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| Sender: | Charles Wesley Bear [See
Charles Wesley Bear in
Guide to Individuals]
|
| Recipient: | John Bear [See
John Bear in Guide to
Individuals]
|
| Date Written: | September 20, 1837 |
| Location: | Rockingham County, VA |
| Surnames mentioned: | Miller |
| Locations mentioned: | Mount Solon (Augusta County) |
"Rockingham Co., Va.
Sept. 20th, 1837
Dear Bro.
I am now seated for the purpose of giving you the painful intelegence of the death of our brother Ellic. ( Alexander H.)He is no more among us. It appeared that death had marked him for his victim and he had to fall beneath his Iron Grasp. So sudden and unexpected has this afflicting stroke of Providence been that I might say our house has been since in truth a house of mourning. Ellic since you were up last spring had located himself at a place called Mount Solon, in Augusta County, in the neighborhood of Miller's old iron works, under the most flattering prospects. He at once got into an extensive practice and unusual success attended him. He was universally esteemed among them as a physician and a gentleman, but his career was short. He came on a visit to our camp meeting which commenced on the last day of August ( Thursday ). He complained of being unwell when he got home, felt he said like taking the fever, appeared to have nothing to say to any person. He took medicine, remained on the ground for a few days and it is thought that there he took cold which caused his disease to be so violent. On Monday of the meeting he left the ground and went to Bro. Jacob's, and nearly the whole week was, at times, out of his senses, until Sunday when he appeared to be entirely reashional and he still appeared to mend until Wednesday morning when he was taken with a violent pain in the lower part of his abdomen, the most violent I think I have ever witnessed in all my life. It came on him periodically and tho it was short and appeared but two or three times it was sufficient to do the work of death. Thursday evening, the 14th ultimo, the mortal strife was ended in our Father' House. From the day he came down two weeks he was a corpse. In the last two or three days of his sickness he was greatly concerned about dying. He felt himself not prepared to die, his friends sung and prayed much with him. When they addressed a shower of grace in his behalf he would often respond with a low Amen and would join them in singing. Many attended him while sick, and frequently in the exercise of prayer the power of the Lord was felt and while Ellic did not leave any bright testimony behind I am comforted myself believing that he died pardoned and blessed.
I have had to leave the Furnace on account of my health. I found that my constitution was not for the kind of labor that I had to perform. I am now at home. Brother Jacob and myself are about taking in hand Father's plantation, for which we agree to give him $500 py. And they love as usual off of the place and get the above sum besides. This sum is low enough altho he will do much better. We will try and get him out of debt in this way. He will at once be relieved from care and live entirely at ease. We intend to consolidate Jacob's place with this, together with all the stock H. I have entered into this matter more for the sake of relieving Father from a heavy concern which he could not any longer attend, also thinking it would be a benefit to my health, or at least would be a healthy employment.
There is at present some excitement among us upon the subject of religion and think the time not distant when religion will again flourish. As to myself I am trying and will try to get to Heaven.
Wesley Bear
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