1881-01-19,From,SnowErastus,ColoradoSanAntonio,To,SnowElizabethRebeccaAshby,UtahStGeorge

San Antonio Col Jan 19th/81 [San Antonio, Colorado Wednesday 19 Jan 1881]


Dear Elisabeth [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby (Snow) 1831-1915] Your letter of the 9th inst [instant Sunday 9 Jan 1881] reached me yesterday [Tuesday 18 Jan 1881] and its contents eagerly devoured. How much I should have enjoyed the Hollydays [holidays] at home with you and the children and all my family and many friends in St. George [St. George, Utah]. Especially your Christmas fest with Professor Shappmans Tree and the ecstacy [ecstasy] of the little children. My thanks to Bro. S. [Shappman] for his many efforts to please and gratify the little folks. Am pleased to learn of Floras [Forence Snow] good luck and pray God to bless her & her boy and hope Dee will be able to keep himself within bounds and remember there are many boys yet to come.

Thanks also on account of Libby [Elizabeth Ashby Snow] and pray that she may yet see and feel the good hand of God watching over her and abundantly making up her loss. So Martha [Martha Ellen Snow] has taken a class in the Primary Department. Well may she succeed and win Laurels for herself and make many friends of the young folks & secure the respect and confidence of the aged.


I see a St. George [St. George, Utah] correspondent in the Herrald [Herald ?], as well as yourself give Josephine [Josephine Snow] & her partners credit for a successfull [successful] leap year Party. Well I have no objections if she wins a genuine husband before the year is out.


I wrote lately to Georgiana [Georgiana Snow] but not yet time for her reply. You did not mention how her Hollydays [holidays] were spent. I hope Nattie [?] will learn well and if he lacks, try to supply him and may he learn to pray & read the New Testament & Book of Mormon as also the Twins and your own dear little boys. God bless them all and preserve them in health and from every evil habbit [habit]. May you find time and inclination to teach them faith and prayer and implant in their hearts a spirit of true devotion.


I received a letter yesterday from Bro. Joseph Birch telling me of the good times he had been having with the young folks of Monroe [Monroe, Utah]. You know what he is to encourage sports for the young and Monroe [Monroe, Utah] needed such a spirit to cheer their sombre [somber] Bishop and his dolefull [doleful] followers. I hope Artimesia [Artimesia Beman Snow] has fully recoverd [recovered] her health and that all my family may be preferd [preferred] before God for his loving kindness upon them in my abscence [absence]. I lately made a visit to Denver [Denver, Colorado] to see Gen Dodge [General Dodge] and other R.R. [Railroad] Officials and expect soon to go west to visit our camps of laborers and may not get over to Arrizonia [Arizona] before February [Feb 1881]. Bro. Allen [John Allen] brought me up here from Manassa [Manassa, Colorado] and I stopped here overnight met here Brs. Hendricks & Call who just arrived on the train from the other side the mountain and they are on their way home to Utah via Denver [Denver, Colorado] & Ogden [Ogden, Utah]. Judge Hammond is left in charge of the hands and work. Willard [Willard Snow] is with me still but getting homesick for want of something to keep him busy. Whether he will go with me to Arrizona [Arizona] or return to Salt Lake [Salt Lake City, Utah] is yet doubtfull [doubtful]. We look daily for a Connecticut man here to take Silas & Willard [Willard Snow] over the East Range onto Canadian River to Show a large tract of land he is agent for.


Tell Dee & Tony [Anthony W. Ivins], Dan and others that the Snow & post blocks this Road over the mountains so much and so difficult getting feed & supplies to men & teams that, there is nothing to be made Rail Roading [railroading] here, but there will be a good chance here by April & May [Apr and May 1881]. I learn however that weather is good & plenty of Grass for teams and abundance of work on the Little Colorado [River] on John Ws [John Williams] contract. B. Y. [Brigham Young Jr.] writes however that they can’t get tools fast enough to supply workmen. Continue to write to Manassa Col [Manassa, Colorado]. Yours effectionatly [affectionately]. E. Snow [Erastus Snow]