1886-01-01,From,SnowErastus,ColoradoManassa,To,SnowElizabethRebeccaAshby,UtahStGeorge

Manassa Col Jan 1st 1886 [Manassa, Colorado Friday 1 Jan 1886]

at Prest [President] Silas S. Smith new House


To my ever dear and much beloved Elisabeth R. Snow [Elizabeth RebeccaAshby Snow] St. George Utah [St. George, Utah] —


After wishing you a very Happy New Year and through you to your household, our beloved children and other enquireing [inquiring] friends, I must acknowledge receipt of your kind and welcome letter of the 18th ult [ultimate – Friday 18 Dec 1885] which was here in waiting on our arrival which was on the 30th, [Wednesday 30 Dec 1885] having only reached La Jara Tanks [La Jara, Conejos, Colorado] Tuesday noon the 29th [29 Dec 1885] and spent that day and night at Richfield [Richfield, Conejos, Colorado]. Yesterday 31st [Thursday 31 Dec 1885] was spent at Ephraim [Ephraim, Coloradp ?] Bro. [Brother] John Morgan and his 2nd wife & his oldest daughter lately from Salt Lake [Salt Lake City, Utah] were also with us as well Bro [Brother] Smith and many visitors. Today we attended a Sunday School review and tomorrow [Saturday 2 Jan 1886] the Mian [meetings ?] of Relief Societies and Y. L. M. I. Associations [Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Associations] as well as a Priesthood meeting and next day Sunday [3 Jan 1886] a general meeting. Monday [4 Jan 1886] we return to Richfield [Richfield, Conejos, Colorado] hold another meeting and hope to get off Tuesday afternoon [5 Jan 1886] for Pueblo [Pueblo, Colorado] thence to Provo [Provo, Utah], whence you will hear from me by telegraph about the eighth [Friday 8 Jan 1886] if we arrive safe. Bro Morgan & his daughter goes with us to Pueblo [Pueblo, Colorado] whence they go East & South. He has come from Salt Lake [Salt Lake City, Utah] this week and says he thinks I can reach Provo [Provo, Utah] safely by taking a sleeper & perhaps slip off at Spanish Fork Station [Spanish Fork, Utah]. Probably it may be necessary for me to try to communicate with or see the First Presidency before I start South and it may be near the Middle of the month when I start and whether in a close team or by Rail to Milford [Milford, Utah] I cant [can't] now say. After writing you and Martie [Martha Ellen Snow, b. 1865] from Mesa [Mesa, Arizona], we returned to St David [St. David, Arizona] where we met Elders B.Y. [Brigham Young Jr., b. 1836] & F.M.L. [Frances M. Lyman] on their return from their exploration in Sonora [Sonora, Mexico] and also Elder George Teasdale who had come from the State of Chihuahua [Chihuahua, Mexico] to see us. He was very anxious for us to return with him and help complete arrangements for a purchase of land there and locate the families about 60 yet remaining there. I proposed Elder B.Y. [Brigham Young Jr., b. 1836] & F.M.L. [Frances M. Lyman] to go but they hardly felt inclined to go without me nor yet indeed with me as they had set their hearts of getting back to Utah by New Years, and I was about concluding to go myself without them, and they started on the 20th [Sunday 20 Dec 1885] to attend our appointment here last week. But failing to connect closely by reasons of a change in Railway trains, which threw them a day late they went directly home from Pueblo [Pueblo, Colordo] leaving me a note of explanation. I remained Two days longer at St David [St. David, Arizona] and arranged another exploring expedition into central sonora [Sonora, Mexico] near the Yaque Indians where an English company own mines & coal lands as well as Timber and farming & grazing land which they wish us to occupy and help develop. cold weather setting in and winter storms seemed gathering, and knowing we would have to camp out and occupy wagons in Chihuahua [Chihuahua, Mexico] several weeks, I deemed it prudent to postpone that trip till Spring so Elder T. [George Teasdale] and his party returned without me and Minerva [Minerva White Snow, b. 1822] & I came on here & finding that Elders Y. [Brigham Young Jr., b. 1836] & L. [Frances M. Lyman] failed to come and consequently no company for Minerva [Minerva White Snow, b. 1822] and it being already late to reach Hackberry. I settled down to make our visit here and to give up returning by the proposed southern route. I had to send to Bro Spence for transportation (as our [railway] passes expired yesterday [Thursday 31 Dec 1885]) which I expect will reach us from Salt Lake [Salt Lake City, Utah] by Tuesday [5 Jan 1886] or Wednesday [6 Jan 1886] next. There is about 6 inches snow covering the ground here and quite cold night, but we are having quite a pleasant time with our friends here.


Please inform Martha [Martha Ellen Snow, b. 1865] and our friends at Overton [Overton, Nevada] that our trip is indeffinately [indefinitely] postponed. Possibly in March [Mar 1886] I am pleased to learn of Marthas [Martha Ellen Snow, b. 1865] success and her adaptation to the society and surroundings there. I regret to learn of Libbies [Elizabeth Ashby Snow Ivins, b. 1854] continued weakness of the Back and fear the rupture may still be the irritating cause and that she may be yet obliged to submit to the proposed operation. Let us hope and pray for the better. Your letter, though so welcome, (being first news from home) caused a feeling to steal over me of regret & sorrow, in that I decerned [discerned] from the hand write [writing] and error of words and omissions of letters more than usual, that you too were getting old and nervous and your recent sick spell had told on your nerves. Well we must all wear out, but my prayer to God is that your spirit may be cheerfull [cheerful] & hopefull [hopeful] and your health not fail but be renewed in your old age to comfort and bless me while I live and your ofspring [offspring] after I am gone looking forward to our glorious hope of a reunion with Tabernacles immortal and incorruptible. I send cordial greetings to all the children. I perceive that Arthur [Arthur Eugene Snow, b. 1870] was still at work. How is it don’t he [he doesn't] want to attend school? He needs the Study. I am quite well and feel hopefull [hopeful], trusting in God and am sure he will order all things well for us all if we abide in him. God bless you forevermore Erastus Snow