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Theodore Drake to Jennie McQuivey
Clyman Wisconsin to ?
dated: Nov. 27, 1870
Dearest Jennie,
I suppose you have been looking for me ever since last Tuesday but have been
disappointed. well Jennie the fact is I could not leave. our folks were all gone. not all either
but four of the family. I am sorry it happened so. I thought every day I would come.. such a
fine day as today I would like to be with you. our folks are going to butcher tomorrow & that
will prevent my coming for two or three days. I won’t say when I will come for I don’t know,
but will come the very first chance. I promise you. You can look for me any time. Lina has
been to [S]owell three or four days. came home this evening Addie came with her. they have
all gone to Juneau to night to hear a colored preacher. I remained at home on purpose to
write to you but Hurfords folks were over to spend the evening & so I could not commence
until now. almost 9 Oclock. Tammie & me were down to Sunday school this afternoon.
W.B. Baker came here just before we started. is going to commence his school tomorrow.
he’s the same old six pence. I hope we will have nice weather when I come. I expected a
letter from you before this but have not seen anything of it. I dreamed about you & of course
got a kiss. I have never said anything about the wedding. but intended to. I don’t think any
of our folks are opposed to Jennie becoming a Drake, something that I am well pleased with
because it will be better for us both. I would be very sorry though if I thought I should meet
with any opposition from your folks. but I hope for the better & hope not. my dear all my
faith I place in you. I see a store of happiness for us. to me far preferable to riches. don’t
give yourself any trouble about your treatment here. you will be perfectly welcome & well
used. Write as soon as you can. Wishing you pleasant dreams, I remain
Faithfully Yours,
Dora Drake
Theodore Drake to Jennie McQuivey
Clyman, Wisconsin to Waukegan, Illinois
dated: Dec. 18, 1870
Dearest Jennie,
That you have expected a letter from me before this, I am quite certain & Jennie I ought to
have written before this, but the question left for me to decide is one that is hard for me to
answer. but hope my decision will meet your approval. I had an idea of post-poning it before
I went to your place, but did not expect to & did not want to. I thought I could -----
considerable this winter. on the one hand it is better to carry out our first plan, on the other it
is not. I am sorry that we did not settle the question while we were together & I am sorry that
I did not speak to your Father about it. I believe he expected I would. there is a great many
things that I intended to tell you of & talk about when I was there but they were all forgotten.
we will wait until spring to be married if it suits you as well. if not on the appointed time but
Jennie please write & tell me all about it. I hope sincerely that there will be nothing happen to
us, but remain true to each other, it will not be long to wait but will seem long to me. I waited
for the cars the day I started, fifteen or twenty minutes, had plenty of time to run uptown & see
you again, but was afraid of being left again & so didn’t. do they plaque you any about me I
expect they have found out who wrote that piece in the paper by this time. Jennie don’t be
plagued. When I changed cars at Watertown who should I meet but Ed Colton. had been to
Mil. was on the same train with me but did not know it. he mistrusted where I had been asked
me how the folks were but I gave him no satisfaction.
I was to the Grove to church this forenoon & to Sunday School this after noon. there was
no Bible Class & so I can’t inform you about the lesson. Jennie I will tell you some news but
don’t mention it to your folks at present. Het Hurford is to be married New Years to a fellow
by the name of Wills. some relation of her Step Mothers. Hanks folks don’t know it. She was
engaged to a young man in ---- & asked permission of Hanks folks to have him come out there
& see her. was to be married to him in the spring. had written to him to come. he was a very
nice young man & very much respected but poor. she has given him the slip & taken up with a
fellow that is not over smart, but has a farm. Sews wife is greatly opposed to the match and so
is Sew. I don’t know how Hank’s will feel about it but I don’t believe she will ever prosper
after doing as she has.
Jennie, Mother says invite you up & I would like to have you come up & see you, can’t
you. come if you possibly can, write & let me know soon as you can. I will meet you at the
depot but I shant be home long. I shall go to the Pinery, not until I hear from you though, not
as long as you are here. I will write often. I hope you will do the same. tell me what you
think of my decision & if it suits you. it don’t really suit me because I want to be with you. I
don’t know when to appoint a time, 1st of May suit you or suit yourself but don’t say too long.
Placing all my trust in one so dear I remain
Faithful and True,
Dora Drake
P.S. What does your folks say about it. the girls don’t want us to put it off.
Dora