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Letter 1
Albakerk(1) Rio
del nort the 18th July 1849
Mrs J. R. Lane & J. B. Yager(2), E
. Watts(3)
Dear Sirs
I reached this place 2 Days since contrary to Expectaian though it is 70 miles
on my way from the trail. I have traviled slower to favor my stock which is
reasonable well. I have lost none & with care they will all go through.
I did not write from Santafee (4) The
Reason I stoped my wagons in 15 miles of Santafee & went
in to see to my businef ther & stayed 2 days & I learnt that there
was good Warter & grass on the galestere 25 miles from Santafee on my Way & I
returned To the Wagon To move them there & then Intended To Return To Santafee
and write home but finding Bad fare for my stock I Was forced To push through
to this place & it is to far To return and to fare write from here, I asertained
What I could there and think The most of my Expectency is lost in the hands
of Swindlers in Whom confidence was improperly placed. It was not spent asome
Reported
by Prodigality, the same men swindled others out of Thousands at the same time,
it is thought some will be got and some never will. I saw a mister Ward Whom
lives in Layfayette County(5) when
at home and have
been there some time, was
on
trial when John left Santafee, He thinks John (6) sent
home the Rest of a thousand dollars and have The fersane receipts part of that
was payable to me & part
to J. R. Lane that was sent after hugh Hambleton(7) left
for home by a man in Jackson, Ward forgot the name but John has his Receipts,
it seems he has sent twice which
has not been Reported, they think in Santafee that there is a large amount & J.F.
coflin is -[illeg.]—alful. John is with Lin(8),
and Will get that, but
I
was not –[illeg.]- able to collect a Dollar here in Santafee or sell
anything as there is hundreds of companies selling out at cost & packing
through. Oxen & provisions are all lower & mules high can make it through
in a shorter time to pack but make grat lossess in Selling out their outfits.
My match
horses bee some but I think can go through with care, will not sell here for
their Worth. We have all enjoyed good health, not an hard sickness amongst
us. I have stood The trip as Well as any of The Boys(9) & am
now better than When
I started & have flatring hopes of health & high pay for my Treble.
all the information we get is favorable. I swapted 2 of my cows for a mule & one
for an ox. There is a boat here To cross this River(10) Which
We shall cross Tomorow & go
on To Sacaro(11),
50 miles. There we shall join a larger company, there is only 13 men of us
together at this time, part of our company have packed through.
We have only five wagons together here. We left Samuel Berrys(12) company
60 miles back, we shall meet again at Sacaro. There we shall get as large a
company as
we Wants. One wagon with us belongs to John Reddick(13) Who
lived at Majors(14).
Berrys is in, he has his wife with him. I have only been
able
to sell as much
here as
furnish Expence money, therefore I can send none now & you must manage
my business to the best advantage & my family must do the best they can
till I Return. I hope to send money by Samuel Berry who will Return before
me perhaps
Unless he stays till I am Ready to Return. I think I shall Return within The
2 years & across the Ismass(15) & by
new Orleans(16).
I would not advise any friend To move through these plains with a family for
no Expectancy. I want
some
of you to write Immediatly to Wm R Watts(17) teling
him where we are & how
John(18) has not been as harty
nor as fat for three yrs. He says Will(19) & McKinney
is also Well & I want one of you To Write to me as soon as you Receive
this. Write to the office at the bay of St. Francisco Calafoney(20) by
Way of new Orleans
and it will meat me there & give me the news and the –[illeg.]-Health
and situation of my family. Spanyards(21) have
not Malested us though frequent
Depredations
By Indians & many troops are after them. I found aquaintances in Santafee
then already waited on me before I Reached there as I had got aquainted----
[The last page of the letter is missing]
[from John S. Watts]
Letter
1a
Lawrence County Mo. May 17th 1850(1a)
Dear neac(2a).
I
received yours of the April the 21st week and was well pleased to get a letter
from you as I always am. We are all
in reasonable health though
not well my I have not Enjoyed good health for the last two years my wife(3a) has
also has been complaining for a long time.
We have had a wet disagreeable winter and a cool wet Spring we had a hard frost
the 5th of May though there is a good many peaches and some apples at that time.
it is dry and warm the wheat and oats is suffering for want of rain corn is worth
25 and wheat 75 cents per bushel you say you can't hear from me without you write
first i have never been in the habit of writing to my Relations oftenor than
they write to me. my reason is this you know I was born 2 or 3 years too soon
and for that reason I have on the back ground and for fear of being thought troublesome
I have not in that respect probably done by duty , but be assured I think as
much of a letter from you as you possibly can for one from me. As i never shall
forget the kindness and respect from you and your family and loving father(4a) especially
and I am truly sorry he could not have been spared a longer time to
have enjoyed
the blessings of so lovely and affectionate family But a few years
and likely not so long and you and me and all of us will be laid in the same
elliment with your loving father though a long way of.
I received a letter from your uncle Robert(5a) last
fall he stated he had been in Ky the fall before and your mother had sent twenty
dollars to me and that
he would come to see me about Christmas and fetch it I got another from him the
first of this month dated the 10th of February in that he wrote he started and
got some 40 miles and his beast got crippled so bad that he had to return home
he also wrote that his family was well his son-in-law was going to start to California
this spring that his son W L(6a) went
last spring that he has heard he was doing well I want you to say to your mother
that I am satisfied
she has sent the money
and that i shall get it some day and whether or not I never expect her to pay
it again. one of my son-in-laws Reuben Ireland(7a) started
to California this spring and never heard from, his wife and seven children all
girls but one and
that only 2 years old and I think in poor circumstances in the whole I think
the California gold will do more harm to this state than good there is thousands
of acres of good land that will lay idle for want of hands to work it this season.
you say W.Watts(8a) wants
to move to Arkansas I wish he may be pleased with the country when he gets to
it if Mr Dickerson(9a) goes
I want you to write when you
get there as you are the only one of my relations that Ever writes to me except
brother James(10a) and
him seldom. I should like to see your smart little children I have some smart
little grandchildren I think
about 37 or 38 and some of them
of course ought to be smart. I must think of coming to a close as can't keep
the lines my eyes fail me so much therefore I hope you excuse my bad mistakes
give my respects to your mother and the children and my relations and especially
my good old stepmother(11a) and say to her that I never
shall forget the many kind she done for me when I was a poor friendless boy I
add no more but remain
your loving uncle till death.
Joseph Schooling(12a)
Martha A. Dickerson
say to your mother(13a) that if the commissioners will
not give her a credit after seeing these lines I will send her a receipt I would
do it now but it looks like
putting the cart before the horse. J.S.
Letter
2 Cold
Springs(22)
June 20
Mis Margaret Jane Watts
Dear and Remembered Sister
for the first time in my life I take the opportunity to write a dear sister to
answer one I received from you, I owe you an answer. I had not thought of Ever
hearing from or Seeing you again. I Thought you all had forgotten me. Your letter
has given me more gratifycation than any news I Ever recieved from the hans of
anyone in my life. I Do Sincerely hope that you will Continue to write me untill
you See me. MySelf, father and brothers are all well trying to get ready to return
home. I do not know when you will See us. I have Set a determination never to
return untill I can return independent, Settle Everything that is owing and then
I will return. I have had the pleasure of Seeing Some of our old neighbors from
high blue(23).
They are all well so far as I can learn. Covelins younger and family is all well
and Well Satisfied, I have Seen none but what was well pleased but William McClelan,
he says he will return to grand river again. Our friends that went to Oregon
were all well the last time I heard from there. I was at old Mrs
Riggses(24) the
other Day, they were all well and well pleased with the Country. They talked
to me about you a great deal. William Mitchell(25) and
family were
all
well. You want to hear something about California. I will tell you what I think of
it. California Certainly is the best Country in the world, it lacks nothing but
good society. The vallys are the most beautifull Scenery in the world. You Can
Stand on the Mountains and See the Ships under Sail(26) in
great numbers and the greatest variety of Beautiful flowers that Ever you Saw
in your life covers the hole of the land. Sickness is allmost unknown in this
Country to the old Settlers. Emigrants were Sick, Som last summer and fall from
exposure on the road to Say the least of it. It is the most healthy country that
ever I saw.
[name missing – Father?] talks of moveing to this Country when he returns
[page torn]- friends are willing. He is making his calculation to Start in the
fall but dos not know what rout he will go. I Do not want him to go untill I
Can go with him, he cant make the trip by him self. [page torn] cold be Satisfied
to live in this country after seeing [page torn]- is getting as lot better [Page
torn]y gets better here. I could not think of making my home in this Country
all tho it is the best country that Ever I saw. Margaret(27) it
would be nouse for me to untake to tell you how bad I want to See you for language
would fail to expres my anxiety to be with you. All that I can Say is that I
am Striving and looking foreward to the Day when I Can be with you and Jack and
all the Rest of my friends. I have seen nothing but hard ships Since I left home
nor expect
to untill I return.
Dewit(28) and
Teny(29) say
they will answer your letter and want you to continue to write to them. Father
Shed many a tear when he read your letter. Tepee went from Sacramento City with
me to hour house and Stayed Several days before he Started home. I went with
him on the boat when he Started and told him fare Well. Poor Tepee if he Could
lived to got home he could have told you all about us, but Gods laws must be
obeyed at all times. It gave me pleasure to hear you and Jackson(30) had
bee going to School. Tell Jackson god bless him. I would give all the world to
See him if I had it at my command and take the Same to your Self. Teeny sends
you and Jackson some specimens of gold. I send you a gold pen and want you to
wear it out writing me letters. You may give hour compliments to my moriah(31) and
tell her That we are very proud to hear from her and now that she hasnt forgotten
us, when we return She Shall have the oppertunity of Seeing us. I hope she will
not marry before we get back. Teny says to her that he will return and see her
as soon he gets as much gold as he wants and she must awaite with patience until
he returns. I have heard from I.Duncan Since he landed in Oregon. Milt Louis
is living in a town on the huber(32) river
called marysville. Cornelius J-[illeg.]- ele Mitchels Holloway McKlelands and a
great many others of hour neighbors is living in puello vally. Mr underwood is
living about fiftee miles from us in vacinity
of Nevada City.
You must tell Mother(33) that
Father(34) Sends
his love to her, D and Teny also. They are all very anctious to See her. I dont
nowe what her feelings is towards me. I think she had heard that I had lost the
money gambling. That person who told it Swore to me that he never said not told
that in his life and he would give a certificate if I wanted. He gave all the
goods to me, they were considered perfectly solvent and as at the time as it
was the only way I could not Collect the money and Would hold the notes. Now
some of the men are in this country and Say they will pay me as Soon as they
make the money. I did not know that I had Such friends at home as would take
advantage of my absence to tell a great pack of lies. Tell mother if She new
the facts as they are she could not think hard of me. If be able to make any
money in this country She Shall have it as long as I have one Dollar left.
Tell Letty and Mr Rolin(35) they
must write to me as Soon as this letter reaches home and direct their letters
to Sacramento City(36).
Father and the boys makes the same request of them. Tell Mr Rolin that California
is the land for him. Small grain grows
here spontaneous, nobody sows small grain here to feed on, it grows itself without
as a great abundance. Tell Andrew Jacks that he must write me a letter [page
torn] that he nows if he Dus I will answer it and Send it full [page torn], Margaret
we will according to your request send you our likenesses the first oppertunity,
we are 60 miles from the nearest place where we could get them taken. Margaret
Do not fail to write, I have a great many fine things for you but Cant have any
oppertunity to Send them to you. I know of nothing more to write, you be a good
girl and learn all you can and may god in all his goodness help you to Do it.
Give my best wishes to Mother and Letty, Uncle Dick(37) and
all my friends if I have any left. Afor Ever remember your affectionate Brother
John
S. Watts, Junior(38)
Margaret Jane Watts
Jackson
County, Mo. July 27th, 1854
Dear Father & Mother(39)
It is with pleasure that I have seated myself to write to you once more.
It has been so long since I wrote that I feel almost ashamed to write but
the
fact is my health has been so bad that I could not compose myself long enough
to write. I felt in hopes of after my baby was borne that I would gain my health
but my child is now five months old & my health is no better & I fear
it never will be any better. I am now takeing medicine from doctor Penalton(40) I
have a very sore mouth, the doctor calls it the nurses sore mouth. Thire is
about half of the time that I cannot eat in conciquence of my mouth being
so sore. I have a fine boy & I call him John Nathan(41), the
John is for Father & the
Nathan is for Nathan Simpson(42). He
is a large child, he weighs 18 pounds. He was burne the 2th of Febuury, he
has dark skin looks very much like Father.
Mr Hays(43) has
gone out to Albuqurk (44) & I
am staying at home but Dick Crump(45) & his
wife is living in one room of our House & they are Company enough for me & then
thire is a Lady staying with me by the name of Cunningham(46).
She is a very pleasant Lady and taks charge of all my hous afairs which taks
a great responcibility
off of me. Cousin Amazon Hays(47) has
been gone to Santi Fee(48) all
summer but Cousin Pap(49) is looking
for him home about the fifth of August. Mr Hays will be gone about four months & he
has been gone about three weeks. Mr Hays, Amazon & Uncle
Jimmy(50) is
freighting for a man by the name of Web(51).
They are pardners & if
they dont have any bad luck they will do well. It is a money making business & they
have had very good luck so fare! All of the Hayeses is gone except Cousin Sam(52), he
is at home this summer.
Cousin Dolly has a daughter eight mons old, it was born the 23 of November,
she calls her Louisa Catherine. Cousin Rebecca(53)has
another son, she calls it Caleb Ewing, thire is only one weeks difference in
hers & mines ages,
Caleb is the oldest. Aunt Marys(54) health
is very bad, if anything it is worse than it was when you left. Uncle Jimmy
has tolerable good health, he had a
very bad spell of sickness this summer but it did not last very long, he was
only Confined to his bed about ten days. Aunt Marys daughters both grow very
fast. Rachel(55) is
beginning to think about sitting out, she rids a horse by herself to church & Lou's(56) one
of the worst spoilt children in the world but Aunt Mary dont think so. Dicks (57) almost grown, he is a very good boy & a
considerable beau among the girls.
Uncle John Berry(58) is
dead, he died last spring. I do not know what was the matter with him, his
family is still living in Osage County, his son Jimmys(59)
in Calloway County going to school(60) he
is a very smart boy. Caleb(61) has
taken a contract on the Rail road in Osage & is
doing very well, the other three children(62) is
with Aunt Peggy(63). As
for Uncle Calebs (64) is about as he was
when you see him only he braks very fast. He & Aunt
Virginia(65) is
both quite stout for thire age. Uncle Edward(66) has
lost one of his eyes & comes
very near looseing the other one. It was caused by the sore eyes(67),
he has had them for better than than two years. Uncle Sam(68) and
family is well, they
only
have two children, a little girl and boy(69).
The little boy is said to be a very smart child.
Uncle John Burt(70) is
dead, he died the fourth day of January, he died of dispepsia. He had been
in bad health for some three years but was able to go about untill
about five hours before he died. He was taken with spasms. The family is all
on the old place except Margaret & Isacic(71).
Mag is up here staying with Cousin Pap & Isacic Burt(72) & Isacic
Berry(73) has
gone to Santi Fee with Amazon, Isacic Berry went as boss of a train. Louisas
Husband(74) is
still in California & she is staying with her mother. Aunt Bathsheba Burt(75)
has very bad health, she has not been well this summer the greater part of
the
time
confined to her room. I do not know what is the matter with her. I have been
down to Calloway(76) to
see them all. I was down about four weeks. I was very much pleased with my
visit & went to see all of my relations & all
of Mr Hayses. Aunt Mary went down with us. Uncle John and Aunt Peggy came over
to see us while we was down, he was the stoutest looking one of the Berry Family,
but it was his lot to be taken away first.
Mr Hays is a very stout man, he can stand anything & eat almost anything
but he has worked so very hard this summer that he looked rather poor when
he started. He thinks a great deal of his boy, he thinks he is one of the smartest
boys living. Well I will have to think about closing for I have written all
of the news that I think would be interesting to you. You & Father(77) must
write to me for a letter from you would be a great treat & I will try to
do better in the future. I will write to you again if my health should improve,
if not you must not expect to get many letters from me. You must give my love
to all of my brothers(78) tell
them I would like very much to see them, so no more but remain your affectionate
daughter
Margaret J. Hays(79)
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Franklin - Email: Watts Hays Letters
