August 31, 1861. Willies 24^th birthday. Kate Wilson came in the morning. In the afternoon Mother went to Mary Fleming. After tea it rained so that Willie did not start of the “Bar,” we all sat around the parlor table, Willie and Davis sang some pieces.

August 30, 1861. In the morning Mother & Aunt Julia sat in my room with me. In the afternoon Aunt J & Willie went to Mrs. Reeds & Mother & I were all ready to go & meet there when a rain came up. Aunt J left on the cars after tea for “Cherry Lake” after the boys returned from the Cars they with Mother sat on the piazza and I wrote to Winston.

[Octavia Stephens to Winston Stephens]

                                                                                                Jacksonville Aug 30, 1861 

                Well my dear husband I am seated to write my first letter to you since we have been married. The four boys have just returned from seeing Aunt Julia off in the cars & they with Mother have gone in the piazza to let me write. I will begin to night though I may not finish until morning.

                I must now tell you of our trip.  the musquitoes did not quite run us off the boat at Palatka but the heat would not permit us to sleep.  Rosa was very restless, and Tina & I sat up in the dark until midnight, when it turned cooler, but the next day was almost suffocating and the ladies and sick children, negroes, &c poured in at nearly every landing after we left Palatka, but all became "sort of" acquainted & made it pleasanter. Mrs. Ledwith got on at Magnolia & Mr. Fleming & Mary got on at Hibernia, then Mrs. Douglas, Mrs. Reed & Lou at their place, the last two hours passed very pleasantly, and a rain came up just as we arrived at the wharf, and the boys came on board & all waited awhile together, and we came in the house & found Mother & Aunt Julia looking out of the dining room window for us, & first Mrs. Maxey popped out to get the first kiss, then snatched Rosa and went through her room with her, and such a crying of where is that baby, that little darling, then the exclamations of, oh the beauty, oh the darling &c &c. and there has been a clattering of tongues ever since, but all has calmed off a little now. Aunt Julia looks the same as ever, and left a great many messages for you which I will try to remember up when I get home, when she was going she gave me three or four hearty kisses & said those are for Winston, then kissed me. But do not think that in all my joy I have forgotten Ma for I tried to give her my first attention until she left us. We delivered her & the girls safely into Jessup’s hands at Magnolia, we went to the side of the boat with her & just shook hands with Jessup. I did not think her quite so well that morning, Alabama had no more fever.

                Willie arrived here the day before me, and leaves to morrow (his birthday).   He seems very fond of Rosa, takes a great deal of notice of her taking her all around &c, so also does Davis, he brought her a rattle to day, and all are very much pleased with her, Davis says you must come for me, or I can not go, that he is very sorry you did not come.  Mother sends lots of love and says you were a nice boy to let your little wife come, but wanted you to come too, & that she agrees with you that Rosa is the greatest baby in the world.

                Henry has some plum, figs & grape cuttings for you & says do you want them?  oh before I forget it, after having two different coops of chickens brought up, & the last wings cut let out, and just ready to kill two, we found out that our chickens were not put on the boat at Welaka, if such was the case can not Burrel send them next week? For she wants them very much Mother and I were to meet Aunt Julia & Willie at Mrs. Reeds this afternoon, & W was to get the things for you, but a rain came up just as I had my bonnet & all on, & prevented my going, but Willie will get them in the morning. 

                Fluid is $1.50 a gallon I will not get any unless you say so.  Factory thread sells for $1.25 a bundle which is five pounds, & in much demand.  I can not write you any war news, I suppose you will know more than me. I am very anxious to hear from you, about your back, please take care of yourself, & tell me exactly how you are. Well my dear I will close for to night & leave this open until tomorrow, in case I have forgotten anything & of course I have, good night my dear I wish you could be with us.

                Good morning my dear, I would like so much to know how you are this morning and what doing, please do not work too hard. My mouth this morning is broken out with blisters. I think it must be because Aunt Julia gave me so many kisses for you, “she kissed so hard she raised two blisters.” I hear coffee being ground, or at least not coffee, but grist. I find it very nice although I have no yet had milk in it.

                Rosa is still richer Aunt Julia gave her another dollar, and a dark calico dress for Winter. She came to take charge of Uncle George’s children negroes, I wish she could have stayed longer seeing her seems like a dream. Oh please write me what you told me about the taxes. What was to be done the morning I get home, do they collect the taxes? Aunt J wants you to make Dr. Carrel pay taxes and look after the place at least, if not no use for him to be there. Well good bye.  Ever affectionately

                                                                                                Your Wife

Aug 29, 1861.  Ma & the girls got off at Magnolia about 12 o'clock.  Jessup was there to take them to Middleburg.  Mr. Fleming and Mary got on the boat at Hibernia, & Mrs Douglas, Mrs Reed and Lou at their place. A rain came up just as the boat reached Jacksonville, the boys came on board to meet me and we had to wait awhile until the rain was over, when we got to the house found Mother and Aunt Julia looking out the window for up & we came the other way. Tina went to her brother’s. After tea Mrs. Douglas, Mrs. Reed, Mrs. Burritt Campbell, Mrs. Foster, Mr. & Mrs. Hewitt, Mr. John Hewitt & Mr. Denny, Mrs. Gower came.

Aug 28, 1861.  In the morning Ma, Ida, and Alabama & Ben went to Tina's.  Winston & I had dinner at eleven & went to Tina's then to the office & got some books then to the wharf where we waited sometime for the boat, then Ma, Ida, Alabama, Tina, Lewis, Minnie, Rosa & I left on the boat. Arrived in Pilatka about five o’clock. Tina & I went on shore to buy something.

August 27, 1861. [no entry]

August 26, 1861. Winston went to town. Alabama sick again.

August 25, 1861. Tina went home soon after breakfast, Toady came back with Ben. Alabama sick.

August 24, 1861. Tina & Minnie came to spend the day, it rained do they could not go home. Mr. Tyner & Mr. Simmons took dinner here they came to arrange about the Gin.

August 23, 1861. Willie S. & Lewis spent the day brought some milk & beef from Tina.

August 22, 1861. [no entry]

August 21, 1861. Winston went to town.

August 20, 1861. [no entry]

August 18, 1861. Clark Tina, Toady & Minnie spent the day with us.

August 15, 1861. [no entry]

August 16, 1861. [no entry]

August 17, 1861. [no entry]

August 14, 1861. Winston went to town sent Mother three melons.

August 13, 1861. [no entry]

August 12, 1861. Henry’s 14^th birthday. Winston went to town brought a muslin dress for me from Mother. Ma sick. Letter from Lou & Mother.

August 11, 1861. Clark Tina & Minnie & Ma & her two girls came over.

August 10, 1861. [no entry]

August 9, 1861. Winston returned in the afternoon. Did not have great success.

August 6, 1861. Winston took Burrel & Tom & started for Volusia Bar fishing in the morning.

August 5, 1861. Winston & Toady went to town.

August 4, 1861. Toady came over & brought some fish from Tina.

August 3, 1861. In the afternoon Winston & Ben went aligatoring got nothing but a good wetting.

August 2, 1861. Ben returned. Winston weighs 145 lbs. Rosa 21 & I 102.

August 1, 1861. Ben went to carry Ma to Dean’s Lake on business.