Page 1

Otsego Jan [11 1855]Dear Aunt

There appear to be names written in pencil in another hand between the dateline and the salutation. Their purpose or relevance is unclear.

I now retire from the busy scenes which surround me to the receipt of your letter which was received in due time it was perused with pleasure I can tell you for a long period had elapsed since we had heard from you I need not tell you the satisfaction there is in hearing from dearly loved friends which are by lofty hills and spreading vales which lie between us my health is not any good nor it has not been for the last two years past hard labor since I left Vermont has done its work for me so that I am almost good for nothing the rest of our family enjoy their usual health Father is teaching school this winter Lyman is at home I have one of Carseldanas children living with me he is a rougish little fellow he was four years old last August he is small of his age the other one lives with his Grand mother uncles Lemuel folks are well though uncles health is not good no time I think he is consumptive they buried their little Carlos last spring he died with the whooping cough it has been very sickly here the past season and very dry too perhaps you would like to know the price of produce with us wheat is 150 corn 90 potatoes 50 cents and other things in proportion stock was very [high]

all summer but prices are greatly reduced now we have had a little snow here but at the present time the ground is bare you stated in your letter that cousin Ellen Colton was with you give my respects to her tell her that although we never had the pleasure of meeting I should be greatly pleased to correspond with her Give my love to Mary tell her that a line from her would not be thrown idly aside remember me to aunt Lydia Tell her to put her writing machine into motion once more and let me hear from her surely she cannot have forgotten me I still hold her red hair and short stature in my mind though no lines escapes her pen Give my love to uncle A tell him we should be highly pleased to have him come with you and see us there has been a protracted meeting in progress here which held two weeks several have experienced religion during the meting my husband is among the number truly I have reason to thank the Lord for his goodness and mercy remember us when you bow before the throne of grace O dear aunt truly there is a comfort when the toils of the day are ore and the shades of evening are closing over the face of the earth to bow together and offer our petitions to the Giver of all good that the world can not give nor take away my prayer to God is that we might live in the faithful discharge of our duty and when done with all here below meet you with all our friends that have gone where more parting will to noI must close you to write often

from your unworthy nieceBetsey V Jagua to Ruth A Fletcher