Scope and Contents

Chester A. and Ellen L. H[erndon] Arthur's son, William Lewis Herndon [Arthur], died at the age of 2 years and 6 months; notices of the funeral services will be in tomorrow's papers; Mr. Van Ness came from T[tea] this evening; he did not know that Matthwe and his family had come back from Hornellsville [?] until he told him; took his and her Tax Returns for Income and for Plate to the Assessor; and together they both owe $1,601.02; this Plate Tax is for [18]63; (9 July) plans to go the funeral for Mr. and Mrs. Arthur's son tomorrow; it rained hard last night; spoke with Walker about Mr. Anderson, who is at odds with Mr. Bigland [Walker's former employer]; Mr. B[igland] is involved in 7 law suits; they also spoke about the war; Walker thinks that the South will not consent to a Re-union, and he thinks that opposition between several confederacies would be good for the people; Walker thinks that a Pres[ident] like Abraham Lincoln is the result of 80 years of prosperity, but that rivalries between several confederacies makes it necessary to put men of superior talent in power; this is the English view of the war; is glad that he and Walker had that talk; Ann asked them to help her prevent some water from flooding the basement; the weather is very nice today; Mary asked him when Sarah was coming home, and he told her that he didn't know, but it did not matter to him how long she stayed away; encloses a note from Elizabeth [not present]; Matthew plans to invite Col[onel] Gilpin to come to Cornwall to see his mother and sisters; there is another battle No[rth] of the Potomac, and Lee is holding his ground; Col[onel] Gilpin came to dine with them tonight; after dinner rushed off to reach the P[ost] O[ffice] before it closed, but Walker had already been there to get the letters; told Walker that he wished he would not be so secretive; Walker apologized for having inconvenienced him; William said that he doubted that the Col[one]l would go to Cornwall; thinks it is awful that he has been here since Monday and has not tried to go see his mother, who may not live very much longer; a young gentleman called while he was napping to inform the family about the death of Mrs. Arthur's son and about the funeral; Walker did not ask the young man what the cause of the boy's death was; found this to be unsympathetic; received a letter from mr. Leech giving them power of Attorney to receive money for him; the "journal" method of writing letter is easier for him, because he does not forget things that way; is sorry that Mary Wakefield's eyes are bothering her; (10 [July] went to the funeral of the Arthur boy this afternoon; spoke with Mrs. Herndon, who told him the boy died of Water on the Brain. 12 pp. ALS