ESLTRS-1857-01-31-From,AshbyElizabethRebecca(Snow),UtahGreatSaltLakeCity-To,SnowErastus,NewYorkNewYorkCity

ESLTRS-1857-01-31-From,AshbyElizabethRebecca(Snow),UtahGreatSaltLakeCity-To,SnowErastus,NewYorkNewYorkCity

Great Salt Lake City January 31 1857 [Saturday 1857-01-31]


Dear Erastus [Elder Erastus Snow 1818-1888]


It is Saturday morning and I have retired to my own room and taken my pen to write a few lines to you before the mail leaves I have put it off untill [until] the last moment thinking perhaps I might recieve [receive] a line from you before I wrote again you have been absent nine months [9 months] and I have not yet had letter from you the rest of the family have all received letters, but a kind word through them has been comforting and cheering to my heart there has [have] no mails come through the Eastern route since the arrivall [arrival] of Br Richards [Franklin D. Richards] and company and I flatter myself that when spring opens I shall have enough to compensate me for being the last we have received some numbers of the Mormon [“The Mormon”] by the California Mail wherby [whereby] we learned that you have been quite poorly and that you were better and I trust you are now enjoying good health I pray for you always dear Erastus [Elder Erastus Snow 1818-1888] that you may have health and strength to perform the work the Lord has sent you to do and be preserved and permited [permitted] to return home to the bosem [bosom] of your family onse [once] more and within it be sooner or later it is all right you will find us ready with open arms to welcome you the Dr [Doctor Jeter Clinton ?] and Jacob think you will come home in the fall I understand that Br Horrase Eldridge [Horace Eldridge] is appointed on a mission to St. Louis [Missouri] in the spring I hope it is to achieve [relieve ?] you from some of the cares that are upon you if not to come home and rest awhile with your family Mr Genrick arrived in the City [Great Salt Lake City, Utah], a few days ago and said he left the mail on the Platte river [Platte River] they were making pack sadles [saddles] to come through with I understand Br. Haywood is with them Havam [Hyrum ?] Kimball is going to start through the mountains with snow shoes and carry the Mail as far as Bridger [Fort Bridger, Wyoming] we have had a very hard winter thus far the Snow has been from two to three feet deep it is quite warm and pleasent [pleasant] today, and I am in hopes the worst part of the winter is past your family are all well the children are going to School to Mrs. Oakly, Sarah studies her lessons at home and Mrs. Oakly hears them little Elizabeth is well and growing very fast she has to give me a kiss from her pape [Papa] every night I think she would recollect you she happened to see your old hose [?] Shoes the other day and she says "Oh Mama there's papa`s shoes" I hope she will not forget you little Florence is growing finely she has two teeth and is sitting alone but it is not very safe for her to sit on the floor for we are so thick here there is danger of getting steped [stepped] on our wood pile is getting pretty low and we have had to move the coock [cook] stove in from the kitchen to save wood I presume you have heard of [the] spirit of reformation that is at work here among the people there has been a great many confesions [confessions] made for the crime of adultery, and a great deal of stolen property dilivered [delivered] to the owners the missionaries for this ward Brs Wheelock and Smith visited us on thursday [Thursday 29 Jan 1857] they seemed to think we were trying to do the best we could Br Wheelock spoke well of you he said he felt when he left you that he would liked to have stayed and helped you for he realized there was more than you could do he exorted [exhorted] us to pray for you always there has been no fiddling and dansing [dancing] here this winter I have not heard the found of a fiddle the tabernacle is filled to overflowing every sunday [Sunday] and we have good instruction from B. Kimball [Heber C. Kimball] and the twelve that are here but we do not see Br Young [Brigham Young]. Semore [?] Wells is appointed to the presidency in Br [Jedediah M. ?] Grants place there has been a number of persons cut off from the church viz [namely] Judge Stiles, Thomas Williams, Mr Jarvis and a number of others. I think there will be a great many leave here in the spring for it is getting hotter and hotter and they begin to find that they cannot live here in sin and wickedness for my part I feel to live more faithfull [faithful] and prayerfull [prayerful] than I have ever done before for I know I have not lived as faithfull [faithful] as I should have done after all the goodness of the lord [Lord] to me pray for me always Dear Erastus [Elder Erastus Snow 1818-1888] Your Mothers [Lucina Streeter Snow] health has been very poor all winter but she is better now so that she goes out some Br Noble has married him two young wives one is Br Meecombs Daughter and Br Thusting [Thurston ?] Daughters sister to one of Br [Jedediah M. ?] Grants wives he gave us a sleigh ride to cottonwood [Cottonwood] yesterday to Charles Westovers he has taken another wife Br Shumways Daughter Eliza [com?] has a Daughter two weeks old we had a good visit and a good sleigh ride the first one we have had this winter I could not help wishing you were with us My Brothers and sisters are all well Martha and Harriot are still living on the Island [Antelope Island ?] George Stringham was out one cold day hunting cattle he lost his way in the storm and was out all night and came very near being frose [frozen] to death when he was found he was so exausted [exhausted] he could not walk he had exerted himself all night to keep from freesing [freezing] to death his feet and ears were badly frosen [frozen] he is confined to his bed Br Olsen has been at work at the pump for the last two weeks the water did not come good and he got Br Russell to look at it they thought the pipe was to [too] short and they own another peice [piece] but it was not better they found they could not bring the water so far they have now made a wooden box about five feet [5 feet] long and the water comes better but it is hard getting it air tight I do not know as I am philosipher [philospher] enough to explain it so that you can understand it well I must close or I have not have this at the office in time for the mail and I hear my babes voise [voice] down stairs I think she is out of patience waiting for me I dreamed last night you were at home with us but I thought you appeared quite sober and I felt very bad for you I hope you will write to me remember me always in your prayers

from your ever true and effectionate [affectionate]

Elisabeth

I wish you a happy new year