Letter 1 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
Flemington, [New Jersey.] March 29, 1855.
My dear mother & sister
I thought of writing you last week but William went to Philadelphia & I concluded to wait until he should come home & measure the land. The state of the ground has been such (from frost &c.) that he thought it inconvenient to set stake much before this. The girls have gone to New York to buy furniture for Kate. Mr. Anderson by the advice of his mother in law sold the most of his furniture soon after his wife’s death. They are to <keep> live this year near the Presbyterian church 2 doors this side of where aunt Hetty used to live I believe Mr. A. [Anderson] thinks of building this summer just above fathers two or three or four rods above I suppose which will make it very pleasant for them all. Hetty borrowed my brocha shawl for her trip it not being so much faded as her own. The children are fat & hearty. Laura very active & full of mischief.
I bought this pin of a pedlar for 31 cts. Mrs. Joseph Reading was in here at the time & admired it said she thought it looked like a higher priced pin.
I expect to be confined the latter part of October. William has proposed my going home this spring (that is if I will go without him) but I think that a visit so soon again would probably give you more trouble than pleasure & I have very little idea of going. My girl is to make a visit to New York in May.
My health I expect is about the same as when at home last fall. I have many bad feelings, of course – suppose if Carrie [Caroline Burr Grant] were here she would consider me about the same as last Spring. Mary continues to assist in care of children much more than Ann did & I put it upon her. Mother has been in since I began this & sent much love to you.
I hope that you are not overwhelmed with care & trouble & that you receive support from above.
Sammy [Samuel B. Hill] knows the most of his letters both large & small. When I am reading he often comes & asks to say his letters & in this way has leaned them.
Yours affectionately
Mary B Hill [Mary Burr Hill]
We have had a cold dry March and the winter grain is suffering much – The prospect for a large crop about here is not good – We are quite busy now in shop – making tile and ware – rec’d [received] an order the other day for 5.000 lead pots –
On the 27 of March bought a piece of land at the lower corner of land to make our line straight and out to the R Road [Railroad], so that now the R Road [Railroad] is the boundary in a straight line for half the length of the farm with the exception of about 2 chains a little square of land belonging to Asha Hill which I hope to obtain some day and make the line complete –
I measured the land for M yesterday and will have the deeds made out as soon as I can get them done – The piece contains about 10 acres –
Cheese now retails here at 16 cts per lb – and not very plenty at that – How do potatoes sell with you – here they are worth 237 ½ per bu – We have been getting up a car load of man [manure] 100 bu to try on potatoe crop and a little to top dress land (grass) – Cost about 15 cts. per bushel, about the same as lime, Do not know whether it will do as much good in small quantities as lime but want to give it a trial
Perhaps Super Phosphate of Lime would improve your pastures – it seems as if they ought to be renovated – now cheese is so high priced WB Hill
Wrote as far as above and went to breakfast taking care of myself and Laura [Laura Hill] who always meets one at table with a perfect string of Papa’s and no one else answers half as well as Papa – Poor little thing if she knew how often her Father wishes her in bed or somewhere else would she be so eager for a seat on his knee Must away to office and work with love to all I am yours as ever
William Hill
Letter 2 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
[2 copies of typed subscription solicitation letter as follows:]
Redding, Fairfield County, Conn., January 5th, 1878.
DEAR SIR :—
THE “HISTORY AND GENEALOGY OF THE BURR FAMILY IN AMERICA” is about ready for the press, and I desire to invite your attention to the following table of contents:
- Preface – with an introductory essay on the “Value of Genealogical inquiries,” published in Harford Times, Oct. 22, 1877.
- An Essay on the “name,” shows its derivation and proper orthography; also giving an account of titled families of the name in England, with a description of their coats of arms.
- General History of the Family.
- Biography – comprising sketches of Jehu Burr, founder of the Fairfield branch, (1630); Benjamin Burr, founder of the Hartford branch, (1635); Rev. Jonathan Burr, founder of the Dorchester, Massachusetts, branch (1639); William Burr, founder of the New Jersey branch, (1681); Major John, Col. John, Col. Andrew, Judge Peter Burr – all Magistrates and Assistants of the Connecticut Colony; Aaron Burr, President of Princeton College; of his son, Col. Aaron Burr, Vice President of the United States; and of numerous others who by their attainments and public services reflect credit on the name.
- Genealogical Record. – This embraces the period between 1570 and 1877, — ten generations in all. It traces the various members of the family, scattered throughout the country, to their first ancestor in America, and preserves the memory of the generations to future ages. The author is a member of the family of which he treats; he brought a literary experience of ten years, and a genuine love for the work to his task, and has spared no labor or expense to make it complete, accurate, interesting and lasting – a fit memorial of the noble family of which it treats. Of the difficulties of the work he will say nothing – they must be apparent to all; neither is it fitting that he should eulogize his own work, and he cannot spread it in its entirety before those whom he addresses, but he guarantees that it will meet expectations. It will be an octavo of between three and four hundred pages, printed on good paper, and well bound, and will be embellished with a full page engraving of the BURR COAT OF ARMS, several portraits, and nine autographs of prominent members of the family. It will be ready for the press soon; but before venturing on its publication the author asks for a subscription of at least 300 copies, at $5 each, to aid him in publishing. That sum represents the cost of issuing the first volume, and the author’s compensation, if any, must come from those sold afterward. The book will not be sold singly at a lower rate, and when once out of print cannot be procured at any price. To those, however, who would like several copies for distribution to friends, or to preserve as heirlooms to future generations – five or more copies will be sent at a discount of ten per cent. from above rates. The book will be sent by mail, prepaid, on receipt of price, or by express C.O.D. – the purchaser paying the express charges on the book only. The former method is cheaper and more preferable. Respectfully,
CHARLES BURR TODD, Redding, Fairfield Country, Conn.
A few testimonials from those who have seen the work, or portions of it, are appended :—
REDDING, Conn., January 5, 1878.
MR. TODD is a member of my church, and I can cheerfully testify to his probity as a man, as well as to his skill and industry as a writer. JOHN DICKINSON,
Pastor of the M.E. Church, Redding.
“Mr. Todd’s book is the product of a large fund of knowledge, and of an enthusiastic love of the subject.”
—Hartford Times, Editorial.
REDDING, Conn., January 1, 1878.
I have been familiar with this enterprise from the first and must say that, completed, it far exceeds my most sanguine expectations. I would not have supposed it possible that so accurate and valuable a history could have been constructed.
WILLIAM H. BURR.
Mr. Todd’s work is done and well done. I can heartily commend it to the attention of the family.
GEORGE L. BURR, 138 and 140 Fulton Street, New York.
Your subscription is solicited.
[Written across side of page:] Your lineage is traced in this work.
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