Otsego Jan.. 29th 1860Respected Brother an Sister

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I now take this opportunity to inform you of my health which is tolerably good at this time hoping these lines will find you enjoying the same blessing Seth and Verona and Babe are in tolerable health more they were all sick Last fall with the Billious fever Brother L and family were well two days ago they had received your Letter I was glad to hear from you once I had wrote several Letters But Received no answers Lyman and his wife is in Jay county Ind. he has gone down there to preach We have had about 3 weeks sledding the last of Dec. and first of Jan with some very cold weather for this country there is now two or three inches of snow the weather is pleasant for the season our crops were tolerable good Last season we had 169 Bushel wheat probably 200 of corn 80 potatoes 25 tons Hay 100 or over of Apples wheat is worth 1.13, Corn .48 [     ] We winter 14 head of cattle 2 horses 15 sheep 13 Hogs Please give my respects to Daniel and Lydia and tell them to write to me write where Mary Lives now the last letter she wrote she was going west Give my respects to Craig tell him to write to me Likewise Ella and A and all enquiring friends I thought when I was out to see you I should have come and see you before this time but I am growing old and lame and dont know as as I ever shall see you again but hope for the best I have Built a house since I was out to see you which cost about 6,00, dollars and do not owe a dollar that I know of I have been making preparations to Build a Barn soon it may Be this summer Seth and Verona are not willing that I should come to see you alone as I am so old and Lame

You must write as soon as you receive this and let me know how you are getting along and write all about my old Neighbors and how times are with you it is called hard times for money here now though our Country is fast improving Write about Carlos and Ellen Brother L. is improving as to property he has 80 acres of Land Mostly paid for Clover seed is 4 dollars per Bushel 2.00 Lb hogs dressed 5 ct per lb wild Land about 8 or 10 dollars per Acre improved farms from 15 to 30 dollars per Acre A. [Cyrel] Holdridge is at his Grandfather Hs, about 6 miles from here going to school with [Hasen] his Brother this winter Seth and Verona send their respects to you and request you to write to them they say that you must come out here and see us and our Country Likewise to Uncle D. and Aunt L., Write how the religion of Christ prospers you must excuse me for not writing oftener I have wrote two or three times since I have received any from you But Let not any thing hinder write and I will do the same And now Dear Brother and Sister as we are so far distant from each other and as we are growing old and time with us will soon be no longer with us may we so live that if we never meet again on the shores of time we may in heaven where parting scenes will be over Pray for us and for all the Oppressed of our Land I must now draw to close by subscribing myself

your affectionate Brother till DeathMoses S. Colton