Mary Margaret De Lorimier Hodges

  General Notes:

The following letter was written to Frank Hodges by his wife Mary. dated Jan 4, 1886
My dear good Frank,
I feel discouraged very much today - and sad at the thought of leaving you all - it is hard - so hard that I must be laid away - I who wants to stay so bad - we have been so happy together, taken so much comfort too in our home - All will be broken up after I'm gone. I dread to think of going from you - my own dear husband - you have been good to me but particularly kind the last year - you won't forget me - will you? You will have a heavy burden to carry all aone - wish I could share it - but it can't be. Take good care of the children - you'll have to love them more than ever - and be ready to comfort them in their little troubles - try and have them be good - and teach them the one great aim is Heaven - you will need a great deal of patience with them. Oh how I want to stay with you - seems something must be done to prolong my life when I've so much to live for and am needed so much to keep you all together - Be good to Ma and comfort her all you can. I cannot write more - am too weak - but oh it is so hard to give you up my own love. Don't forget me and love me too. I've tried to be a good wife to you and was in hopes to have lived many years yet.
Good bye my dear Frank - you have all my love as ever
Your wife Mary.
(Written by Mary Margaret deLorimier Hodges to her husband Frank, just 6 weeks before she died leaving 4 children. Mary died Feb 22, 1886 age 41 years. Mary Margaret's Mother Sara Frances Hempstead deLorimier helped raise the children after her daughter Mary died.

Mary married Francis (Frank) Leroy Hodges, son of Cyrus Hodges and Ruey C. Barlett Hodges, on 23 Apr 1867 in Clayton, IA. (Francis (Frank) Leroy Hodges was born on 22 Jul 1844 in Big Rock, Ill and died on 9 Mar 1910 in Belle Plaine, SD.)