The following letter was written by 19 year-old Aura M. Hugunin (1827-1914), the daughter of Robert H. Hugunin (1792-1862) and Eleanor Waring (1804-1873) of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois. Aura’s father was a veteran of the War of 1812, a ship owner, and also a ship captain, sailing out of Chicago. Aura was married twice; first to Calvin D. Bristol (1817-1852), and second to Ephraim Holton (1814-1865). Both husbands were born in New York State.

From the letter we learn that Aura had only recently relocated from New York State to Chicago with her family which included not only her parents, but younger siblings named William (b. 1829), Robert (b. 1835), and Caroline (b. 1839). On the passage down Lake Michigan, the steamboat stopped at Southport (which is present day Kenosha) where Aura was persuaded to spend a few days with her uncle “General Hugunin” and his family. I believe this was Daniel Hugunin, Jr. (1790-1850) who served as a US Congressman from New York State in the late 1820s.

Aura wrote the letter to her friend, Elizabeth Gladwin (b. 1830), the daughter of William H. Gladwin (1797-1876) and Eleanor M Daniels (1802-1874) of Sacket’s Harbor.

Aside from her description of the trip from Sacket’s Harbor, New York, to Chicago Illinois, by way of railroad and steamboat, Aura shares her fist impressions of Chicago which were not very favorable. “It is a very large city but not a very genteel one. Everything looks so common to me—the streets so dirty. But it is all hurly burly. The greatest business place you ever saw. Everyone seems to be about crazy-looking and running every which way. ” And then she added, “The gentlemen look about as the city does—rather unpolished. You needn’t think that I am going to fall in love with the hoosiers here, I can tell you, for I have stood unmoved in more polished circles.”

Transcription

Chicago [Illinois]
Sunday, June 6th 1847

Dear Elizabeth,

Agreeably do I fulfill the promise we contracted when we last parted; and having somewhat recovered from the fatigue and excitement of our journey and once more get set down and collecting scattering thoughts, my mind wanders back to Sacket’s Harbour and happily do I say that I left you all reluctantly and with feelings of soul felt gratitude to most of you for while we lived at your place I was dependent upon the treatment of others for my enjoyment and I was perfectly satisfied that in my case, the old adage was more than verified (that merit meets with its own reward). And if my conduct was worthy to warrant kindness and friendship from my acquaintances, it shows plainly that they are charitable; and do by others as they would wish others to do by them, and I will try to do justice to their feelings.

Now I must tell you, Libbie, how we all are and how we enjoyed our [journey] through the lakes. You will know that we enjoyed ourselves when I tell you that we were not sick a bit the whole way and that was almost a miracle for I never went the length of Lake Ontario without being very seasick before. We were just a week and one night getting to Chicago.

Monday evening we left Sacket’s and the next morning if I did not have my lunch [ ] to Oswego. I went up to Cousin Henry’s where I visited last summer and took breakfast and returned to the boat to receive calls as the news got there before we did that we were on our way to Chicago and we had the pleasure of seeing all our relations and friends and to bid them goodbye and I left Oswego very tired but pleased that we had seen all our friends. We had a delightful time to Lewiston with but one exception—that is we had to get up in the morning about three o’clock (and oh, I was so sleepy) to take the morning train of cars to Buffalo.

We got to Niagara Falls at sunrise. We stayed to breakfast and had a tramp or a regular romp over and round about the falls for there was a great many of us. Tore off one of the souls to my shoes and returned to the hotel where in a minute, our came the roaring iron horse a puffing and blowing with all vengeance, and into the box or whatever it is, we all tumbled and on we went as though we were never to stop and in an hour and a half we were in Buffalo. We spent the day there—was all over the town. Was shopping all day a buying a little of nothing. Had a call—a good long one—from Dr. Hunter, and in the evening went aboard of the steamboat Oregon, there to remain till we got to Chicago. We found the very steamboat we were anxious to take. She had only five hundred passengers but there was plenty of room. The Upper Lakes boats are magnificent. They are nicer than I imagined. There are indeed a “floating palace.” They always carry a band of music with them and a beautiful piano and an elegant sounding one. But they go to such an extreme in dissipation; they dance aboard every night and such bewitching music. It is such a temptation one can hardly refuse—[especially for] one that is as fond of dancing as I be.

We were disappointed in our visit to Cleveland for the boat was belated at Buffalo half a day so we remained in Cleveland only an hour. It was almost a calm, the lakes was, till we got to Lake Huron when it poured down rain as though we needed it on the lake. But my only trouble was that it would blow for it was just dark and they were clearing the saloon for dancing. But it did not discommode us in the least and everything went on finely.

The next morning was Sunday and I was waked up from my slumbers by the boats stopping and it proved that we had got to the Manitou Island to take on wood and in a few minutes I was up and ashore. And such a delightful walk as the clerk of the boat and my own dear self did have was not to be beat. We went along the beach where the most beautiful pebbles and shells was. The boat lay there three or four hours. Sunday evening was spent at Sheboygan on Lake Michigan. It was a bright moonshiny night and I was up in town and I enjoyed it beyond description. The next morning was in Milwaukee. Had a visit from Mr. Hopkins. The boat laid there all the forenoon. Our next stopping place was to Racine and the next was to Southport where General Hugunin’s family reside and one of my cousins happened aboard and nothing would do but I must stop and so I did and they kept me till last Monday [when] cousin escorted me to Chicago.

We come from Southport on the Hendrick Hudson—the most elegant boat of the whole and never did I behold so much splendor. We went aboard Monday at two o’clock and Tuesday morning was in Chicago to breakfast. Danced all the evening as a matter of course. I never was more pleased with a visit than I was at Southport.

Goodbye and ever remain your affectionate friend, — Aura M. Hungunin

Now Elizabeth, you will write to me as soon as you get this, won’t you? It seems as though I could hardly wait as long but I shall be obliged to. But remember that I am very impatient and not delay. You will forgive this horrible writing, won’t you, for if you know what a rickety old pen I have got, you would make all due allowance. Give my love to Clarissa and Maryett Pickering, if you please. Tell them to fulfill their promise in writing. Have you not thought how queer Maria treated me that night? I got all over it after the boat left the wharf two minutes and had a hearty laugh at her expense. Such child-like freaks but they are most intolerable. Ma says give my love to Mrs. Gladwin and Elizabeth, and Caroline says give mine too. I spent the evening with Dr. Hudson and his sister and Miss Luff Friday. It was indeed a Sacket’s Harbour party. They were over to see Emma Wilder. They said she was larger than her mother. No doubt.

I have become acquainted with Mr. Root, Samuel Root’s brother, and I am as much fascinated with his appearance as I was his brother and you know how much I was captivated they other way. The gentlemen look about as the city does—rather unpolished. You needn’t think that I am going to fall in love with the hoosiers here, I can tell you, for I have stood unmoved in more polished circles. I want you should remember me with a great deal of love to your mother. Tell Walter that I think Robert would appreciate his society now if he could have the privilege of enjoying it again. He is rather lonely but will soon commence school. Ma will go East in August so you will see her. Goodbye. — Aura

Since I saw you I have been in [ ] with the toothache but had it extracted last Saturday so I am happy again…

I have yet said nothing about how I liked Chicago for I have not been long enough in the city to know but one thing. I think I am quite certain that I do not like very much the appearances. It is a very large city but not a very genteel one. Everything looks so common to me—the streets so dirty. But it is all hurly burly. The greatest business place you ever saw. Everyone seems to be about crazy-looking and running every which way. Mother and I have both been homesick and Father makes all sorts of fun of us. Father comes in every day [and says,] “Mother, do you want to go back.” “Yes,” we cry. “Well,” he says, “you may go” (next Christmas, I suppose) but after we get acquainted perhaps we shall like it better. Dr. Maxwell and his lady were over to see us last week.