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From the collection of Dave Gouldrup, [email protected].
Bathurst Nov 18th 1881
Dear Brother
I now for the first time sit down to write you a few lines. We are all well at present. We had sickness and death in the family. Father died last Saturday morning at 7 � o�clock. He had been laid up for a fortnight with a pain in his back. He could not lay down. He died in his chair. He did not suffer much, he was affected the same way last spring in the month of May and got around all right again, but this time he knew he would not recover. All summer he would say that he was getting weak but could not account for it. His feet and legs used to swell up to his knees, notwithstanding all that, he worked in the garden all summer. On Wednesday afternoon about 4 o�clock he took a weak turn and could not be left alone after that. George and Will staid with him day & night until he died. His mind used to wander in spells, he died easy as if going to sleep. He took a drink of water ten minutes before he died and said that would do for now. He did not speak after that. They thought he was going to sleep. He was buried Monday afternoon with Masonic honours. He had a beautiful coffin and a large respectable funeral. The weather was cold with one inch of snow, it looks like winter. The harbour is frozen over.
*Kitty Good was in on Saturday and said that they were all well. I wish you would answer this letter. No more at present, from your loving sister.
Elizabeth
Notes: Henry Charles Gooldrup, referred to as "Father" in the above letter, (1803 - 1881) was born in Tryon, PEI, the son of John and Judith (Partridge) Gouldrup. He married in 1832 Eunice McNutt of Onslow, NS and returned to Tryon where, I believe, all his children were born. Around 1850, he and his family moved to Bathurst, NB, where my great grandfather, John Milton Goldrup (1847 -1922) grew up and married in 1868, Dora Good of Bathurst. John and Dora moved to Gloucester, MA, where their six children were born. Subsequently John and Dora moved to Freeport, ME.Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" Gooldrup (1842 - 1937) was born in Tryon. She married in Bathurst, William Hornibrook and moved to Wisconsin somtime after her father's death. "George" and "Will" were, George Edward Gooldrup (1844 - 1924), Elizabeth's brother and William Hornibrook, her husband. "Kitty Good" was Katherine, Dora Good's sister.
Dave Gouldrup
*Note: Name correction from Fred Goldrup, [email protected]