Reminiscences of Phebe CAMPBELL HOYT (1832 - 1917)

Nelson Aug 4 1907
Written by
Phebe Campbell Hoyt

Some of the things I remember up to the present time.

I will try and tell what I can remember of my school days. The school house was up the Thorn Bottom Creek a half mile from our home, us Children and Uncle James Campbell's children almost enough to make the school. we always went to gather, uncle James had a saw mill just above the house where Arthur Stevens now lives. we would stop at the old mill and ride on the log as it was carried back and fourth.

Uncle would send us on to School to take up our tasks for the day. I can remember the different teachers but they are to numerous to mention but one Mr. Jewell. We all loved him dearly. those were our happy days. I can remember the Books. I think they were Cobs Spelling Book, Vales History, kirkums Grammer, Peter Tarlys geography and our pens were goose quills. the benches were made of slabs and it was from that Old log school house that most of us Children graduated.

there was two more Saw Mills one up by Clark Brooks another up by Alva Baxters.

I can remember when our church [Beecher's Island Presbyterian Church] was built how Father uncle James Campbell and uncle John Hazlett worked for days to get everything on hand I remember the day the Church was raised. what a busy time. Mother and Aunt Mary done the baking and it was carried down in a bushel basket. us children all went. we were as much interested as the older ones.

I remember when the Church was dedicated it was a Sollom and holy day and then I remember how our dear Mother would get every thing ready for Sabath morning for we never thought of staying at home for we all went to Church and Sabath School.

I remember Grandfather's tannery. the Carding Mill and fulling Mill and the old log tavern. all these I remember well.

Our dear mother. how hard she worked for her family of twelve Children we were brought up to work and I am glad that we were trained that way. when the work was done for the night we would gather around the fire and have apples and pop corn. Mother and the older girls would work. us younger ones would knit or read. the boys would play games and Father would read until it was time for evening prayers

we were all happy and at home but there came a change. we began to have homes of our own and leave the dear old home. we were all gone and Mother was left alone for Father had gone to a better home. in a few years our mother was taken and the old house was closed oh how we all missed the old home and Mother.

as the years went by what changes have been wrought our children have grown up. around us and they to have gone to homes of their own and we are Grand Parents

there is so many things I can remember

the dreadful time of 1861 when the war broke out. those awful years. Fathers Husbands Brothers all had to go and their families left on their farms to do the best they could it was Trying times we lived in Farmington [Township, Tioga Co., PA] from the stone House up to Mr. Ruben Close there was then familys that the Husband was gone to the war most every family had one or two small children

We had to work out of doors as well as in the house it was a very cold winter and our Cattle had to be fed and I for one had to do the chores my Self for my son was but two years old there is one thing I have been requested to mention. I was not going to tell of that. we had a field of oats it was impossible to get any one to help so with the help of a little boy ten years old to throw down the Sheaves I thrashed those oats my Self. young People can form some Idea of what we had to do.

Most of our beloved ones came back to us there is one that lies Sleeping at City Point My Brother in law M. D. Bossard. what a sad day when the news came that he was dead there is so many things I can remember but it tires me to write and perhaps you have heard enough

the Time now changes the Angel of death has visited most of our homes and taken some of our loved ones we are passing down the valley one by one. O May we all be prepared when the Summons comes. and my daily prayer is that our children will Cherish and protect our church. The Church our Fathers built and be an honour to this place and to the name of Campbell

Phebe Campbell Hoyt

[Transcribed by her great-grandson, Bill Thompson. There may have originally been more commas and periods that became invisible as the ink faded over these many years]