Henry Baker (1843-1911), the son of Henry Baker, Sr. (1808-Aft1860) and Anna P. (1814-Aft1860) of Hopewell, Mercer county, New Jersey, wrote the following letter in September 1861 from Wesleyan University—a Methodist affiliated college in Middletown, Connecticut. Shorty after he graduated he 1864, he was ordained a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church and he remained in the profession for 45 years.
Henry wrote the letter to his cousin, Sarah (“Sallie”) B. Taylor (1840-18xx), the daughter of Samuel Buell Taylor (1809-1870) and Margaret Head (1812-1880) of Upper Makefield, Bucks county, Pennsylvania.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Middletown [Connecticut]
Sunday afternoon, September 22, [1861]
Dear Sallie,
I now address myself to the long neglected duty of writing to you. Time has passed very rapidly and each hour having its allotted duty, correspondence has often been thrown aside, My not writing before has not arisen from any other cause than want of time. Nearly six weeks of college life have gone very swiftly indeed. It seems but yesterday when I first entered these halls and varied have been the experiences undergone since August 15th. My studies are these—Greek Aeschines on the Crown, Latin Cicero De Officiis, and Latin Composition, Trigonometry and Navigation Biblical Geography and Rhetoric, beside Composition and Declamation, so you see every moment is occupied.
The Sophomore class have more studying to do than any other class in college. And as I entered without the drill of last year, I have to study pretty hard. The Freshman Class number 58, the largest that ever entered. So you see hard times don’t affect Wesleyan.
The faculty I like very much—learned men and very pleasant and kind. The students also are a very nice collection of young men, about 140. Of course I don’t know all of them. The circle in which I have been thrown I like much. Most of the Psi U’s.
I belong to Prof. Knowles Society and Boarding Club. One of the members of our class—[Charles Washburn] Church—has a brother in Mr. [Capt. Daniel C.] Knowles’s Company. He spent several days with his brother before Col. [James H.] Perry’s regiment [48th New York Vols.] left for Washington. He told me that Mr. Knowles’s was the best company in the regiment and that Mr. Knowles was considered a very fine officer, much beloved by his men.
I have taken several strolls through the country and have been much benefited by them. Yesterday, Kelley wanted me to go to the Feldspar [or White Rock] Quarries about five miles from Middletown where some fine specimens can be obtained, but fearing the walk would be too much, I declined. Well, Kelley came back about 6 o’clock tired to death and nearly sick, I being very glad that I did not go.
My chum, Charles T. Reed, of whom you have some knowledge is kind; a little gassy and egotistical however. We get along quite pleasantly. How are you at Taylorsville? Is Aunt Sue home or at Moorstown? Please tell her that if I knew where she was, I would have answered her kind letter. I will do it as soon as I am informed of her whereabouts. Preset my compliments to Mr. and Mrs. Buckman. Hope young Elmer will be as good and half a man as his illustrious namesake.
Eight weeks more and this term will close and Providence permitting, I will be home, sweet home, and I can assure you that I will be by no means sorry. How precious do all my dear friends seem now that I am far removed from them. I hear from home that the [Pennington] Seminary is fast filing up, contrary to Dr.’s expectations. Those were halcyon days in truth passed at the Old Seminary. How they are prized now that they are passed, never to be recalled. There is not so much home feeling at college as there is in Seminaries. More class and society feelings a dividing up of those who ought to be united into parties and factions and yet this rivalry is pleasant. There have been several of conflicts between the Sophomore and Freshman classes, one of which threatened serious consequences for some time, but they were happily averted. Eight members of our class were suspended for two or three days. In these fracas’s of course, I am not engaged. They arise mostly from the endeavors of the Sophomores to haze the Freshmen.
Tell Aunt Sybil that I will answer to her letter tomorrow week. Write all the news. Direct to Henry Baker, Box 371, Middletown, Ct.
Love to all. The penmanship of htis resembles Aunt Sue’s.
Spared & Shared 23 