1861-03-28-FromSnowErastus,MassachusettsSouthBoston,To,SnowElizabethRebeccaAshby,UtahGreatSaltLakeCity

South Boston Mass. March 28th /61 [Thursday]

Mrs. Elisabeth A. Snow

Great Salt Lake City [U.T.]


My Dear and effectionate [affectionate] wife

I have just received yours of 26 & 28th Febuary [February] forwarded from New York and one [letter] from Erastus W. [White] both of them were very welcome. I thank you for writing so frequently and feel gratefull [grateful] to my Heavenly Father for the privealedge [privilege] of communicating with you so often and so [safely]. I mailed a letter to Mahonri and Mesia [Artimesia Beman Snow] (addressed to their mother} last evening on landing from Salem, whether this will be in time to cross the plains by the same mail as that is uncertain and thought that might reach St Joseph in season for next Mondays mail, but I perceive reading yours last that my former letters mailed at different times have reached you in piles instead of singly. I however reply to yours immediately on account of the word George Stringham sent about hauling freight for me. Please tell him if he be not gone before this reaches you that I accept his proposition and wish him to write to me immediately addressed to Post Box 3379 Saint Louis Mo and let me know how much Freight he will take for me on these [travels] you wrote viz $8.00 per hundred for balance to be paid in Merchandize [merchandise] Bought and sent to him at Florence. I have some freight to send which I have to send to pay [trusting] them and had thought of purchasing a team but if he can take all I have to send for others as well as my own family I may not send any team. I would like him also to send a Bill of the Goods he [wants] me to purchase for him, and I will expend for them the amount of the freight and forward him the Invoices with the goods at Florence and perhaps come with them & see him at Florence. You may all address me at the above address for the weeks say from the 20th April untill [until] the 20th May or I think of going in May and If I do shall probbably [probably] remain a month or two. I have visited Lowell, Bradford (now Graveland) Danvers and Salem I spent a night at Mr Burbanks in Graveland where Artimesia spent a few weeks soon after I began preaching in Salem. The Mother & daughter & daughters in Law are very firm and anxious to Gather but the men [?] and rooted to the soil. There are a few more saints there. Were very glad to see us. So were Mary Jane Everest & sent her warm rememberances [remembrances] to you and Artimesia as did also her sister Rebecca who still takes care of her old mother in [?] Salem. Thos [Thomas] Proctor of Marblehead [Massachusetts] thinks he will get his family to go with him to Utah the coming season. He came to Salem I did not go to Marblehead. I sent your and my regards to your Uncle Richard Hammond and received his thanks and kind expressions through Proctor. I would have visited him but was cramped for time on account of appointments here. I called on your Uncle John Ashby who received me kindly and was glad to hear from all your fathers family and sent his cordial good wishes to you all. He would be pleased to have you write him. I showed him the Revelation & Prophecy of Joseph Dec 25th /32 [25 Dec 1832] in relation to the wars to commence with Rebellion of South Carolina and Divission [division] of the United States, which astonished him much and he showed it with much earnestness to all who came in while I was there. He is keeper of a Shoe Store on Central Street Has a [second] wife, looks about as young as when you left here.

Mother [Farley] is very poorly and I do not think she will live long. When she is gone Rebecca will probably go west, possibly some of her kin too. Salem looks quite Natural. Some improvements in South Salem. [Bossaber ?] I may go and spend a little more time with them. Tell Minerva that I did not go to Wm [William] Wodes but Anna told me Susan was well and had six children. Mrs. Heath has improved since the last of Febuary [February]. The weather was good the fore part of March but recently the weather has been bad and I have not felt quite as well for a week past. My eyes are weak but I use them rather severly [severely] for as you say of yourself I must read. I would like you and your dear little girls to visit with me in Salem and about this country a few weeks If I could have it by wishing & then by wishing set you back at your home again. Hug the children for me & adieu. E. Snow