Page 1

pierpont Dec 5 1855Dear aunts

I now Sit down feeling unable to keep about upon my feet to do my duties trials and affliction to write to you a few Lines of the most trying news that I ever before experienced in all my lifetime a duty which i ought to have done Long ago but my health being so bad and being left alone here on the shores of time and trying to bear up under our lot and portion which is of the hardest i delayed it from time to time being all Confused and not capable of standing in my place owe aunt i beg your pardon and forgiveness for not doing as i ought to have done and would wished to have done had it been Convenient owe aunt i feel as if you would grant your unworthy nephew his request i have to the west and Whould done So by all the friend had i had the luck to Spoil my pen and being Sick did not obtain a new recruit till now

i must now enter into the subject of these trying days in which we are bereaved of our farther and brother he failed verry fast after his return from your place until his death which took place november the fourth about half past one o Clock in the afternoon he Complained of his throat all the while which was terrible sore and Large ulcers Came there just Like those that was on his hand So that he Could not take any nourishment So you See with all his Complaints it used up his Constitution directly owe aunt he said he was ready and willing to go if he Could take his family along with him he Said that he thought it would be well him after death would that we all Could Say the Same may this trying Scene prove as guide to our Souls May we be So wise in ourselves as to prepare to meet the trying hour of death owe aunt mother and i feel to regret to have it that we did not hear any thing from him nor you Sun he appeared to be So anxious to get back home i talked to uncle Shep

Page 3

because he did not write to us tell aunt Lydia we Send our wishes and respects to her and tell her to remember us in these trying days of time and friends we Should be heartily glad to have a visit from Some of you as we have got to Spend the winter all alone ownly we two and we do not know how Long and it Seems as if they might Some of you Come and help us Spend Some of the Lonesome hours away uncle Andrew to remember us forever [  ] harry [Awinals] got here the friday after farther was buried and till monday morning haveing received your letter requesting farther to keep his promise it made us feel a great deal worse although he Said nothing about it to either of us but i know you was anxious to hear from here but you must excuse us because my health is miserable and we Cannot hardly get any favors from any body for the money in hand mother has tryed to get the hog

Page 4

for a whole week and has not yet obtained a man to do it for us but if folks ownly would do as they agree to we Should get along Some way but i trust god being our helper we Shall overcome all of our in those Lines as the house you Spoke about you wished to know of we had got into it we have barely got it boarded and Shingled and that all and the Look verry dark as to our getting it done verry Soon the Lattest we have had from Ellen was written the day of his deathe She was then to newberry but Said She was going from their to danville i am looking for a letter from her well uncle everything is a rating here verry high but after all it is tight times for money here pork 11 dollars a hundred if you Can get it butchered every thing else in proportion but you must pay us a visit i do not know as i have any more news to write So i must close by requesting you to Lay all missunderstandings fault and delays aside and remember us god help us please answer these SCratches andrew & ruth fletcher

C Colton and mother