| Madison County
Letters© - 20Dec1852 Copyright 2000 Fredi Perry In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data and images may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or for other presentation without express permission by the contributor(s) Galesburg, Knox Co., Ills. Dec. 20th 1852 Dear Cousin, Your husband's and your letter I received on Saturday the 18th containing twenty seven dollar which was thankfully received. I suppose it will do just as well to direct a letter to you in acknowledgement of it. Mother tried considerable to get Mary to write to Lucemartin (?) after she returned from the north but without success. She was full of getting married, and as Mother scarcily ever writes, and I do not often do so, is the reason why you did not hear from us. Father and Mother returned a week sooner than we expected them. Father's brother had removed 80 miles from where he expected to find him, the weather was so bad he did go to see him he made his sister a short visit and hurried home, they arrived late Saturday night drenched from head to foot in rain and mud. Mr. Garwood had arrived that day from Mich. And Mary was in a hubbub she did not expect him quite as soon, they were married in about two weeks and in about three weeks after they were married they started for Sumnersville, Cass Co., Michigan. We hear from Charles frequently, but have not heard from William and fear we never shall the last we heard from him he was near the Alkaline region he was well fitted out for the trip, much better than an intimate friend of his who went from this place and have got through they write that they never should if their brother who was in Oregon had not met them with fresh provision and teem, one of the girls wrote that the whole rout is strewed with graves which are a hole in the ground so shallow that the blanket or buffalo skin which the corps was wrapped in could be seen on the top of the ground, they soon got so that such sights did not disturb them their stepfather died on the way. John Gaskill and Marion Purviance went from Ridge Prairie last spring they say that the rout is one continued burying ground they are very much dissatisfied with the country, so Uncle George writes I have written these particular for cousin George's especial benefit tell him if he values his life any thing not to undertake cross the plans, never --- never - never so says almost every one that says any thing about it. But people will not be profited by the experience of others. I should not be surprised if Mr. Gardwood and Mary went to Oregon in the spring we had rather see her put in her grave. Mother sends her love to you all, and says tell Lucena Ann to come down here and go to school the year commences the 1st of September and if she cannot come before that time to come then. We have had a very unpleasant fall and winter so far the roads much of the time almost impassable. Please to excuse mistakes and write often. And remember me to all the friends. Yours affectionately, Hannah A. Perrigo |