1873-03-01,From,SnowErastus,UtahSaltLakeCity,To,SnowElizabethRebeccaAshby,UtahStGeorge

Salt Lake City March 1st/73 [Saturday 1 Mar 1873]

Elisabeth R. Snow [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby (Snow) 1831-1915] St. George

My Dear Companion

I have continually remembered you in my prayers and your darling little Herbert not forgetting the rest of the children and family I deeply regretted the necesity [necessity] of leaving you under such trying circumstance, but felt to trust you all to God believing he would care for you for my sake as well as your own and I have learned by Telegraph from day to day of Herberts improvement which relieved my anxiety. I trust you have been able to find a little rest for yourself and girls since our departure.

God bless you and your household.

I expected when leaving you Sunday night [16 Feb 1873], to have seen you again but was thronged so on Monday Morning [17 Feb 1873] by callers that I had no opportunity of bidding any of my family a suitable and satisfactory adieu.

I hope by this time your house and family are in good condition so that Libby can attend school the remainder of the term and If Susan can do so I should be glad as all our older children are as soon will be occupied with Domestic duties that will be liable to keep them from school. I feel anxious for all of them to improve every moment possible.

My health is about as when I left. We have had snow and mud and slush all the way up here from Nephi [Nephi, Utah] the roads were horrible.

Our animals with the exception of one of Lorenzo Youngs, all took the Epizootie [?] soon after we started and we were under the necesity [necessity] of procuring a relay of animals in part to haul us from place to place and finally at Nephi [Nephi, Utah] Prest Young [President Brigham Young] left all his horses. I left my mules at American Fork, two of them still badly effected [affected] with it. I have been somewhat effected [affected] with a cold in my head and Kidneys and lungs but since landing I am better. Minerva suffered some on the way up from Neuralgia, nor is she yet quite free from it.

Gen. Kane [Thomas L. Kane ?] now quite poorly for a few days but is now better than when he left St. George [St. George, Utah] rest of his family in fine condition. Prest Young [President Brigham Young] had a poor spell at Parrowan [Parowan, Utah] but has stood the Journey well. I should have enjoyed it better If I could have had a teamster to come for the team and buggy and wait on me, but we can’t have everything smooth and Just to suit us and I feel thankfull [thankful] that all is so well with us. We find Anne in her usual health, though she had been a little effected [affected] with Rheumatism. Snow is now deeper here than it has been for Two [2] years. The U.S.R.R. [United States Rail Road ?] was blocked between Draperville [Draper, Utah ?] and Lehi [Lehi, Utah] so that we were obliged to get a relay of horses at the Latter place to bring us to the cars at Draperville [Draper, Utah ?]. Joseph A. & Mohonri Young crossed the mountain from the Sever [Sevier River] to leave creek [Leave Creek ?] and these accompanied us up to the Servere bridge [Sevier Bridge] where they left us to return home up the River. Joseph A. & I stayed and held meeting Sunday Morning [23 Feb 1873] at Fillmore, then drove and dined at your Brother John’s [John Ashby] at Cedar springs [Cedar Springs, Utah] and overtook the company at Scippio [Scipio, Utah]. Wm. and John and their families all well. Saw Bryant at Johns he says he is intending to move his mother there next summer. I have not yet been your sisters here but learn that Martha is better. I will write to Artimesia before we leave here Peace be too [to] you all. Yours forever Erastus Snow

I hope yet to receive letters from home before leaving the city [Salt Lake City, Utah]. Which we expect will be next Thursday the 6^th inst. [instant – 6 Mar 1873]

Write me often Address 42 Islington Liverpool England