19 May 1859
Mutton Creek, Jennings County , Indiana

 
  “Dear Friends I will now try to address you by way of pen and ink I received your most welcome letter was glad to hear of your health and whealth I expect we are both better off than if we had of moved to Iowa we gave up our first tract of land to old Tom lost the first payment, bougth this Gividen 80 acres for 1.33 dollars 14 years ago 50 or 60 acres under cultivation and a variety of fruit, in the year 1846 built a frame barn 30 feet by 54 last summer had to stack hay and wheat out wheat here was very good last year we sold wheat to the amount of 134 dollars and 4 cents cash, 110 and 115 when we sold ours now it is 140 cents at Scipio our house was put up as soon as we bought built out of some of those large poplar hewed down to ten inches we had to give possession so we moved in your house one month wile they was building the neighbors volunteered on sunday put the shingels on one side the same is on yet the other was covered with boards till they could put it on 20 feet by 30 one story and half three rooms down two up, kitchen on the east end 12 feet wide seller under it 3 twelve light windows in it but we expect to rebuild after harvest the seller is walled up with logs they are on the decay 5 years ago we had a new brick chimney built house wheather boarded and painted white, in side is all plastered and painted downstairs on the south side a porch the whole length A nice bed room on the west end A good well of water at the kitchen door pump in it A lattice work all around it and the side of the porch we don't have to go in the sun or rain to get a bucket of water also portice at the north door all white it is decorated now with the snow ball and sweet brier nice green yard boarded in garden on the south I have four biervaues in the house one is because one set of cane bottom chairs cost 8.50, carpet all over the floor downstairs. I am making more, for up stairs six beds and give two away and feathers enough for another two cupboards one with a set of 7 dollar dishes in, also one glass jar of cand blackberries. To step oven and I will soon have the cap of [written on side - don't forget to rite Mrs. Powel sends her love to you. I hope this may find you all well as this leaves us]

I have 25 head of cattle in the woods 3 yoke of 5 year old steer 6 young calves soon have two more sold one for 20 dollars. I have 2 horses and a young colt our cattle doe not do us well now in the woods as when you was here 17 head of hogs and only 3 head of sheet 3 years ago I bought 100 acres lying south of this 80 ware we lived. I am now paying tax for three eighty every poplar tree was taken off and some oak was to pay 13 hundred dollars. I cannot say like Polly that I am out of debt I am in debt for the land 95 or 97 dollars near as I can remember 20 acres partly cleared when I got it the next year had it in corn it made a fine field of corn last spring it was wet John only got about half in corn now in wheat and oats on the east side we have ten acres in corn this spring of new ground. John got done yesterday planting corn we have 22 varieties. John tends the farm for a share of the grain and hay he has one horse one colt one buggy three calves is all the stock he has and four forty's in this state one eighty in Iowa with James 200 and one eighty in Kansas with James 228 acres. Hughes is no more here I guess I told you the price he sold for but I will tell you again 230 acres for three thousand dollars. John got a letter they say they like better than they ever did here but I think when the ague and milk sick gets them down they will think of their old home they are near Paletine Ill not far from Vincenees. I said all Susan is at T. Wilkerson's David is married liveing at a saw mill by David Forces. Oh Polly waht a family they have been more than I want to put on paper perhaps you seen or herd of Victoria name in the Cincinnati Commercial on the times last winter year ago. I believe I will tell you about Wm. Brown as I think you knew him they lived in the house you first moved in after you sold to Hughes if you remember his wife had a daughter she has ever since live with them first on the second week of last month sunday night it was then court week he got word of having to go before the grand jury him and the wife mounted their steed and away they went in two weeks the family in three wagons down to Seymour went on the car to Vincenses the word is they are near Hughes's. He had a great supply of stock and every thing about him got high wages. He just left all and I may say not near enough to pay his debts. John T. Butler moved to Iowa his oldest son is keeping store in Scipio. Allen Tyler is here his brother Presley moved to California . Peter Hulse has built a net cottage five rooms a frame barn. Simon Wimple lives ware you first moved he has built a one story house with four rooms frame barn and waggon house and crib. Wm. Waldorf has build a one story house with four rooms a log barn one can stand in our north door and see Waldorf house. Mills old thickets is no more here. Wm. Dean lives on the 40 you sold to Powel they traded land Powel had his property set off to him. I think they ay he ha 8 dollars over what the law aloud him. Dean was his security on a tax bill. B. Luttress built the second steam mill on Mutton creek very near ware Mills got out his puncheons for his floor just north of us but we cannot see it for the hill four family living by the mill one house we can't see for the hill all this south side of the creek. Tom Wilkerson bought the Prescett farm. Wm. Beaty lives on the Section it is now a nice farm and first rate spring he built a log house and log barn we have a number of steam saw mills now here cutting all the poplar timber they can get, haul to the cars shipped to Cincinnati and other places a steam grist mill at Queensville also a large merchant steam mill at Scipio a Catholic church also a large Presbyterian Church at Scipio we can hear the bell on church days when the wind is still. Mrs. Broderick Griffith has united with that church. I expect you will remember her, you know we started to see her baptize your sister Mary has not been to see Phebe but once since she was left a widdow the second time that was last July Egbert went after her in the waggon I believe she is about 16 miles from here. I think she has two daughters one White and on Thadenby her stepchildren farm the place Phebe said she was very well provided for I think farm of 4 acres I would have been so glad to of seen her she only staid one week poor Dela came to Toms on a visit and died there I think January three years ago. Toms sold his 40 bought 20 of J. Britten ware they now live I was there last summer they have a large beautiful gated garden when I was there he is constable again Egbert and wife has moved back with his parents. They have not herd your letters yet.

[22 May 1859] John Hobbs burried his wife and I think they say he is in Texas . Mrs. Snowden is very low she cannot be with her long without an altercation. I expect to go and see her soon. Peter Clapp is no more we was to his funeral when I got your letter he was deeply in debt their sale to be on the 27th next Friday, several deaths in Vernon of scarlet fever. D. Burts wife died last week of consumtion in Vernon . Becca has been teaching school several years and bleaching bonnets she is now in Ill teaching school and visiting to her uncles, Eveleth got a good frame house and barn and sheds. Davis Day move back here again he has been in the sawmill business ever since he came back this spring he sold out, the mill is a short distance east of him and another one on old road. Hiram Whitram grist mill and saw mill on the Ohio and Missipii road we can hear the card every day. 3 times a day on the road they make a good market for our produce last week wheat was worth 1.52 cents oats 55 and 60 cents corn 75 cents potatoes 1.00 to 1.25 cents butter has been 20 and 25 cents all winter two weeks ago it was reduced now 12 ˝ cents per lb. Cow and calf from 17 to 25 dollars I forgot to say I sent for paper two or three times got a chance to go myself so you mut excuse if you will to hear of anything more. I want you to ask and I will try and inform you. Polly I want you to tell me about your youngest child or children when you left here as we are disputing about how many you had when you left here. I have forty four young turkeys come over next fall and we will have a roast, last fall I sent 23 turkeys to Rockford got 50 cents each cash, it is almost a shame I have been so long riting this letter. I cannot rite as I did when I rote so often to Ohio also you know I am 16 years older and 20 lbs heavyer. Polly I can truly say I feel perfectly sattisfied here now, I cannot say as we will know each other as here below when we meet our blessed savior - I have been to meeting very seldom this spring. I have went to meeting more in the last 8 years than I had in 12 years and had sattisfaction in going. I have a spring carriage it is often filled in going to meeting as this sheet is full I must quit you get tired of looking over such poor inditeing in that love that has no bounds to one and all. Rachel T. Wilkins”

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