ADDRESSED TO: Mr. A.J. Stage, Lambs Creek, Tioga Co., Pa.
FROM: John A. Stage, Mt. Sterling, Ohio
FROM: John A. Stage, Mt. Sterling, Ohio
Mt Sterling August 16 1891
Dear Son and Daughter
i take my penn in hand to anser your kind letter to let you no how Whe are. Whe are Well at presant and i hop you are the sam. i mashed my foot taring up the Saw mill about a Month ago and it has got Well all But my Big toe. it is awfel Sor yet. i gess i mashed the Boone in the joint. i have Bin Running a engine to thrash and We have quit and gon to SaWing again up aBove Durzy. i Run the engine for Gorg a lot. he took the Mill from Wm Groves again. Tell Father i got a letter from William and thay Was Well then. Helen i Would like See you and the children.Tell Tessy She must Save granpop a grat Big kiss and Dont lett enyone have it. you Wanted to no if your par treas Was living. tha are and groing. i Sat out 2 plum treas in the yard and tha are groing. your grap vine and quince Bush is groing and your apel treas is groing to. i Wish you Was hear to tak car of them. i keep your treas trimed and Watch them. thare is no apels on them. Saly Bolen Was out to our House Somtime ago. She Was Well. it is Raining Hard hear noW. it is 25 minets to 5 oclock now. Whell i Will Close By Biding you all good by. My love to you all and all inquiring Friends. Writ soon.
From your Father John A. Stage
to his Son and Daughter A.J. and Helen Stage
Dear Son and Daughter
i take my penn in hand to anser your kind letter to let you no how Whe are. Whe are Well at presant and i hop you are the sam. i mashed my foot taring up the Saw mill about a Month ago and it has got Well all But my Big toe. it is awfel Sor yet. i gess i mashed the Boone in the joint. i have Bin Running a engine to thrash and We have quit and gon to SaWing again up aBove Durzy. i Run the engine for Gorg a lot. he took the Mill from Wm Groves again. Tell Father i got a letter from William and thay Was Well then. Helen i Would like See you and the children.Tell Tessy She must Save granpop a grat Big kiss and Dont lett enyone have it. you Wanted to no if your par treas Was living. tha are and groing. i Sat out 2 plum treas in the yard and tha are groing. your grap vine and quince Bush is groing and your apel treas is groing to. i Wish you Was hear to tak car of them. i keep your treas trimed and Watch them. thare is no apels on them. Saly Bolen Was out to our House Somtime ago. She Was Well. it is Raining Hard hear noW. it is 25 minets to 5 oclock now. Whell i Will Close By Biding you all good by. My love to you all and all inquiring Friends. Writ soon.
From your Father John A. Stage
to his Son and Daughter A.J. and Helen Stage
Since My Wifes Dead and Gone
in that Dear old villig Church yard
there i See a Mossy mound
That is Where my Wife Sleeping
in the Cold and Silent ground
Gently Waves the Weeping Willow
Birds there Warbling at DaWn
But my heart is Sad and lonely
Since my Wifes Dead and gonein that Dear old villige church yard
oft i Stray With heart forlorn
For theres no one left to love me
Since my Wifes Dead and gon.i Was old but i remember
Well the night my Wife Died
When i Watched her Spirit fading
till She called me to her Side
Saying darling i must leave you
Angel voices guide me on
pray that We ma meet in heaven
Where your Wifes Dead and gon.oft i Wander to that Church yard
FloWers to plant With tender car
on the grave of my dear Wife
Darkness finds me Weeping there
Looking at the Stars above me
Waiting for the heavenly daWn
there is no one left to love me
Since my Wifes Dead and gon.
in that Dear old villig Church yard
there i See a Mossy mound
That is Where my Wife Sleeping
in the Cold and Silent ground
Gently Waves the Weeping Willow
Birds there Warbling at DaWn
But my heart is Sad and lonely
Since my Wifes Dead and gonein that Dear old villige church yard
oft i Stray With heart forlorn
For theres no one left to love me
Since my Wifes Dead and gon.i Was old but i remember
Well the night my Wife Died
When i Watched her Spirit fading
till She called me to her Side
Saying darling i must leave you
Angel voices guide me on
pray that We ma meet in heaven
Where your Wifes Dead and gon.oft i Wander to that Church yard
FloWers to plant With tender car
on the grave of my dear Wife
Darkness finds me Weeping there
Looking at the Stars above me
Waiting for the heavenly daWn
there is no one left to love me
Since my Wifes Dead and gon.
Helen i Want you to Write this off With ink So you Can read it and Sing it to me if Whe Evr See each other again. This is composed By your Dear Father
Editor’s note: The song is the Old Village Churchyard. It was a popular English folksong from the mid-1600s. John is missing his wife, but she is still alive. She passes in November of 1891. Was she out of the home for the last months of her life? John does remarry a year from this writing (in case his long-term depression was a concern).
John A STAGE
To Helen Stage
kiss the Children For me. i are hear alone. ida and Stella is to Ankrams.