to Mr.
David Andrews Newvill Richland County, Ohio
from
William J Parr LaSalle, Peru Illinois Jan 6, 1855
Mr.
David Andrews
Dear
Sir, I was verry agreeable surprised a
few days ago by receiving a letter from
you, and
am verry happy to improve this first opportunity to answer it. We are all well as
usual. Mothers health is verry poore indeed, she is
verry much afflicted with […….]
complaint,
which renders her verry helpless she
cannot walk and has not for more than
four
years and in all probability never will again, her apetite is generally good,
she is not
able to
sew or knot [knit?] her arms are so much affected. Father is moderately well, though he
is
failing verry fast from […….] [……..] [……] especialy in winter. Brother James and
family
are well they have two children, both boys, one is three years old and the othr
one
is nine
months. They live verry near to us.
Sister Jane Delatour is living in Granville,
four
miles from us, they have four children
they are all well at present
three boys and a
girl Sister Mary Robinson is living near
Platville, Wisconsin I payed them a
visit last
November they was all well they have six children, two [….] […..] five
girls and one
boy.
We have
had a verry severe winter since the first of January and continues so, plenty
of
snow,
good slighing all the while we are
verry anxious to see some of you, and indeed
all of
you, we live in sight of a railroad, but
it is seven miles to the nearest depot which is
Peru. You wished to know what the prospect would be
for getting a skool in this vicinity.
I do not
want to discourage you in the least but the fact is we have so many female
teachers
that it is rather a dull prospect in that respect but I think you could gt
employment
at some profitable business but I can give you verry […] encouragement in
that way
not with [….] […..]. I hope you will
come and see us I think that you
would
like this country verry much and there is a good chance to get into business of
all
kinds,
but farming is the main employment as that is the most profitable from the fact
that we
have a soil unsurpassed for richness and easy cultivation and a convenient
market
[……]
seven miles. I can make two trips a day
from where we live and haul with one
span of
horses forty five bu of wheat, and fifty bu corn and seventy five bu oats at a
[……..]
this will doubtless look strange to you but never the less it is true. Grain is worth
at
present wheat $1.10, corn 41 cents, oats
28 cts and farmers are rather backward in selling
at these
figures as they expect to get more as soon as navigation opens.
We had
excellent crops in this part of the state last year and a good prospect for
next as
the
winter wheat which looks well. This
country is improving very fast land is
now
worth
from ten to thirty dollars per acre.
Land around here sells verry hie.
We could sell
our farm
for twenty five dollars per acre tomorrow if we wer so disposed.
We would like to see your mother out here and
I think she might come and see mother for
it is
impossible for her to go as she is so helpless and could not go if she was well
enough
for we
have to keep a girl all the time and she could not have […..]
Now I
must close believe I have written all that
would interest you and hope that you will
write
soon again giave my love to all the
family and all the friends and especialy to all the
pretty
girls if you have enny that is not engaged.
nothing more at present but remain your
humble
servant and cousin
William
[S?] Parr
No comments:
Post a Comment