Phebe Downing letter to Thomas Rotch, Cedarswamp, Long Island, 3rd of 12 mo 1821

              B-50-3
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                  Cedarswamp  Long Island 3rd of 12 mo 1821

 The time has long elapsed since we have received any account from our endeared Friends whom we love in the truth, you feel sometimes like bone of our bone, etc, yet so it is, some who are near and dear are far seperated while in the body. I will now give you a little account of our situation as to health mydear Silas pretty well as present considering his advanced time of life yet has not been freed from some infirmities of body since you were with us, as to my self, I have been quite unwell for about three weeks mostly confined to the house, I believe occasioned by taking a sudden cold, was sent for to our dear Daughters on account of their previous little infant being very ill, whom I attended as long as he remained with us which was but a few days struggling with a very trying disorder; dear Sarah feels her loss to be very great, taken from the breast a time sensibly felt by a tender Mother; yet I think she has been much favoureed with a quiet resignation of mind mostly.  I conclude dear Thomas [illegible] remember our Son Stephen & wife being [illegible] house with their little Daughter Phebe who was very fond of him often up in his lap, she was taken a little before Samuel & Sarah and in a few days of extreme suffering was taken from her tender Parents which has been and still remains a very close trial to them. it has been an unusual time with us, our two grand Children one of Henery Coles & one of my Nephew Jacob Valentines all taken away in less than four weeks with the same complaint. I may add a grand child of Elias Hicks with the same the Doctor calld it the Hives and