Yuma County, Colorado
Photographs

While Ella was here, she went with Jessie to take the treatments most of the time, Ella enjoyed going. After they would get through at the doctor's office, they would go up and see Dr. Holmes frequently, or take the car and go down in Ivywild to see Mrs. Hale. Dr Arnold is such a kind sympathetic man, and was so fatherly to Jessie. A woman who does nursing said he was "such a dear man", I thought that just expressed it, While Ella was here she and Stella and I went down one afternoon with Jessie and had her photograph taken. We all had such a pleasant afternoon together. Every one calls it a beautiful picture, Stella calls it a "soul picture,"

Stella came over and brought her sewing to sit by Jessie and give her her medicine. We started at two o'clock. We had a nice drive and a very pleasant visit. Frank took some pictures of the scenery in the Garden of the Gods. -- in one of which is Julia, George and myself on the rocks. We also drove into Glen Eyrie and enjoyed that very much, and we drove to Manitou. When we got home Jessie was just getting over a bad nose bleed and I was sorry I had gone. Aunt Marion was here with Stella and they had done just as well as I possibly could if I had been here, we telephoned for Dr. Arnold,

January 12, 1900

That evening before Jessie died Stella came over from Melvin's to see how Jessie was. She was then very low, almost gone. She went back home and went up stairs to her room hurriedly. There she was her own mother, grandma Sinton and Jessie. She said Jessie looked perfectly beautiful, she said she was so glad to be out of that sick body and if papa and mamma only knew how good she felt they would not feel so badly. Stella came down stairs and told Carrie Jessie had passed away. Carrie said she knew it as Melvin had just come in and said so. Stella has since told me that she has always been that way. She sees her father and mother frequently, she has spiritual vision. -she is one of the few who have it. A week ago last Wednesday evening (Jan 3, 1900) Carrie, Stella and I sat at my little sewing table in the sitting room and Jessie and mother wrote us some lovely letters.

There are some more letters written later from Grandma and Jessie which I will also copy, They were written about the first of February; these are from Jessie. Dear Mama - I am so glad you believe I come, it is so much easier for me to come to you. -- I asked her if she was with her sisters? "Yes, my sisters are with me, we have such a beautiful home". I asked her who it was she first saw the night when she died, "Grandma and mama Castle and there were lots of others." I asked her if the musical instruments there were like the piano. "No they are so different here, but I cannot tell you now." I asked her if she had a teacher in music, she said "The Great Master is our teacher, he is so gentle and O mama it is so easy to understand when he gives us his thoughts, when he plays it is so beautiful. We have our own homes. There are so many birds, they sing so perfectly here, Oh you don't know how good it feels to be so well and fine". I asked do you see Christ often? "Yes I see him often, if I just whisper his name he comes to me." I asked, do you have pretty places like the Canyons here? "There are lots of pretty places, so many banks of soft grass and flowers and trees and little silvery streams of water. We play out on the banks with the babies. Dear mama tell Mrs. Laurie I see her baby often, it crows and laughs and is so sweet. I told her I was going to give each one of the girls her photo, she said "Yes I know, I am glad; I put that thought in your mind. I am with the girls sometimes." Jessie, I said, do you hear us when we sing. "Yes I am with you and sing too, but I cannot make you hear." I told her I saved a lock of her hair. She said, "my hair is so beautiful now." "You don't know how we enjoy coming to you. Grandma is here; we came in a large company. Tell Herbert and Ernest I often go with them to school. My love to all. How I love to have you give me a chance to talk with you in this way. Good-night -- Jessie Sinton. Herbert and Ernest wanted me to ask Jessie some questions for them. Ernest wanted to know if she had wings. She said "we do not have wings but we can go rapidly, without any particular motion. The Angels have wings, but we are the Redeemed of the Lord and are different." Herbert wanted to know if they ate anything "We do eat fruit sometimes, but we do not need to; we eat from enjoyment." Herbert wanted to know if she petted the kitty any. "Yes Herbert I like to pet kitty now." He wanted to know if she could help him to be a better boy. I can help him and if he remembers I am with him much it will help him to remember." I asked if her sisters were nice "O mama I am so happy with my sisters; they are so lovely." I asked if floating in the air was as nice as riding a bicycle. She said, "it is so much nicer you cannot imagine how good it is to be so free and move so quickly and easily." I told her I had a little pin with her photo, in it. "Yes I know I like the little photograph". "I often hear you speak my name and come to you," she said. "O Mama I do surely come, do not doubt it, for it will make it harder for me to come. Tell Pearl I have shown her some glimpses of my new home. I wish you would sing more, I enjoy it so much, we are so much nearer in spirit then." I told her I had found "The Bird's Christmas Carol" a little book of hers that we had not been able to find for a long time. I told her it made Herbert and Ernest and I think some of her. She said, "I remember, that was a sweet story. It is so nice to think I never shall have another pain." I asked her if she practiced considerable, she said "Yes I practice every day. I am glad you told Mrs. Saurie I take her baby to her. I would like to have Stella with you. I hope you can see me. O papa how I have enjoyed this evening, being so near you." Jessie, I said, I have three boys this winter to care for and manage, I wish you would help me. "Yes, she said, I will help you all I can, we can help you more from this side than from the other, because we understand better." Jessie, I said, help the boys to get along together. She said "Yes mama I will help them I have been staying with mama Castle for a week-, she has such a lovely flower garden. I have been so happy with her; I am glad Stella is going to college.

came across additional information concerning the children of Samuel Dickerman Castle. This source lists the following children and dates--Chloe 1808, Grace Angeline 1810, Samuel 1812, Giles 1814, Harriet 1816, Sarah 1818, Orlando 1822, Almira 1824, Orson 1825, Elmira 1828, Flora 1831, and Polly 1835. You had listed of course Harriet, Giles, Sarah, and Samuel with a date of 1822 for Samuel. You seem as though you make sure to document your work, and the source of the additional information may not be so careful, I don't know. My question to you is to ask if you too had heard of these additional children.

As always, thank you so much for your information.

James Castle