Aurora, January 15, 1860

Dear Uncle and Aunt. I received your kind letter yesterday and was very glad to hear from you as I was just again to write as I thought that you were sick and I am very much obliged to you. Our dear boy is sick now but I expect he will soon be well. He is a great comfort to us if he should live we think he will be very much like his father. Mary Ann was brought home very sick with the inflammation on her lungs just to 5 weeks after her father was taken away and we all gave her up but we had a first rate doctor and we was very thankful that she got well. I must tell you what she said. I asked her to try and lay on her side and then she would not talk and dream so much she looked at me so pleasant and I said O but I love to dream. I said Why do you, O because I have been up there and I have seen Pa and Little Willie and Pa had hold of [end of page 1]

[page 2] Willie’s hand and they looked beautiful and I tried to get hold of them but he said not now by and by you shall, and there are such loads of people up there and it is so light but there is no Sun there. I thought that was a beautiful dream. She went back to her place in November. She gets 6s a week which is great help to me. She lives with Mrs. ?Sueneau to take care of the children at the Seminary. We live just at the back of it. I get some washing from there and I have 1 girl bond with me for this winter, and I have 1 cow I sell some milk so we have not suffered for anything so far. I trust that if it pleases the Lord to give me my health we shall be able to get along. It has taken a good deal to fix up the house so I shall have a better chance to fix for another winter. I could not pay rent it is so high here. We have had very cold weather for about 6 weeks but it is a little better now. When I think of how much Thomas has suffered for the last 3 winters I have to praise the Lord that he has taken him [end of page 2]

[page 3] out of all the troubles of this world and I expect he is reaping the reward of all he has suffered here and I must say that the Lord is very kind to us, for we get along better than I expected, for my health is so much better than it used to be. I have worked very hard this last year. I had applications for all the girls but I will never give them up unless I lose my health. It was almost the last words Thomas said. I think you will be able to get along and try and keep the children together. Don’t give them away. I have 4 children- Mary Ann was 13 yesterday, Elizabeth, and Sarah [about 8 years old], and Friend will be 2 years on the 19 of February. I am again to have a lease of my lot for 4 years from the 1 of May next for nothing and by that time we can make a fresh bargain. I had a letter from my Aunt Mary this last summer. Her health is about the same. My Cousin Thomas is married to a Friend, my Bro is living with my old master yet [end of page 3]

[page 4] when you write tell me if Philip Claydon is dead. I often wished that we had never come here but it is no use to find fault. I should like to come and see you some times but as I can get along I don’t expect I shall ever move so much again. I never did like so much moving. We have moved 20 times in 14 years. Perhaps it is all for the best. We cannot say. Br. and Sister Coleman is still here though he don’t preach for us now our children have a very interesting Sabbath school they have 3 papers the S S Advocate and the Good News and the M Advocate. I cannot spend so much time in reading but it is good to have a good memory so I can thing of what I have read it is very hard times here yet for Memory it is the time to see the honest ones those that have money can make a great deal it seems hard to see so many lose them ?Pleases because they cannot pay up. I am thankful that we did not go to Kansas. Thomas got all planned to go last year [end of page 4]

[Page 5 – missing?]

Aurora, April 29, 1873

Dear Uncle and Aunt. I hope this will find you all well as I am very thankful that we are at present. I think we have great reason to be thankful as we have passed luck an uncommon winter. I suppose you have heard of the suffering in Nebraska on the 15 and 16 of this month from such severe cold and it snowed here at that time but then it was soon gone again and then look at those poor creatures on the wreck of the Atlantic when I think of God goodness and mercy to us I am lost in wonder, love and praise. I cannot sleep some nights but then I am very happy. I am so nervous that every has to come over and over again in the night. I am very thankful [end of page]

[Page 2] for my quiet home as I cannot bear a noise sometimes I am afraid that I shall go out of my mind. There is so many dose now I have told you so you won't forget me in your prayers. I do not care so much for myself but for those that are dear to me, I think sometimes I feel so peaceful that I have got to the land of Bulah of which Bunyan tells us of our Bible Class Teacher gave up the class this spring his health is poor and we could not get one to take it and they did not want to give it up so I try to lead I felt I could not but God has been very kind his grace has been sufficient I have begun to send the guide to Sarah as she wanted them. you will remember how miserable my health was when we lived at Duglas. Please she has been just about the same she is very low spirited but I hope she will soon be better. We all join in love to all.

Aurora, Oct. 26, 1874

Dear Uncle and Aunt. I hope these few lines will find you all well as I am thankful we are at present. I am kept very busy and I should have written before, I thought you would have written to me. Will you be so kind as to write and tell me how my boy is getting on. I expect he thinks I am a hard mother for sending his letter back but I thought the truth was the best. I do pray that you may have grace and patience to get along with him. I think when he gets older he will be thankful to you you for the trouble he makes you. Aunt said in her letter that he did not get up till the breakfast was ready [end of page]

[page 2] now I do not think you ought to allow him to do that if he goes to bed at a good time. I asked him in one of my letters if he got up in the morning and helped his Aunt all he could. The young folks now do so different to what we used to do it seems hard to get along with them. I was much pleased to hear Aunt say that she wanted him to learn all he could. I do not want him to think he knows enough because he don't know what he may have to do and he can't learn so well as he can now when he is older. we have had some trouble on account of my father. Mother told us to buy her a house and lot that was near us for $500 and then because her brother could not pay just at the time she told us she has backed out of all her promises to the place is on our hands

and I am very much disappointed because I can not help take care of him and they will be 21 miles farther away.