About 40 miles West of Independence Rock [Independence Rock, Wyoming]
To Artimesia [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882] , Minervia [Minerva White Snow, b. 1822] & Elisabeth [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby Snow, b. 1831]
My Dear & effectionate [affectionate] wives Being once fairly at Sea and loosed from the business and cares that surrounded me in the Valley I have time to reflect
Twice since I left I have embraced the opportunity of sending back to you some hasty scribblings chiefly upon business matters. Since then the storms have spent their fury upon the mountains on our right & left, in front & rear while we have passed untouched. Meeting with no misfortunes or obstructions.
We are now beyond the mountains and feel comforitively [comfortably] secure. We are laying by today to rest and recruit our animals and to gratify the propensity of the camp some for Killingthe Buffalos [buffaloes] and others for eating them
The weather is mild and beautifull [beautiful] and everything seems pleasant & cheerfull [cheerful] upon the Journey and we are rapidly increasing the distance& the hills & valleys between us & you and a few more days or weeks at most & we shall cross the great Missouri [Missouri River] and be welcomed by our friends and then launch into the gentile world, that “troubled ocean” that is continually casting up mire & dirt.
Well I will now return from these fancifull [fanciful] wanderings of my pen to the cogitations of my mind which I pen for you in general& eachoneof youinParticular; for the Kanesville [Kanesville, Pottawattamie, Iowa – Council Bluffs, Iowa] mail which we expect soon to meet, will probably be my last opportunity of communicating with you till [until] another year. I therefore the more eagerly embrace the present opportunity of writing a few of the thing [things] that are in my heart. - And first I will say what I believe you will all appreciate thatI loveyouallmosttenderlyand I know not how or where to make any distinction unlessit bein the exceeding gratification I feel at having [having] been able to leave in the Arms of Artimesia [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882] [Artimesia [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882] & Minerva [Minerva White Snow, b. 1822], those little pledges, of mutual bonds & effects for them to rear & instruct; which will beguile their lonely hours and remind them of their abcent [absent] father. But even in that: Elizabeth [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby Snow, b. 1831] my ardent desire & fond expectation is – that you will not be a white behind your elder sisters in a few months. ----- By thw way Elisabeth [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby Snow, b. 1831] fail not to write definitely on the subject by your first communication next Spring. Also Minerva[Minerva White Snow, b. 1822] let me not remain ignorant of what you hinted at before I left concerning yourself which may have grant [?] to be now so with yourself and Artimesia [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882] Also – Fear not to either one of you to write from the fullness of your hearts as if you were fast locked in my arms – Direct all letters till [until] otherwise ordered to the “MillenialStarOffice, LiverpoolEngland. – Now concerning the schooling the children I want they should have every possible facility. I intend to Procure and send to them a suitable collection of School books – I want you all to appropriate a due proportion of your time to reading meditation & prayer that your intellectual faculties may be continued and improved that your minds may be quick & powerfull [powerful] to comprehend correct principles pertaining to the things in heaven things on Earth * in the Sea. Especially Artimesia [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882] that her mind may be active in teaching her children religion, the Sciences & all good things and in giving wise councils [counsels] to her younger sisters. Visit and enjoy yourselves with your friends to your hearts content But let it be tempered with discretion. Be not presipitate in forming new acquaintances wither at home or abroad or advancing such acquaintances to intimacy. Let tried friends of known virtue & integrity be your chief associates & councellors [counselors] – Touching your family arrangements Would it not be less expence [expense] & trouble for you to cook & eat together though you may have your things and rooms seperate [separate] where you can be retired at pleasure. I will not however dictate in this matter. Should you separate [separate] & Elisabeth [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby Snow] should not have any children to busy herself with, her cares & toils and also Minerva would be far less than Artimesia [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882] unless they assist Charles' wife in the affairs of the farm, cows etc. If you should have wool it will be important that you all learn to Spin, weave, colour [color]. I trust that your united wisdom will determine all these matters correctly – and contrive to busy yourselves with some usefull [useful] employment either mental, or Physical. For leasure[leisure] is a soil on which the enemy sows tares. – Perhaps we may send back our team next summer if so I shall probably send you some groceries & other necessaries. Perhaps a bed, some cooking apparatus etc
I remain your true & every effectionate [affectionate] husband Erastus Snow [Elder Erastus Snow 1818-1888]
[in margin of first page] We have become proof against the cold weather - We have not suffered as much as in getting out a load of wood out of the Canyons. The only trouble we have met with from Indians on the way was a charge from about 200 warriors of the Cohians [Cochises ?] fifty miles west of Larrimie [Laramie. Wyoming]; which we effectually repulsed by a formidable show of guns in line of battle & saved our animals & effects.
[On sides of address on envelope]
1
Fort Kerney Head of Grand Island [Fort Kearney and Grand Island, Nebraska]
Nov. 27th 1849 [Tuesday 27 Nov 1849]
We have not met the Kanesville [Kanesville, Pottawattamie, Iowa – Council Bluffs, Iowa] mail as we expected and I have concluded to send this by the government mail which is to go from this to the other Forts west in hopes that it will reach you before the spring mail leaves the valley. We are all well and are now at Bro. [Brother] Cory's Son-in-law of Sidney A. Knoulton who keeps a boarding house at this post. We leave tomorrow.
2 We shall probably be about 8 days going to the Missouri [Missouri River]. The weather is cold, about 10 inches snow on the level & the Platt [Platte River] frozen over- We were west of the storm when it fell and the snow has been increasing for seventy miles [70 miles], yet a strong north wind has cleared the old beaten track so that we have mostly had pretty good wheeling. Our animals have been sustained by a recruit of feed which we obtained at Larimie [Fort Laramine, Wyoming]- Four have been worn out & left by the way. Our team holds good. We recruit
our feed here chiefly in flour.
[Letter addressed to:]
Mrs. Artimesia Snow [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882] [Artimesia [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882]
G. S. L. City [Great Salt Lake City,Utah]
Great Baisin [Great Basin]
[Published in Erastus Snow: The Life of a Missionary and Pioneer for the Early Mormon Church, by Andrew Karl Larsen, The University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1971, p 758-759 – but misdated there as 3 Nov 1847, instead of 3 Nov 1849]