ESLTRS-1875-05-13-From,SnowErastus,UtahSaltLakeCity-To,AshbyElizabethRebecca(Snow),UtahStGeorge

ESLTRS-1875-05-13-From,SnowErastus,UtahSaltLakeCity-To,AshbyElizabethRebecca(Snow),UtahStGeorge

Salt Lake City May 13th 1875 [Salt Lake City, Utah]  [Wednesday 13 May 1874]


Mrs Elisabeth R. Snow [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby Snow] St George [St. George, Utah]


My kind and much beloved wife


I have been from you over six weeks and have neither written directly to you nor received a line from your hand or from either of your children.   Yet I have often heard from you through others and of course you have from me,   yet I begin to feel as though I would like to peruse lines penned by your own hand and hear from your children and the little home news, about the children, the news of the housework, the gardening, and [?] From the fountain of your dear heart, for I am sure it is [?] Up nor yet quite exausted [exhausted] upon the little ones at home,   But I suppose I must tap it afresh before it will flow out, so here I begin.   I must first tell you I have been in attendance today upon a five hour [5 hour] meeting with the Twelve, Bishops and home missionaries talking up the United Order Cooperation etc to keep our own hearts alive to these subjects, and to learn if we were able to teach it to others.    I have besides had an inward fever drinking much water and running somewhat with Bowel complaint which makes me feel a little tremulous and somewhat exausted. [exhausted]


I have been engaged nearly all my spare time since I last returned to the city [Salt Lake City, Utah] upon my own Biography and the history of the southern mission [Dixie Cotton Mission – St. George, Utah], for Professor Tulledge’s Book [Edward Tullige]; nor would I have the present leasure [leisure] to think of and hold converse with you, if Sallisbury my amenuensis [amanuensis] had not failed in his engagement with me this evening.   Minerva [Minerva White Snow] & I [Erastus Snow] came to Bro. A. M Mussers [A. Milton Musser] where Wilford & Moroni were boarding and here we are stopping still and possible [possibly] will retain a home here untill [until] I start South again which I hope will be in a few weeks, though Probably I shall visit Tooele County [Tooele, Utah] and Ogden [Ogden, Utah] first.   My general health is pretty good.  I am not labouring [laboring] as hard as I did last summer but expect to do so when I start south again and have my own team to drive and care for.


I have not seen your sister Mary [Mary Ashby] or any of her family but hear they are about as usual, that the cripples are no better.   Susan is quite well and all her family.   Louisa & Lucy both Teaching with Miss Cook and Lucy and other children attending same school, girls helping mother evenings & Mornings.


Mariah Stevens still occupying part of Harriets [Harriot] old place and Thomas working out at Evanston [Evanston, Wyoming] on the U.P. [Union Pacific Railroad]   Ann B. [Anna Beckstrom ?] is well and feels well but is Whitewashing and papering her house and could not see how she could board the boys on T.O. [Tithing Office] Pay as the office is as dry here this summer as in St. George [St. George, Utah].


Bro. Brigham Young is recovering from his cold and goes out riding a little and this afternoon Bro. George A. [George A. Smith] has taken a short ride in Bro. Mussers [A. Milton Musser] Buggy for the first time I believe since April Conference.  He has been suffering severly [severely] with Bronchitis and coughing so much and violantly [violently] as to get very little rest nights.   I visited your Brothers William [William Ashby], and John [John Ashby], and your sisters Emma [Emma Ashby]& Harriet [Harriet Ashby] at Holden [Holden, Utah] and held meeting there one week ago last Saturday [Saturday 2 May 1874] on my way back to the city [Salt Lake City, Utah].   Harriets [Harriet Ashby] health is good and Emmas [Emma Ashby] improving.   She had Lumbago in the Spring severely.   Didn’t see Appleton or Almedia Mother Stringham attending meeting   I hear Roberts is gone.   I hope you will get Bro Watts to lend you lot [?]   pay him through the office or otherwise.   Can’t and [some of ?] the girls start up a shop for dresses, hats, bonnets, pants vests etc under your system of cutting?   I want to hear from you all.   God Bless you my dear wife and all you


[In margin]


dear children.   Hope you got your pump and cistern & how does it work?  Yours in love Erastus Snow


I enclose fifty cents postage money.   Please correct all mistakes.

Libby [Elizabeth Ashby Snow] how do you succeed in collecting school Bills?   Do Factory or Canaan stack up on the office where they can pay no better.   E.S. [Erastus Snow]