Envelope Mr. Erastus Snow [Elder Erastus Snow 1818-1888]

St Louis Missouri

Post Box 333

Postmarked May 1 Salt Lake City Utah T.

Salt Lake City 30 April 1855

To my kind and affectionate companion.

As the time has nearly arrived for the departure of another mail I take my pen in hand to write to one who is dayly [daily] and almost I may say hourly in my mind and to one In whom centers my tenderest love and affection. Perhaps you may ask have I not little children to bestow my tenderest love and affection upon. To be sure I bestow much tender love and affection upon them, and it would be a great trial for me to part with them, but far greater would be trial if I were to be called to part with you. a trial which I hope I shall not be called to pass through in this life. But if I am I pray God to give me grace and strength to endure it and not only this but every other one I may be called to pass through as he has done in days that has [have] passed and gone by. It seems a long time since I have received a letter from you, in fact I cannot tell when I did receive the last letter, I believe it was sometime last fall. it has been now two months sincere there has an eastern mail arrive [arrived] and two or three [of] the last letters was [were] directed to Elizabeth I hope the next mail may bring me something that I may know you have not forgoten [forgotten] me altogather [altogether]. I expect you would like to know if we are all alive. we are all tolerably well it is now spring and we do not feel very stout and strong any of us. a few weeks ago I overdone [overdid] I was on my feet a little to [too] much and since that time I have not felt never so well as before. but we have no reason to complain we are all able to tend to our little families. I hope you are fat healthy and strong. I know you must have a great deal to do to fatigue your body. but you must eat apples, oranges peaches and soft cake enough and able [?] the good things St. Louis affords to keep you up so as to not let me out way [weigh] you for I pull down the shades to one hundred and twenty nights [?]. I have perfectly out grown some of my dresses and have cut them over for Sarah. Although she goes in the same noch [notch ?] but her flesh is more solid that mine she is not so large. I am going to send you a bit of my silk dress in this for you to see if you can mach [match] it. for I shall soon have to have a new waist to that. If you can mach [match] it get me two yards and send or bring when you come. Your family connexions [connections] are all as well as usual except Malvinas little William he has been sorely afflicted for three months with the dropsy. he was bloated so full that he burst open in his bowels and discharged a large quantity of water, he seems to be a little better for a few days but hardly know which way it will turn with him yet. I suppose Zera [Zerubbabel Snow] writes to you all about his and your affairs whiskey [dowings 26 up ?] had a very good conference though I did not attend but very little myself for every time I go to meeting I am most sure to get the nervous headache I have it a great deal lately and it or something else is affecting my eye sight very materialy [materially]. They sent about 150 Elders on missions mostly to the Indians some first to England and then to the Islands and [?] as they said to the Gentiles such ones as Mrs Whelock her mother and sister Mrs Coward Mrs John Oakly Miss Potter that came on with the Ivins Mary Ann Tailor [Taylor] daughter of John Tailor [Taylor] who has now married 2 [a] gentile and gone to California or some other good place. I think it will be sad news to her Father when he hears of it. Emiline Frost has also married one of the soldiers. Mrs. Coward and Broomhead have since been restored. the officers as well as soldiers have stired [stirred] up quite a mess with some of our mormon [Mormon] sisters the past winter and they are having great times as they now leaving and some have already as far as Rush Valley and are there waiting I suppose to get as many sisters as they can to go with them. Br Tanners [Tanner's] last daughter has gone they have quite a number of sisters now in camp. Capt. Ingols [Ingels] is now being tried for taking a young girl thirteen [13] years of age unknown to her parents. I think we have lived up to the mormon [Mormon] creed faithfuly [faithfully] the past winter in staying at home and minding our own business and letting others alone no one has troubled us neither have we troubled any body [anybody] else. we [have] scarcely been out in company at all this winter. There are many little things that transpire [that] perhaps would be interesting to you but hardly seems worthy my while to write. the most important news you doubtless will get by the Deseret news [Deseret News]. We are building a large school house this season our tax is 75 dollars [$75.00]. I think some times there is no use in trying to save anything for taxes and school. [?] will eat every thing [everything] up in spite of all I can do. You often ask how we enjoy ourselves we enjoy ourselves as well as we can under the existing circumstances we have a large family of little children and many different kinds it is not very pleasant having so many kinds of children and so many different mistresses if they all had one master or mistress it would be better I become more and more satisfied every day of my life that it is no way to bring up children. and I think that you would be convinced of that fact if you were at home a few evenings from sunset till dark and hear the music of the four babies saying nothing of the others to join in and help them a little we often wish you were hear [here] to hear them but we will try and stand it till you come home and then we will poke you up with hot blocks. I suppose you would like to know if you have any cows oxen or horses left your stock Br Huntsucker [Hunsaker] says is doing very well. there has [have] two old sheep and one cow and calf died since you left. these are all with the exception of those I killed last fall. he was over about three weeks ago there was then thirteen young calves and 17 lambs for your share. I am having all the cows milked this summer I have counsiled [counseled] so to do by several it is much better for the cows there are now cows that are suckling there [their] last years calves and will not come in. I don’t know how this idea will please you but I do it for the best I have not sold the horses yet but intend to when an opportunity presents. fifty has no colt now no signs of any Br Peterson has put in eleven or twelve acres of wheat how much other stuff I am not able to say Brother Olsen is going to stay with me no one else seems to throw themselves in my way that I liked and I propossed [proposed] the thing to him and he was quite willing to stay he will stay as he has done for his living and when you come home he will be satisfied with whatever you think is right. I intend to get the house up on the farm this summer and all the rest of the work done as fast as I can I had 12 bushels of wheat and four bushels of potatoes after the seed and tithing was taken out this is about the amount of what I received the hay the children are at school and all well Mahonri has been baptised [baptized] little Erastus says his pa has all gone to the states but every man that comes in to the house he will ask if it is pa little Franklin sits alone and is a very pleasant dispositioned child always ready to laugh as soon as he gets his eyes open little Liby is now runing [running] around

sheet is full up [If] I were to scare you as you do me I would send you a little small sheet but the scriptures say do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I have been reading the testament [New Testament] lately and you must allow me to repeat a little scripture I will close by bidding you good bye [goodbye] may the Lord bless you and help you to accomplish your mission to the acceptance of your brethren and also of your heavenly father is my prayer this from your affectionate wife Artimesia