Personal letter from Aaron Aldrich regarding a political convention

Archive

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Bay Village Historical Society

Name/Title

Personal letter from Aaron Aldrich regarding a political convention

Entry/Object ID

2000.FIC.076

Scope and Content

This is a four page letter on 8x9 1/2 paper from Aaron Aldridge to his "dear brother". He had written previously concerning a political convention to be held in Vermillion on 9/10, but his wife Ann would not allow him to mail it. Further he had written her mother but again she would not allow him to send it as it related her health issues. The letter relates the number of people who did attend, persons who spoke and various floats who participated in a parade. The letter expresses Aaron's political belief and is very critical of Copperheads. Transcription: Brownhelm Sept 13th 1863 Dear Brother I wrote a letter to you the 30th of august thinking you would receive it in time to attend the convention in Vermillion the 10th of September but Ann was very much unwell and did not want me to send it, so I did not. She says that none of my relations every write to me & if she was in my she would never write to them but I will write sometimes. I do not know where to direct letters to Julia Ann or I would write to her. We live only 3 miles from the place where the convention was held but Ann was not able to go so may know that her health is not very good I commenced a letter to her mother the 30th but she would not let me send that neither, I, in that letter wrote particularly about Anns health. If you take the Cleveland Harold you will see a notice perhaps of the meeting of the republicans in Verm- -illion on the 10ths, it was estimated that the lowest Calculation that there was 15,000 people there. Page 2 Ann counted 400 steam that passed our house and there were 2500 teams crossed the Vermillion bridge by actual count. It was thought that there were over 500 teams at the place that day and that each team average four persons which would make 20,000, & one steam boat from Sandusky about 500 & 5 car leads from Cleveland about 500 more. Our speakers were Judges Spaulding & Tilden from Cuyahoga & Dorsey & Wind from the south part of the state & Finny and millerite from Amherst & Two German Speakers, there were 3 stands 1 for the germans & two for the yankees the Brownhelm folks got up a six horse team & carried 32 young ladies in it all dress in white to represent the United States. Vermillion the same but theirs were dressed in the red white & blue. Our town got up another six horse team & carried forty old people down it. I went in the old folks team, we had a stove & two tea kettles along and had hot tea & coffee & baked pig & mutton & beef & pies & cakes cheese & pickles we had 3 boxes that would hold six bushels each Page 3 full of eatables. I saw John Flinn there; he is in Elyria as a recruiting officer he is 2nd Lieutenant. I saw General Q A Gillmore’s Father there & when Judge Tilden was relating Q. A. Gillmore’s achievements at Charleston he brought the Father on the stand to show them the man That might be proud of such a son the Old Judge hardly speak for some minutes & The old man Gillmore used his handkerchief pretty freely Old Ronny from Avon was there & Filled with a barrel of sweet cider. There were no accident that day nor no drunken men to be seen everything right Judge Tilden said that they used to tell him he could not kill a copper head by cutting off his head, he would live Till sun down any hence but he had found out of late years that if you cut off their head & tail they would die before sun down. Are there many Valandigam men in dover? if there are go to the book store & get Vr. Record & you can cut their heads & tails off. Are Brady and Alf. Wolf copperheads? Page 4 I saw Jamin Strong & Dickerson at the convention they said that at the convention of copperhead in Elyria the day before there were not teams enough to reach round the public square. At Vermillion the teams from brownhelm & Birmingham alone made a string of teams over a mile long. I have just received a letter from a Soldier in the 55th regiment OVP stationed at Washington, DC – he says he has heard that Valleludinham is to be our next governor but he says that every man who votes for Val ought to be dealt with as traitors & hung for they are traitors he says that he wishes they order the Ohio boy home if they would he says woe to the copper heads of the state. If I had time I would tell you more that he says & what thers in the army in defferent departments say Hear what John Flin says, go to Elyria & see him it will pay But I Must Quit Yours ever Aaron W Aldrich

Collection

Aldrich Family Collection

Dimensions

Height

9-1/2 in

Width

8 in

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Aldrich, Ann

Person or Organization

Aldrich, Aaron

Person or Organization

Dickinson, Mr.

Person or Organization

Dorsey, Judge

Person or Organization

Fillet, Mr.

Person or Organization

Finney, Mr.

Person or Organization

Flinn, John

Person or Organization

Gillmore, General

Person or Organization

Gillmore, Mr.

Person or Organization

Goodrich, Julia Ann

Person or Organization

Hind, Judge

Person or Organization

Jarmin, Mr.

Person or Organization

Raney, Mr.

Person or Organization

Spaulding, Judge

Person or Organization

Strong, Mr.

Person or Organization

Tilden, Judge

Person or Organization

Valundigam, Mr.

Person or Organization

Valludinham, Mr.

Person or Organization

Wolf, Alf

Person or Organization

Wolf, Bradley