Great Salt Lake City [Salt Lake City, Utah]
February 26th1861 [Tuesday 1861-02-26]
My dear and beloved Erastus [Elder Erastus Snow 1818-1888]
How much pleasure it would afford me to have you step in this evening and sit and converse it would do me good to hear your voice for I have seen your face today and it looks as though you wanted to speak how natural it looks. Julia [Julia Josephine Spencer Snow, b. 1837] received it this morning the mail brought a letter for Minerva [Minerva White Snow, b. 1822] and Erastus W. [Erastus White Snow, b. 1849] also some pamphlets for Father Coup. Last weeks mail brought letters for Artimesia [Artimesia Beman (Snow) 1819-1882] Julia [Julia Josephine Spencer Snow, b. 1837] and myself for which I thank you very much I am sorry to learn of your poor health but trust this will find you improving in health you must take good care of yourself do not expose yourself too much how are your eyes are they any stronger than when you left? Mine are very weak a half hours reading will give me a severe headache still I must read. The papers are full of interest I cannot let them alone. Brother Wallace received the cuttings and seeds you sent him we did not get the straw berries [strawberries] set out last fall. I believe the winter has been hard enough to kill the fruit. It is expected we shall have plenty of peaches this summer it has indeed been a mery [merry] time here this winter if dancing could make it so although I have not participated much in it. I think they are about to wind up this week and say it is enough. The family are all well. Minerva [Minerva White Snow, b. 1822] wished me to thank you for her for your letter and present and says she will write next week. I was over to Marys [Mary Minerva Snow Gates, b. 1813] yesterday to help her clean her house George [George Washington Thurston, b. 1830]wished me to inform you that he was going back to Florence [Florence, Winter Quarters, Nebraska] with the church teams to bring goods for Brother Godby [Godbe] and some for himself and he will bring things for you if you choose, to send, for eight dollars per hundred [$8 per 100 pounds]. For you to pay him in such things as he would need for family use sugar coffee tea and dry goods hickory cotton cloth and calico to be sent up the river to him he would like to have you write to him at Florence [Florence, Winter Quarters, Nebraska]. The weather now seems very much like Spring the snow has gone and it is very muddy. It is rainy tonight while I write the rain pattering against the windows makes we feel lonesome and I cannot write so I will lay aside my pen and retire to rest after asking the Lord to watch over us all and preserve our lives that we may meet again so good night.
Wednesday [1861-02-27]
Dear Erastus [Elder Erastus Snow 1818-1888] I intended to have finished my letter yesterday but I went to a party with Bryants family at the assembly rooms and this forenoon I have been busy fixing myself and Libey [Libby - Elizabeth Ashby Snow Ivins, b. 1854] off to a party at the seventies [Seventies] Hall with Mahonri [Mahonri Moriancumr Snow, b. 1847] and Erastus [Erastus Beman Snow, b. 1853] and it is now three o clock [3:00 PM] and this must be in the office [Post Office] by four [4:00 PM]. I enjoyed myself very well last evening. A great many friends inquired after you Br Brigham [Brother Brigham Young] was present and appeared in very good spirits. Sister Orson Pratt was there she says Br Pratt [Brother Orson Pratt] does not receive any of her letters
Father Coup is well and wishes to be remembered to you the children are all out of school now but I suppose they will commence to go again soon
Florence [Florence Snow Woolley, b. 1856] is sitting at the table with me trying to write. She says if she could write words she would write you a letter. Josephine [Josephine Snow, b. 1859]
is asleep in the cradle she is a perfect little chatterbox wherever she sees a man pass in the street she turns to me and says “papa” the children talk a great deal about you and wonder when you will come home. Elizabeth [Elizabeth Ashby Snow Ivins, b. 1854] sat thinking the other evening and she turned to me and said “if papa would come in now I would run and jump up on his knee.” I must close so goodby [goodbye]
Elizabeth [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby Snow, b. 1831]
I almost forgot to tell you Nathaniel [Nathaniel Ashby Jr.] has a son Martha [Martha Ellen Snow, b. 1865 says it is not the fault of the Ashbys any more. So we may soon expect another. Bryant and his family wish to be remembered.
Addressed:
Mr. Erastus Snow [Elder Erastus Snow 1818-1888]
New York, N Y [New York City, New York]
Post Box 3957
from Elizabeth Snow [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby Snow, b. 1831]
26thand 28th Feb/61 [Tuesday 26 Feb 1861 and Wednesday 27 Feb 1861]
Received & ansored [answered]
Mar. 28th [Thursday 1861-03-28]
in L Boston [Boston, Massachusetts]
Mass