Lorenzo's Letters Home
The following two copies of Lorenzo's letters home are typed versions of the originals. The originals were preserved by Charlotte (Lincoln) Leonard. Charlotte was the half-sister of Lorenzo and the sister of Nedabiah III. Charlotte's daughter (Charlotte Leonard) was Barbara Killgore's grandmother. The letters were saved by Charlotte Lincoln, who was very close to her brother Nedabiah III, and eventually were discovered by Barbara in a family trunk. Such bits of serendipity are the very heart of the Lincoln Ohana books.
Letter number one
Hawaii, Sandwich Islands
November 1st 1858
Dear Brother Nedebiah
It is now some within a trifle of 25 years since I left home. I have been here at these islands for 22 years and I have raised quite a family.
Here I have living now 4 children, all boys. My wife was a Native of these Islands. I have lived with her for a number of years until within this last six months when I got a divorce from her in consequence of her misconduct.
I am now quite alone and in want of some assistance. I will now endeavor to give you some idea of my present circumstances.
I am the sole owner of the following property: 520 acres of land well adapted to grazing. I had a dairy on the place for some years. I can realize say $800 a year from this dairy. I also have 100 head of good tame milking cattle (and) some six head of horses.
The property (is) situated in a good place near a good market for all that I can raise. The climate is fine and the place is capable of more than I am able to make of it in my present state of health.
I should much like for you to come out here and live with me. If you can make up your mind to come – with your family, if you have any – I will make you ½ owner of all that I possess here immediately on your arrival here.
In case you receive this and make up your mind to come out here, don’t delay any time in doing so. But if you are situated so that you cannot come, please write me as soon as you receive this, that I may know how you are getting along, and also I wish you to write what has become of all the relatives.
I saw Harvey Philips some 15 months since, and he gave me some account of my friends at home. He told me that you was teaming for the railroad company.
Now I wish you – immediately upon reception of this letter – to write me and let me know positively whether you can come out here or not. Please direct your letters to Lorenzo B. Lincoln, Kawaihae, Sandwich Islands, in care of G.W. Macy. Pay the postage through and then I shall be shure to get your (letter).
In case you intend to come out this way, you can get passage from the Port of Boston by the regular line of packets which are constantly running to Honolulu. Or you can get a passage from New Bedford in a whaler bound direct to these Islands.
I am very anxious to hear from you, and therefore I wish you to write immediately. And on the reception of your letter I will make preparations for your arrival in case you make up your mind to come.
You may rest assured that you shall not be disappointed in my offer in case you will come.
I will now bid you good bye for the present, wishing you all the Happiness of this World. Please give my best respects to our friends, and believe me …
Your Ever Affectionate Brother
Lorenzo B. Lincoln
Letter number two
Dear Sister
Your letter dated November 12, 1859 came to hand January 20, 1860. I take the earliest opportunity to answer the same, informing you these lines leaves me in good health, hopeing they will find you all the same.
My tongue is hardly able to express my joy in receiving a letter from you, written to a long absent brother, far from his home. But it is my own fault and (I) have made my bed .. so on it I must lie.
You all recollect I rote to father October 5, 1842. For the same I received no answer. That gave me reasons to believe that you had blotted me from your memorys for reasons best known to yourselves. If I have ronged you by harbouring those thoughts, you must forgive me, for it was many long years after before I heard the least tidings from any one of you.
At length, I happened to fall in with Mr. Harry Phillips. He informed me my father was dead, but the rest of the family were all in good health, excepting sister Hannah.. he could not give me any information whatever respecting her. That gave me reasons to believe she had located in some other part of the country, or was dead.
The information that I received from Mr. Phillips gave me encouragement to take up my pen again and try if I could rouse some of my friends from there slumber; as well as myself.
My letter dated November 1858 to brother Nedebiah had the desired effect. He immediately rote me an answer, which I received in forty nine days, informing me that you were all happy and well and had not departed this world for a better one.
Judge then my joy at receiving brother’s letter! My health and strength has been improving ever since. I am looking forward dayly for the time when I shall be able to imbark for the States to pay you all (a) visett. I live in hopes if I die in despair, although there is one thing positive. That is, if I do not sell off some of my property for cash, I shall not be able to come there.
I have a nice little farm of five hundred and twenty acres, all enclosed with a good fence – mostly stone – well wooded and well watered with a good fertile soil, and pretty well stocked with cattle, say one hundred and ten head of milking cattle, as tame and as good as any of you will find in your barn yards at home, quite a number of horses, pigs and poultry the same as would be found in general on a farm at home.
In a word, I can say that I have a good living without doing any work myself. I was once happy here, butt I shall never be again untill I see you all. Since brother rote to me, my mind has been with you all, although my body is located in the mountains of Hawaii.
Ned advised me to write to sister Hannah, which I should have done long ago, had I have known where sis was located, or to what name to have directed my letters to. On the reception of brother’s letter, I immediately rote to sister Hannah. For the same, I have had no answer up to the present. I hope sis does not intend to pay me in my own coin and not answer me at all. If she can’t write, let her do as I sometimes do: call a neighbor in to write for her. However, today I have been my own scribe.
I must close by sending my dearest love to you all.
Your Affectionate Brother
Lorenzo B. Lincoln
Kawaihae, Sandwich islands
January 26, 1860
Hawaii, Sandwich Islands
November 1st 1858
Dear Brother Nedebiah
It is now some within a trifle of 25 years since I left home. I have been here at these islands for 22 years and I have raised quite a family.
Here I have living now 4 children, all boys. My wife was a Native of these Islands. I have lived with her for a number of years until within this last six months when I got a divorce from her in consequence of her misconduct.
I am now quite alone and in want of some assistance. I will now endeavor to give you some idea of my present circumstances.
I am the sole owner of the following property: 520 acres of land well adapted to grazing. I had a dairy on the place for some years. I can realize say $800 a year from this dairy. I also have 100 head of good tame milking cattle (and) some six head of horses.
The property (is) situated in a good place near a good market for all that I can raise. The climate is fine and the place is capable of more than I am able to make of it in my present state of health.
I should much like for you to come out here and live with me. If you can make up your mind to come – with your family, if you have any – I will make you ½ owner of all that I possess here immediately on your arrival here.
In case you receive this and make up your mind to come out here, don’t delay any time in doing so. But if you are situated so that you cannot come, please write me as soon as you receive this, that I may know how you are getting along, and also I wish you to write what has become of all the relatives.
I saw Harvey Philips some 15 months since, and he gave me some account of my friends at home. He told me that you was teaming for the railroad company.
Now I wish you – immediately upon reception of this letter – to write me and let me know positively whether you can come out here or not. Please direct your letters to Lorenzo B. Lincoln, Kawaihae, Sandwich Islands, in care of G.W. Macy. Pay the postage through and then I shall be shure to get your (letter).
In case you intend to come out this way, you can get passage from the Port of Boston by the regular line of packets which are constantly running to Honolulu. Or you can get a passage from New Bedford in a whaler bound direct to these Islands.
I am very anxious to hear from you, and therefore I wish you to write immediately. And on the reception of your letter I will make preparations for your arrival in case you make up your mind to come.
You may rest assured that you shall not be disappointed in my offer in case you will come.
I will now bid you good bye for the present, wishing you all the Happiness of this World. Please give my best respects to our friends, and believe me …
Your Ever Affectionate Brother
Lorenzo B. Lincoln
Letter number two
Dear Sister
Your letter dated November 12, 1859 came to hand January 20, 1860. I take the earliest opportunity to answer the same, informing you these lines leaves me in good health, hopeing they will find you all the same.
My tongue is hardly able to express my joy in receiving a letter from you, written to a long absent brother, far from his home. But it is my own fault and (I) have made my bed .. so on it I must lie.
You all recollect I rote to father October 5, 1842. For the same I received no answer. That gave me reasons to believe that you had blotted me from your memorys for reasons best known to yourselves. If I have ronged you by harbouring those thoughts, you must forgive me, for it was many long years after before I heard the least tidings from any one of you.
At length, I happened to fall in with Mr. Harry Phillips. He informed me my father was dead, but the rest of the family were all in good health, excepting sister Hannah.. he could not give me any information whatever respecting her. That gave me reasons to believe she had located in some other part of the country, or was dead.
The information that I received from Mr. Phillips gave me encouragement to take up my pen again and try if I could rouse some of my friends from there slumber; as well as myself.
My letter dated November 1858 to brother Nedebiah had the desired effect. He immediately rote me an answer, which I received in forty nine days, informing me that you were all happy and well and had not departed this world for a better one.
Judge then my joy at receiving brother’s letter! My health and strength has been improving ever since. I am looking forward dayly for the time when I shall be able to imbark for the States to pay you all (a) visett. I live in hopes if I die in despair, although there is one thing positive. That is, if I do not sell off some of my property for cash, I shall not be able to come there.
I have a nice little farm of five hundred and twenty acres, all enclosed with a good fence – mostly stone – well wooded and well watered with a good fertile soil, and pretty well stocked with cattle, say one hundred and ten head of milking cattle, as tame and as good as any of you will find in your barn yards at home, quite a number of horses, pigs and poultry the same as would be found in general on a farm at home.
In a word, I can say that I have a good living without doing any work myself. I was once happy here, butt I shall never be again untill I see you all. Since brother rote to me, my mind has been with you all, although my body is located in the mountains of Hawaii.
Ned advised me to write to sister Hannah, which I should have done long ago, had I have known where sis was located, or to what name to have directed my letters to. On the reception of brother’s letter, I immediately rote to sister Hannah. For the same, I have had no answer up to the present. I hope sis does not intend to pay me in my own coin and not answer me at all. If she can’t write, let her do as I sometimes do: call a neighbor in to write for her. However, today I have been my own scribe.
I must close by sending my dearest love to you all.
Your Affectionate Brother
Lorenzo B. Lincoln
Kawaihae, Sandwich islands
January 26, 1860
Updated 10/04/21