Re: Stephen H. and Selina E. Green
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In reply to:
Stephen H. and Selina E. Green
Victoria Champ 1/23/03
I have a transcription of a letter written by Selina Ellamanda Green on Feb. 11, 1914, to the U.S. Pension Bureau. The letter asks for a widow's pension as the wife of Stephen Hosmer Green, and it is on file in the National Archives. In copying the letter, the last line was cut off several pages, and I did not realize my error until later. Here is the text:
Sir,
I am a Soldiers Widow. My husband served in the Civil War from the commencement of it until mustered out of service at its close after serving nearly 3 years. He reonlisted some years ago. He died leaving me some money. I also had some in the Stoneham Mass. 5 st Saving Bank & he at the time there two he left a Will & made me administrator of it. Also he had money in several other banks in Massachusetts. At the time of his death he owned a place there. The Will gave nearly all to me as you can easily find out by applying to the probate court Cambridge Mass. I carried out all of the provisions of it & left widowed & all alone. I was anxious to get interest enough without any assistance from any one but my own hands so I could in a few years take an orphan boy on trial & I filed the disposition & found him willing to work & eager to learn & wanted to adopt him & send him & fit him for a useful life. That was my ambition, but I fell into the hands of an unprincipled man. He pretended to be a friend & he asked me to marry him. he borrowed money of me & gave me almost double the amount of interest I was getting in the banks & at first he paid the interest just exactly on time & came to me & paid it without my even asking him for it all…to be able to increase my income so much so I could the sooner be able to carry out my long cherished plan of doing some good in the world & also making some one in my home to be company for me, as I was getting older nothing on Earth I wished for more & to increase my income still faster I took in Lawn Tennis Balls for a firm in Wakefield, Mass. I would often set up nights unticl 12 o ck & sew on the felt covers on them getting 15 cts a dozen for doing it & during the rush would sew 30 dozen a week & I genrally got up at 4 o ck in the morning time.
I was doing that I was sorting & selling $50.00 fifty dollars worth of apples, pears, peaches & strawberries, blackberries & grapes & helping pick the apples & getting boys to go up ladders & getting all I could not reach by standing on a large step ladder & I worked where I could see that my boys did not shake no apples & what they could not reach I let them fall on the grass & then sold them for Windfalls. I went out & got customers for all my Windfalls as quick as they would do to cook & every day I went out in the…apples & I took mostly cash for them, brushing out a very few & then only to those I knew would pay me & I never lost one cent for fruit I earnt money enough to buy all my food pay a 50 dollar tax each year on my place I painted my house barn& water closet 2 coats & I took the blinds all of I carried them into the barn & I made a rack to paint on & I painted them all 2 coats & I myself went up on the ladder & drawed all my window sashes & putted up where ever wanted went on top of the piazza and over my front door & bay window &…paints & drying & hired a man to mix them where it was so high up I couldent lift a double ladder I had to hire a man to finish up & I paid him 20 cts a hour to do it & it cost me $15.00 fifteen dollars for the work & had done that is the way Ive worked to try & get an income large enough to carry out my cherished plan the scoundrel never intended marriage only wrong and robbery I sold my home & went & bought a place in Brookfield Mass & he took his goods & went with me & told me we would get married as….am honest honorable woman had seen little of the world & I believed & trusted him I found him very ugly he finally fourced me to deed the place to him & he said I signed it to him of my own free will I did not dare do otherwise he has robbed me of about everything I ever had & he has got Nervous Prostration & has had for the whole 6 years Ive been with him he has devilish spells & when them or on him he will attack me & about a year ago when he had one he grabbed a stove poker & gave me a blow with it on my bare arm & laid it…failing & failing fast am afraid I’ll come to want he says he got my money away so to tie me to him so I could never get away & Ive no money to do it & so I have to stay with him as I am an old white haired woman & to old to go out & get work at times without any cause he will attack me & kick pound & even knock me down & holds me & chokes me & he will say he wishes I was dead from a once neat man he is very filthy when about the house & himself but when he goes out I see his clothes are cleaned & pressed & they have to be pretty often why I write you all this is because I want you to know my situation I get enough to eat for he buys it but can very seldom get a cent from him Im getting very bad of for clothes & have got on low summer shoes & Ive tried to get some money from him for 6 mos to get me comfortable shoes for he keeps a horse & the most of the time & I have to be his hostler & keep harness & unharness it I if I am busy in the house & cant leave cooking to go out I get abuse cant you get me a pension I’ve all my husband’s papers so please try
Mrs. Stephen H. Green Gardiner
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Re: Stephen H. and Selina E. Green
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Re: Stephen H. and Selina E. Green