My dear Husband

I have but a few minutes to write before the mail goes out this morning, but I will improve it if only to inform you of our safe arrival here yesterday about 6 o'clock P.M. I had a prosperous journey to Rochester.

Mr. Gordon was in the car & was very polite, checked my trunk at the Bridge. I lost nothing by missing the 11 o'clock train. Those who went in had to wait till till [sic] the 1 o'clock train came before they could proceed. A Mrs. Phelps of St. Catharines took a seat beside & went to Rochester. She was a very agreeable Lady. Frank Warren met me at the Depot & we walked up to the house. As Mrs. Warren was ready to start in the morning I left my trunk at the Depot. We started in the 8 o'clock express train had the company of two gentlemen as far as Albany. We were getting on very pleasantly as far as Manlius twelve miles this side of Syracuse when the Engine for some cause which I cannot understand leaped off the track dragging the Fender, the speed was so great that the fender was thrown off entirely & the whole train pulled over, no one was hurt, but we were detained 3/4 of an hour--I will finish tomorrow the letter must go this minute.

Good bye my very dear Husband

May no ill befall you in my absence

Lizzie²

¹ We have established the date by use of the Internet Calendar--April 3rd falls on a Thursday in 1856.

² Elizabeth Fuller McQuesten was originally from Boston, Massachussetts but moved to Hamilton after she married Dr. Calvin McQuesten on Dec. 22, 1853. During their courtship and their first years of marriage, Elizabeth seemed pleasant enough but grew more and more temperamental and demanding, harping on her husband and stepsons, particularly Isaac who tried to intervene on his father's behalf. She would often demand money and sometimes made threats to get what she wanted. She also attempted to coerce her husband into changing his will in her favour but Dr. McQuesten and his sons thwarted her with a trust deed (W0234) and secret will which granted her a basic annuity while her stepsons received all of their father's property and investments. See W-MCP5-6.351 for more details and links.