January 6, 1851

Home to Cincinnati

Jan 6^th: Monday.

The sun arose as usual but to shed its bright rays upon one sad heart. I was sad indeed that morning was to cause a separation of friends who might never meet again on this fair earth but thank God if faithful we shall meet above. I shed tears; I looked upon my right and then upon my left and still I saw many near and dear friends. I kissed them all but one whose lips will ne’er be pressed to mine. As I jumped into the coach I shed many a tear when I thought of the sweet place and the many near and dear friends I was about to leave. I had a pleasant journey down and arived at home at ½ 10 where found 2 gentlemen one of whom I trust may at some future day be my brother. I retired after performing my accustomed duties.

Home is Cincinnati, Ohio. Serena lives there with her father, her older sister Elizabeth (known as Libby), and her little brother Albert Henry. Libby is 19 years old and Albert Henry is 8 years old. A cousin, Elizabeth, stays with them from time to time. Their household also usually includes a maid and James, 25 year old laborer from Ireland (1850 U. S. census).

One of the two gentlemen is probably Thomas Edward Hunt, who will marry Serena’s sister in June. Thomas E. Hunt works at A.J. Mead &Co., a wholesale hardware dealer. He was 23 years old at the time of the 1850 U. S. Census. He boards at the Pearl Street House, located at the northeast corner of Pearl and Walnut (1850-51 Williams' Cincinnati Directory). The Pearl Street House is one of Cincinnati’s oldest hotels. There are plans to rebuild or enlarge it to extend it to the corner of Third Street. This hotel is near the wholesale stores, the public landing and the railroad depots (Cist 166).

The Lewis home is located on the corner of Webster and Broadway (1851-52 Williams' Cincinnati Directory). Most houses have not yet been assigned house numbers (street addresses). A city ordinance to be passed in 1853 will provide for numbers to be assigned to houses and buildings, for the occupants to be notified, and for the occupants to be required to post these numbers on the buildings. C.S. Williams, the publisher of the Cincinnati Directories, will be appointed to assign these numbers (1853 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory 437).

Cist, Charles. Sketches and Statistics of Cincinnati in 1851. Cincinnati: Wm. H. Moore & Co., Publishers, 1851. Print.

Williams, C. S. Williams’ Cincinnati Directory and Business Advertiser, for 1850-51. Cincinnati, Ohio: C. S. Williams – College Hall, 1851. Print.

Williams, C. S. Williams’ Cincinnati Directory, City Guide and Business Mirror. Cincinnati, Ohio: C. S. Williams – College Hall, 1853. Print.