"fhe, Traveled the Old Plank Roads(cid:173) Family letters in the home ot (4-c) Laoien H. Stoddard, Kalamazoo (Copies of originals May 15, 1958 Jane s. Hagle Kalamazoo. ./ A.aa Williams Stoddard Fa1111ly Tuscola Bounty, ~iohigan Centennial Farm (Cameron Orosby Stoddard) (Note: The son of A.W.Stoddard had married Janette Sanford of Marion, New York, 1866, and about two years later brought her and littl ~ son, Willie, to ~airgrove into very new oountry. His fatherts ' family, above, were living ne.r Watrousv11le. The letters are to Janette's sister, Laura Jene (S1Jnford), Mrs. Asa Hard1ng ~~ tod d erd, of Cooper township~ Kalomezoo Co., ~ichig8n. tormerly of Williamson, ,!ayne vounty, New lork. JSH) . . . . . . . . . . . . ('fo .Ilii.rs.Laura Jane Stod(~ 8rd) Aug. 20, 18&4, Fairgrove. Your letter in reply to m1ne WilS received last week, your We have 8 11ttle boy a little previous one the week before. over two days old. Mrs. Small1ng hfW a little girl just six days older. But this, dear sister, is not all the news. Crosby has enl1sted 1nto the United States serviae and 1s home on fur(cid:173) lough only a tew days. Sept. 2nd his furlough exp1res, and then what will become of m. with my poor health and with three helpless little ones depennent upon me, for everything. Or of' him with poor health, exposed to hardships, danger and death? We all call t is n cruel war, but when it takes ous loved ones trom us, then it comes r1€~t home and we begin to feal that it is cruel indeed. He is havinf to~laave atfairs very much unsett1edwhioh w11l add much to my cares. Oats and latHr crops not harvested, wheat in the barn unthreshed, and a good deal of stook to be sold. But blame ;him not for enlist1ng. He did not do it until driven by the h~avy draft that is pending. Other towns 1n better o1rcumstclDces are buying up our men at a rapId rate so that the dratt 1s l1kely to take nearly all that remain. Ou. of ab uut ten men who have reo~ntly enlisted only one besidt3 Crosb;y' has been crjd1ted to thIs town ( : n1rgrove) while others age getting 200 to 300 dollilrs for enlisting tor oth~,r towns. Crosby for the sake of helping his own town was ored1ted here with the promise 01' only 100 and now they bas()ly refuse even that and told him to go where he oan do the best. He may be a~to get his ored1t ohanged but it 13 uncertain. Money 1s a very smAll thing 1n comparison with the risk of l1fe incurred but to those who leave dependent tamilies behind. 1t is essent1al. l. do not know what we ~!re to do. I very much wish Orlando (Orland 0 Sanford, M:-lrion, New .lork, her brother ,.I ,-,H) would aome up and take charge of things, 1f he has fre e d h1mself of the dratt (by hiring a substitute.JSB) for h15 travelling expenses would be cons1derable and it would be lonely and unpleasant for him here. 1 think ! shall stay here in the woods with th~ rest of the women for the winter at least. But 1 shall not Bsk him to (I~ote: That new baby is now, 1968, Mr. CrO~lJy EUF(3nn .:3~odd8rd of Chevy Cha~e, -Aryland, adjoirJillg the oity of Wushin t~ ton.ljh e re he lived ror many years. He is alert and very well informed oa world affaIrs, like sputnlks.JSH) (Gont. next DaDe.) "Thel Trav:illu,j 'he Old Flnulc Hends(cid:173) Few1l;Y letters 1n the hom',) ot Lu. ~len Ii. Stoddard ,Ke.lt.mnzoo, Coples of the orlelnala. (4-0) -2- 1kI1 1b, 1958 Jane S.He.g1e . Kal' lliei'Of.) .t.elch ~ Janet ~.o t;o Lfturn Jane) Aaa ~1111ams otodderd E~ml1J Tusoola County, Mloh1gan ,;en~onn} :'.1 terra (Cont.) Wben the oonscript3, the men enlisted tor other plsces, and the akadood1ers, have ell lett the nel~hborhood, I pr~aumc ~horo wl11 not be ten men in tOWD. most or the towns are re.ls1nf; their quota the ~cnnest of all m~8n plaoos. Wo hove been so unfortun~t6 as to ~et ln~o 1t and mu~t oblde by the conBeq~enoea. It it Wt:lre not for the trouult) 6nd ·the expense l. should 11k(; to have Mr. 3toddard scme f:JBlull houue of two or three reclUs [lcar you Lut the fHTHJDRe of lAovlnf woulct be oOhsidellable und 'bo exponse of l1ving th(~re .'" 1 th our wood to tuy ~nl. oYf)ry th1nE elAe, woulil be muoh _orlJ than 1t will be here. (ASs. Il. ~toddaru of Kalt'!.fllazoo county)JSH) rent .And"" JloV'ttr could get there alone. but this 18 one ot I believe the Sagl11&W 1 .:~ thE) plLoe fJf rendn:.vGu$ of' the r6,.:I.mnnt to "'hleh find Crosby thinks he osn get '4 Crosby belongs ~nd I suppose thoy will not go soutb unt1l after tOD Oe.ya furlouP.;h in election few week. n nd set thln,.:s 1n be'ter ahApe than the oourse 01' 0 I nm v i; ry t1rod find 1 t(~8r you 08nr,o' reae! what th€:l 6re now. .1 hl-..l'Ye ~r1't.n. I now t4llul mOl"fI 8D:J:1ou13 th!)n ever to hava you GOLti up h(:r& tu", I dronc1 tho journey for you. to llin'. by etaS8. to Va.tier ty staS8, ~h~r6 Crosby *'11 get Poland (bie broth~r) to matlt you .. trom there to ~t .• orrlB by rs1l, li'rl)fL Fentonv111. thenoe 1!r. G! itlllllJg 8ud Mr .. Gtr10Aland bt,ve both enlisted. Ther don't exempt anythlnf; Ilordlr that hae ~wo leS8 And two arma. The baby end 1 are bott. doing bett.er than 1 had any reason to expect wr1 tlng 6 slate,. fOr wh10h 1 do teal gratel'ul. 1 h Y8 been two days. time. Wrl to .ery Boon to your lonely tew l1ntls at Fl Janette. P. s. Carrie (91str:r of l;rOtioy) Is here doiDr the house .. 'i au were kino 1n otter1 ne CroBby to money A oubotituta h~t from wu O~n IGarn of the pr1ces or work and a w1dow lady from near Watrous9'!11. 80ts 88 hurs. for the bo. Ly on(J me. to furn1sh substitutea now they ere beyong our menns. • • • • • • • • • • • (Note: S1ator Jane did go to Fn1rcrove vory BOOD. !,rother Poland, built 8 l1t'l. ahack 1n the beok yard ot the family home n~ar ~8trou6vl1l •• and Jane helpe to mOV$ JAnnttu and her three I1t;;le oh!luren Into 1t. Poland h1'd e terr1ble hernia Hnd never ser'Y.d 1n the army, but Be d14 a tre,:.8ndou8 amount or to I18ke up for tho IUD wbo wara in 8ervl08. And he work 'ry1n€, W88 klndne8~ Itself to Jane'te, as were the rea' of the fam1ly. Crosby aeryed at one time 1n ahe State ~e~1cleture, nnd later B8 County Clerk ('i) • moving to Caro, whore he d1ed In atria.,l think in 1676. Jano l.te 119'8(' at Weshlnf..ton .1 th her daughter L1111no (Mrs • .;,.11017 DuPaul), or w1 th Eugene. JSH)