1854 02 01 John S. Carrick to esteemed friend

                                                Shortcreek    Feb 1^st AD 1854

Respected and much esteemed friend 

       I regret to communicate to you the mournful

 intelligence that unkle John departed this life

 this morning at half past six o’clock  

 the funeral is to take place tomorrow

 at ten.  he suffered very much for the

 last five or six days.  I defer writing any

mor til I know what disposition he

 has made of his property.

Feb 6^th  the friends are all well

 at present so farr as I know

   I will now give you an account of

 the will as near as I can mind  it was

 read on friday the third and was as follows

    first to unkle David one hundred

dollars  next to aunt Nancy Parr 150 dollars

 next to aunt Livina Andrews 150       “  

 next to aunt Margaret 150 dollars togather

 with one bead and beading  the bureau

 one set of chairs hir chois one cow hir chois

 and the cupboard and cupboardware 

  next to Father the farm providing he will

 provide a living for aunt Margaret either

 in his own family or in the house where he

 died and pay the other legacyes.

  next he gave to Father two family bibles and

 Scots Commentary to Samuel Parr all of

 flavels works to Aunt Lavina bucks

 dictionary an Alexanders Sermons.  the balance

 of his books is to be equally divided among

 his brothers and sisters now living togather

 with

myself.  that is all I get.  his sadle

 and wach he gave to William C Carrick

                             paps William  

I have give you the outlines of the will

 as near as I can recollect aunt Margaret

 has not determined yet whether she will

 go to fathers to live or stay in the house

  unkle David and aunt betsy are trying

 to make a fuss but they cant get at it

 rite  they say that it is not unkle John

 will that it is Fathers and Mothers.  they

 say that they are a going to prove that

unkle John was not fit to make a will and

concequently break the will but I think that

 they will fail their.  I think that the less

 that they can say the beter  they will fair

   nothing more at preasant but still

 remain your sincer well wisher

write soon and let me know how

 you are getting along

  I will writ again as soon as I can

 tell you what is a going to be done

 and what aunt Margaret is

 going to do

   that is all for the present

John S Carrick