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Show Dear Sister ... 1858 Dear Sister: I have just received a letter from you which I, though scarce able, attempt to answer your inquiries. First you say you heard I had six children. I have five; Mary Jane, born 18 July, 1835; George Lyman, 13 December, 1839; Warren Wright, 19 November, 1844; Charles Joseph, 28 July, 1847; Elizabeth Emma and Amos Bonesteel, (twins) born 17 April, 1849. Emma was three and a half hours the oldest. She now lies in the same grave with her father. I must now give an account of Lyman's sickness and death. He never was well since we came to this country. Not able to work except to drive a team until about three months before he died. He was taken with a congestive chill and the disease settled in his lungs... I thought I would improve the opportunity to talk to him, as I had not the least hopes he would recover, as I was warned of his death on 2O February. It was told to me by him that cannot lie, that Lyman would not live over five or six weeks. My dear sister, this is true, as God lives. I asked him (Lyman) what I should do. He said he did not know what to tell me, that I must use my best judgment according to circumstances... So many of our children had been sick and suffered so much since we have been out here that we (will) refoice when our sufferings and trials are over. ...He was perfectly sensible all the time and never expressed the least doubt, but all the time spoke of his joyful hopes and happy expectations beyond the grave.. My dear sister, joy the day when I shall meet my husband again.... ....You ask what my circumstances are. To get a living it is very bad at present. Not being settled and my children small, and I have worked so hard this Winter to keep wood to burn, that my back is so lame that is difficult for me to get up out of a chair. I received a letter from Jonathon after he arrived in Salt Lake. He was well pleased with that country. He called his youngest child, Lyman. It died at Grand Island. Emily and children are well and talk of leaving in the Spring. What I shall do I do not know. .... I should be glad if I had some of your apples. Little Amos would not know what to do with one.... It is getting late and Jane and I have got to do chores and cut some wood. It is about one mile to my nearest neighbor and Indians are most too plenty 348 |
