Lyman Colton to Ruth Fletcher, 1868 February 23
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It is a long time Since any communications have passed between us and hence we
know nothing of your welfare or you of ours Living as we do so far apart it
would seem that we ought to keep up a correspondence and by this means obtain
not only a knowledge of each others welfare but also an insight into the
transpiring events of the time in each others locality Why this has not been the
case is hard to tell without it be a mutual indisposition to write And after a
long silence again taking the pen with which to write & speak we scarcely
know how or where to commence A few general items however to begin with We are
having some rather cold weather for this western country this winter with a
tolerable share of good sleighing and until within a few weeks past it has been
quite healthy all around us
Now however there are several cases of
sickness of varioius types and grades withing our knowledge There are some well
to do farmers in our country and a short list of produce prices may be
interesting We quote as follows Wheat $2.40 & 2.50 per bush Corn 75 to 80
cts potatoes 50 to 75 Oats the same never beyond buckwheat 75 cts beans $2.00 to
$3.00 pork p. lb 12 1/2 to 15 cts lard 8 to 12 cts butter 25 & 35 Sometimes
40 cts per lb flour per bbl $10 to $14 & [ ] Eggs per day 25 to 30 cts Hay per ton $10 to $15 good cows from $30 to $40
Horses from $100 to $150 other grades of stock in proportion The reason for
wheat being So high in market is owing to the failure in raising a sufficient
supply for two or three years past.....There has been a good degree of interest
manifested in matters of religion among the various denominations of Christians
in this region of country during the winter so far and a protracted meeting is
in progress held by the
Methodists about 2 miles from this place with
somewhat favorable results so far But now to speak of our family matters for
this is intended to be in the line of what you may call a family letter Father
has been failing for some time and is now evidently slowly but surely wasting
away with (so far as we can see) no possible prospect of recovery We fear that
by the time spring opens he will leave us His disease is called Asthmatic
consumption Verona & her husband are in usual health Their little girl Sarah
Eveline is growing finely and begins to help her mother. Carseldana's two
children are getting to be quite sturdy boys Lyman and his wife are also in
usual health Their two children Annette Jane and Edwin Lyman are growing finely
the little boy has not been very well for a few days past Unkle Lemuel and
family are usually well although age with its infirmities is increasing upon him
His son Lemuel is taller than he is and much stronger
Now we wish to
know how you and Unkle Andrew are getting along in your old age And your
children although we have never seen them. They must have grown to be "helps, to
you in the affairs of life It would be indeed pleasing to see you after a lapse
of so may years but this privilege is at present and perhaps may be forever (so
far as this world is concerned) denied us but trusting in God we hope to meet in
a better world where there are no separations known Please give us all the
information you can with respect to all our dear relatives within your knowlege
Please write soon Permit us to express in some measure our sincere affection for
you all Hoping to hear from you soon and hoping also that these few lines may
reach you and find you all in good health and prosperity we crave the divine
benediction upon you and subscribe ourselves
Affectionately yours till we meet to part no more in the better land In behalf of the whole familyLyman. S. Colton