Letter: Clark L. Mathew to James Smith, November 11, 1855

SMITH, MATHEW, MOORMAN, MORMAN

Posted By: Beth Johnston (email)
Date: 11/18/2001 at 09:51:58

This is one of several letters to James Smith and his wife Rebecca "Jane" Mathew Smith. James moved from Fountain Co., IN to Marion Co., IA in 1854. On 4 Jul 1854 James married Jane, who was a daughter of John Mathew and Lucinda Moorman or Morman Mathew. The Mathews had moved to Marion Co. from Ohio.

Omaha City Nebraska Try November 11 1855

Dear friends

I take this this opportunity to inform you that I am well at presant but have been sick along time with fever and ague but I have out done it at last and got well I promised last spring to write to you before this time but you must not think hard of me but think that it is a wonder that I would write this soon as you [k]now that lazness has taken great efect on me our folks says that there is a boy about your house that has got lew [Lew]* to his name and I expect to be along by the time he can talk plane and bring him a hat I thought I would come home this winter but I have give it out now

Let me tell you I am in a good country but you are in as good a country as this clames is as high here as land is in marion I have got as good a clame as ever any man had within 15 miles of the capital of Nebraks and one lot in the city worth 50 dolars and I expect to stay here until the land comes in market any how I want you to write me soon and tell me how the world uses you as I have not heard from you since robert and mary** went home [end of page 1]

There has been no trouble with the indians latly but all is right the misouri river is lower than any man ever seen it before but the boats comes up yet I am going to bath [perhaps batch, as in bachelor] out and cut would [wood] this winter for one dolar a cord and in the spring go to work on the claim flour sells at 4 dollars per hunddred her[e] and pork the same so far corn at the blufs is plenty at 2.5 cts

I must bring my leter to a close and remain as ever Clark L. Mathew

James and [Rebecca] Jane Smith

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Notes:
*"Lew" is John Lewis Smith b. to James and Rebecca Jane Mathew Smith 7 May 1855 in Marion Co., IA.

**Robert James Colwell and Mary Ann Mathew Colwell. Mary Ann is a twin to Clark Mathew and also is Rebecca Jane’s sister. They eventually returned to Marion Co. and lived in Columbia.