Creator
Marg[are]t [Muir Reid]
Recipient
John Muir and David [Muir]
Transcription
[1] Hickory Hill Dear Brothers John and David I am going to fill up Joannas paper if I can but am hardly able to write I was not able to do my work so I though I would spend a few weeks in visiting and let John batch it I spent about a week at Sarahs and have been almost a week here but I am going home Sunday with [illegible]ilnord French to do my work John finding [it?] took too much of his time to boil his potatoes and fry his pork my nerves are miserable and I have such hard nights I am good for nothing day times. You tell me the clouds will pass away some time although [tis?] long I will live in hope and if it does not I hope I may have supporting grace while here and be fitted to meet you in that blessed home where sickness never enters. boys pray for me I think I have said toomuch about my troubles but boys you know my failings I will try and write you something else tomorrow. Oct. 5 Mary and Anna birth day fifteen today, about the age I was when I came to America what changes since
00278
[2]
Dan found the ball of the pendulum of your [hygrometer?] among the corn
then my 27th birthday occurred last Monday and I was here (unexpectedly) to get current cake If you had been here today you would have tasted currant scones once more wound'nt that been good Dav Andrew says Dav thinks he has got into a grand place and I guess wishes he was beside you but times are hard and to add to it they have had another horse died. But the worst news I have to tell you is about Mr. Wesely he has been reading some bad. I suppose sceptical books and now does'nt believe the Bible to be the word of God and has given up all profession of religion and works on Sundays and his poor wife though pained to hear him read them at first is now staggered and wavering and says she is quite undecided and does not know what to believe this I heard from her own lips and David and all of us tried to persuade her to examin and convince her what an awful thing it was, and if she didn't now she would when perhaps too late find out her awful mistake. lets pray for them boys, and John will you not write him a letter with or without your name and try to convince him his error there is no meetings here now but Fathers and the Elders, Mr Jones not being able to preach now and it is doubted if he ever will again and mr Leathrop is also about to leave Montell. I was glad of your letter John but has David forgot me. Write to me soon David and tell me all your news you seemed to have had a pleasant [visit?] at Watsons but you did not say anything about your aunt be good boys and may God bless and keep you from temptation and sin and gather us an unbroken family to [His?] right hand
[3] Dear John We received your little short letter and was glad to hear that you have got [xxx deleted] the money We rolled you key and your combs up in a newspaper and you have not said wether you have got them or not. they are not going to have any schooling in the new new school house this winter but I expect they are going to have schooling in sumer [xxx deleted] and they don't expect to have any in grahms school house. [xxx deleted] [deleted] pa was talking of sending us to meman School house if they will let me in and I think it will be a pretty cold walk [xxx deleted] up the hill [xxx deleted] we had to stay at home a goodeal last winter for the road was drifted up so and I should think it would be a goodeal [xx deleted] [illegible] whin [illegible] are no rode. have you got the same room you had last time. I suppose you wont be so lonesome this time as David is with you. from your sister Joanna Muir
at last this is the prayer of your sister Margt
[4] Dear David this is the first time I ever began to write to you and I have a goodeal of questions to ask you so you must not weary. have you got a key for your watch does it sun well. how do you like to go to the university and how do like to go up to the blackboard. tomorrow is Mary and Annas birth day, and then they will be fifteen years of age. Mary and Anna was over at Sarahs healping hir to make comforters and little George could all most walk and perhaps all together by this time and Anna still thinks a good lot of his little pigs and visits them every day do you keep your stack smooth I supose you know what stack I mean Anna sends her love to you and John and she wants you both of you to write soon. [Adien?] write soon from your sister Joanna Muir
Location
Hickory Hill [Wisc.]
Circa Date
[1861 Oct 4]
Source
Original letter dimensions: 22.5 x 38.0 cm
Recommended Citation
Reid, Margaret Muir, "Letter from Margaret Muir Reid to John Muir and David Muir, 1861 Oct 4" (1861). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 1079.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/1079
Resource Identifier
muir01_0223-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 01, Image 0223
Collection Identifier
Online finding aid for the microform version of the John Muir Correspondence http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0w1031nc
Copyright Status
Copyright status unknown
Copyright Statement
Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Owning Institution
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Pages
3 pages
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
