for me would induce you to consent to our mutual
happiness. but if your mind has become prejudiced against me, I think it will take a far more
able advocate than myself to promise you anything to the contrary. Jennie, from the beginning I
have been sincere and to thinking of seeming cold compared with others must be that you
imagine others think more of you than I do. do you regret your promise Jennie. I should
judge you did by the way you speak of Lina but may be mistaken. hope I am. you ask me
about the Millers. I do not know as I know what you mean. that they did not like your
appearance, is that it & that you had been told the opposite. will you be so kind as to tell me
all about it. was you told so here or there you say you never thought of telling me & that if I
think as they do (I am free) nothing is binding when the heart (mine I suppose you mean) is not
interesting. Jennie that is hard for me hard indeed. change it from me to you and how would
you like it. I can draw from it but one conclusion. that you have proven false to me & mean
to have nothing more to do with me. but god forbid it being so & hope I am in the wrong. but
Jennie if you can have been so dishonorable as to have deceived me or so fickle as to prove
inconstant, it is better that I should know it now than at a later period. I hope you will view
these few lines in the right light and give me a full explanation which I think is due me. Jennie
I have never deceived you & never wished or tryed to. you have known me long & don’t fear
to trust me. if your affections are not drifting from me & are as pure & strong as mine I think
we will never be unhappy together. strive in all things as far as possible to appear in my eyes
the lady I courted and hold my heart by the same means with which you won it. let me strive
to appear in the eyes of you the one that won you without any deceit- and all will be well. let
us avoid the beginning of difficulties, yet forgive if any has occurred. let us be kind to each
other if to no other human being. There is nothing to both man and wife so honorable as
domestic harmony. nothing so utterly shameless and disgraceful as its opposite. Dearest one,
don’t let anything I have said offend you in the least as I have not written it for that purpose
but on the contrary to give you every assurance of my love and affection for you and if our
hearts falter to join them more closely together. if you have for me any of the feelings you
have heretofore expressed from your own heart, will tell you that it is not right to trifle with
mine. I do not accuse you. do not think that I assume the right to control your activities. but
I LOVE you to fondly to share your smiles with another. since you think so much of kissed, I
send you one on the back of this sheet & make sure when you have it, it comes straight from
the heart & lips of
Your Dora
answer this as soon as you receive it. would like very much to see you & if no objections are
made will come down next month. I will let you know what time. don’t think hard of me &
write me just what you think & what you think your intentions are
Sincerely
Theodore Drake
Tammie is visiting at the Grove. Lew & Frank is back they made us a visit. Hank also, they go
to town to live.
Jennie Mcquivey to Theodore Drake
Warren, Illinois to Clyman, Wisconsin
dated: Jan. 12, 1870
Dearest Love,
I cannot close this letter without a few words to you. ----- you have received my letter
before this. perhaps you were some astonished, but Dora I would give more to see you than
any person I know. the fare here is nearly 4 dollars. come if possible. tell me when. I made a
mistake when I told you the young men here were homely. I only meant the -----. have
changed my mind since attenting the dances. I missed you. no one can ever take your place.
would rather stay at home with you, than go to a dozen dances with any of them. hearts that
are fond hearts never grow old, hearts that are ---- hearts never grow cold. I would write you
a long letter but Pa would make some remark on my writing to you so often. write soon and
tell me you are coming down and when. excuse this poor wroting & accept this from one who
loves you dearly.
your own
Jennie
Jennie to Theo
Warren, Illinois to Oak Grove, Wisconsin
date: Jan 16 1870
Dear Theodore,
It Sunday evening, and with sadness I recollect the time when instead of of writing I
might converse with you personally.
I have often wished to be with you but never so fervently as now. It seems as though I
had been dreaming. Oh Dora, my letter cannot have made you more unhappy than yours
has me. I think I must have been crazy when I wrote that letter. but I wrote what ever
came into my head and did not read the letter over or I might have seen the Ideas it
conveyed although not intended but I now see what a fatal blunder I made.
And now at the earliest opportunity, I will as you requested, give you all the
explanation in my power. But I feel I cannot justify myself in writing such a letter. But
believe me Dora when I say I did not intend to give you pain.
In regard to our engagement-I am perfectly honorable. and certain there is no one in
this whole wide world so desirous of your happiness as myself. and humbly beg your
forgiveness, for unwittingly giving you pain.
If I have allowed a doubt to mar my happiness it is banished now. you remember
telling me, -- ----- your ---- doubtful. that is what I referred to and those words though
unheeded at the time were not forgotten. and I did not think of letting you. my own ----
had been redirected though that could make no difference with me I had some times
fancied this was not the case with you. and wished your love like my own to devoted to
care for the opinion of others. you misunderstood me I did not intimate that your heart is
not interesting, but interested. (but I am sure it is both) I do not think I am fickle. I love
none but you and if others have striven to turn my affection from you they have not
succeeded for my heart inclines to you with love and hopefulness. I do not doubt our
future happiness & I only grieve in having caused you sorrow so carelessly. I do not
regret my promise. I am sometimes sorry I told Lina because you said nothing about it
yourself. but Dearest, I did not dream of your drawing such a conclusion from those
words, as you did. I am anxious to have you come down. have told Pa you are coming.
think he will be glad to see you. you will see some of the society here if you come. There
was a ---- of young folks here Thursday evening to call on me. I had met three of them at
the dance over new years eve. I was to a dance the 7th. enjoyed myself but you were
wanting to make my happiness complete. was asked for my company next Thursday. to
attend a party. and accepted the invitation, only one night, after my birthday. don’t think
I will get any presents this year. I wish you were here to go with me instead of W.W. but
will ------- bide my time. I will close hoping this will assure you of our earnest love and
sympathy and that I am as ever,
Your Own,
Jennie
H arrived yesterday (Sunday) and has been very windy and cold today. I will sent this as
soon as possible. -irs has gone to Michigan and stopped here to see some relatives where
Pa met him & invited him to call before he left. he was here & stopped all night. he took
my picture away with him. I did promise you my picture and you shall have it --- taken.