The William F. Cody Archive: Documenting the life and times of Buffalo Bill

 

Salt Creek August 26, 1859

My dear Friend

It is a long time sence I have wrote to you when Mr Cody was at your house 4 years this summer he thought you was in a decline and I was affrade you was no more and I wrote to Mr. Summer I new he stiled lived as I could here from him Politically When Mr. Cody got home I was reduced to a skeleton looking for death I took a dreadfule cold which settled on my lungs and anxiety of mind owing to the trouble some times almost killed me but when Mr. Cody died it seamed as though I could not die my helpless family neaded me so much and my only consolation was in Religion and I prayed God to save my husband sould and he died believe in God Mr. Cody in fidelity gave way when Sammy died the conversation of the Angle child the night before he died made such an impression on him

I loved that boy to much I made him my Idol every thing connected with you brings back to memory by gon dayes spent in Iowa and of the dear departed friends now gon how sorry I was to here of the death of your little boy although by this time I trust time has healed the wound to loose those that are near and dear is trying under any circumstance but it must be a comfort to feel as I have no doubt you do that as the home circle narrows here it increases in that better world to which we must all go if it were not for that hope the loss of friends would be unbearable

Heaven feels very near to me I have 2 angle children there and many loved ones besides and I do hope dear friend that you and I and our familys may be one undivided family there sometime when trouble seames more than I can bear and my health is so bad I feel almost inclined to murmer I think God noes best- I can see your sweet girls now as they used to look Helen I used to think was more than comin smart has she made one of the strong minded woman Little Else how I would love to see her let me here all about the girls and Mr S still head over Eyes in Politics I expect you certainly got to be Politician Wife do tell me all about your family don't forget one that I now the Parkhurst family always feel near and dear to me tell me about Pareels Disneys Barnes Col Eads Seldon Master the Martens on the Wapsi and all I no I do love all my old friends so much the folks in Iowa was good me and every kind word and deed is fondly remembered but I must tell you how I am situated

When Mr Cody died we had the quarter section we lived on some other property at the falls Mr Cody would not do much on account of the difficulties here we lost our horses all our loose properity and Mr Cody death was ocasioned by the trouble I mised Mr Cody so much and now althoug more than 3 years has passed he is fresh on my memory and poor dear Martha I loved her so much She improved with every year and few where so good she joined the Methodist church one year after we came here and died a triumphant death remembering all her friends and prayed for all to meat her in a better world I have been offered 8,000 for this place before I built the Hotel and fences and brook 100 acres of land there was only 10 acres brook when Mr Cody died but I have had a great deal of trouble the house cost me more that I expected and I whent security for Matties husband so I got some in debt and it gave me great trouble I never owd one dollar before and I can not bear to ow do please ask Mr. Summers if Mr the sheriff when we left can pay what he had I must rase 300 dollars and if that could be collected it would h elp I never have had one dollar of ever the offer of help from any one the world seamed to forget me and I never wrote and this year I should have got along well but on account of the drought it has almost brought famin to many in Kansas times are very hard no money can be got for any thing and interest is so high that I fear it tell Mrs Parkhurst to write to me I mean your uncle Eleaser wife tell me how your brother Whitney family gett along poor Mrs Parkhurst and family how often I think of them Willie is one of the smartest of best of boyes he always has been a great comfort to me and hope wished he is to be distinguished yet he is dissidedly the brightest of the family Julia is good some times i think she could do no better my children are my jewels and do not laugh at my partiality I have no one else to love and I am father mother all in one now do write I hope you are rich and happy do let me know you and Summers where the first I loved in Iowa and I used to think you liked me but sometimes I think no one thinks of me tell Helen to write to Julia

Your friend

(Signed) Mary B Cody

"This is a faithful copy of Mary B. Cody's letter August 1850 [sic]. Ruth Irish Preston July 1, 1927"

Acknowledged before me, a Notary Public, at Davenport, Iowa, July 1, 1927.

W.E. Whittlesey"

Banner image: Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, Wyoming, U.S.A.; Original Buffalo Bill Museum Collection, P.69.118