Here I begin to transcribe the wonderful collection of letters given me by Daniel E. Gerow, son of one of the original recipients. I will change the spelling and punctuation as little as possible.

[Postmarked 25 April, 1876, Perth]

[Addressed to: Irving S. H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York, U.S.A., care of S. H. Gerow]

[one or more pages missing]

While writing this I rece[i]ved a letter from Alex^r. Says "Perhaps I will go to America with you." The only one that will speak about going at all. I wish he would come with me. Phebe, unless Alex^r comes with me, I will be alone. Think so at present. Nannie's Awa [?] Mother says tell P- the flowers are doing well. Lancifolium Rub^m is about seven inches high. Day lilys and cryth^m in not quit[e] so large. White P has a flower buds. Phebe, I went up to Murie to see the new carriage road Father & J are making. Went all round, Family in England, also to [t]he garden and greenhouse, both nice. Gard[e]ner showed me a Marshal Niel. It cover[s] half the front of his house, which is a story, say[s] "it is completely covered with b[l]ossoms in summer." Boys, I cannot set the time yet, have not writen to the A. Line Company for dates of sailing. Dana think Laddies that am nae comin agan, if spar'd a whilick. Mabie I'l licht no someday unkent. I'v[e] been thinking gan over tou Loch Liven then oot west. I can do [?] ah gae over th gather [?]. Well Samuel, ye'l[l] have goten al substitute tai plough for ye are now. Mother wid nae hae ?? me gain awa in time tae plough for ye. Bit I'l[l] be over tou help are lang. The trip has very much improved my health. Feel about as strong as when I left Caledonia for England. Father says David "Caledonian agrees better with you than American." All say I have improved very much.

Tell All anxious inquirers that I am coming back if nothing happen. P-, the whines [?] is in blossom about full, is thine? I will enclose on[e]. Tell Grandmother I think of hir, wonders if she is able to ride out with old Jack. Hope she is . Th' dear little fellows. I imagine the many times they have been to the blossom [?]. I will try and write a little oftener. Exquse lot. All sends their

Dhibh

Regards, yours truly,

David

[single small sheet; no envelope]

[no doubt from 1876, New York City]

Post Office

Dear Friend,

I landed in New York this morning Alone.

Express'd a box of Shrubs to thee to Pat[t]erson. H. R. R. [Harlem Railroad]

Please call early in case they damage for want of water.

In haste,

Will be up soon

Would like to surprise the boys.

[Postmarked 26 March, 11:00 a.m., Chicago]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York]

Atlantic Hotel, Chigago, 3/25/78,

To S. P. W^m. D. I. C. [Samuel, Phebe, William, Daniel, Irving, & Charles Gerow]

We arrived in Chiaguo [sic] at 7.25 P.M. last night. We staid at the above place all nicht. We leave for Joliet this morning.

We did not think of the Bags untill the train left Bethel, or elce I would have got out and walked back to Danbury and waited until the next train. But we did not think of them when at Norwalk Bridge the conductor brought us a tellegram stating the Bags were left and what to do with them. When we got to Norwalk, I telegraph'd back to leave in charge of the Baggage Master and send by next train. When the train got back of Bethel, the lumber yard train was a fire and had the hose a cross the track. Stoud thair untill they had just time to run to Danbury. In the excitement they forgot the Bags. The conductor told me he wold would bring them. The operator at Danbury telegraphed they had left them but stated that She would see that they ware put on the next train hirself. She did so, for we found them at New New York [sic] next morning. It takes us A la a? to all. Writing in haste, David

PS You had company pretty soon after we left. Never can have a quiet home.

[on back of folio sheet]

Will write again soon.

[postmarked 2 March {sic--read 2 April}, Council Bluffs]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York]

X

Davenport, 4.2.78

to S. P. W. D. I. C.

We stop[p]ed in Davenport all night not to seem lazy, but because we was to run across Iowa in the night, land in Omaha in the morning. We want to stop at a few places in Iowa as we go throu[gh]. I will let you know after this. Our train is about due for Omaha.

The land around Coal City is very high priced, 45 to 50 an acre, unbroken is held at 40. The[y] have all the coal feaver at present. Thair land is very level and very weet.

I did not have time to finish this little note at D'port, so I will try and finish it [in] the cars and post it the first chance. After leaving D'port we are passing through the best country. Just road to run of[f] the water. I do not see any windmills. Spring wheat is just coming up through a black rich soil. We are at present passing [men?] sowing wheat with machine. Oh the quantitys of Hogs thare is run[n]ing about the farms.

I think I stated I was sick like. I will tell you why. At the home of the man that came over with Alexr, they used green tea, the greenest I ever saw. Why it was so green that half a cup full of milk would scarcely coulor [sic] the other half of tea. Worse than Dorans. That and the cold, it was very cold, made me sick. Had a sore throat for a day or 2. Fell [sic] pretty well to day, and it is a very nice day. Things is farther forward here, that is west of D'port, than any part we have passed through. Ill. is later than at home by a good deal. Exquse hast[e]. David

A is well and has been all the time

I wish I could hear from you.

[Postal card postmarked 3 April, 1878, Avoca, Iowa]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Avoca. 4.5.78

We he[a]rd that Land is ch[ea]p at above. To look [for] some. Every one says There Land is very che[a]p. Wild L[and] brings 10- Throat a little sore this morning. A well. Beautiful morning. Truly, Dhaibh

[Postmarked 27 April, Schuyler, Nebraska

[Envelope preprinted with 'UPTON HOUSE,/ACKLEY & POWERS,/SCHUYLER, - NEBRASKA.]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York]

Schuyler, 4.17.78

TO S. P. W^m. D. I. C.

We have bought 160 acers, 6 1/2 miles from Schuyler. Railroad Land. We set[t]led it this morning at 9 a.m. Tis now near 10 a.m. I will give you all perticulars soon. Some timber in sight. Lots of Scot[t]ish men. But I do not think they are full blooded.

Please send money about 300. The way you think best. I sup[p]ose I could send draft. Please do write soon. I want to heere from home so much. Hope you are all well. Uncle Elias. In haste, David

[on reverse]

We are going to buy some lumber. We intend to buy 2 yoak of oxen to brake with. What do you think? Truly, David

Schuyler

Colfax Co.

Neb.

Please write by return mail.

[Postmarked 27 April, Schuyler, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York]

On the Prairie. 4.26^th.78

To S. P. W. D. I. C. only

After looking all along the line of the Rail Road, yes, and until I was tir'd looking for and at land, We final[l]y settled on 160 acers of rail road land five files from Schuyler, Colfax Co., Neb. Our selection is on the table land just off the Platte River bottom. Thair [is] Bottom, Bench, Table, and Bluff lands. The bottom land is very weet and some places sandy. The farmers cut hay and herd cattle on it. Any one can cut hay and any one can herd cattle. The Bottom looks at [sic] me to be from 8 to 10 miles wide. At the I have not h?? its wells ??. It is very level. Clumps of timber. The Bench land is a gradual slop[e] from the Bottom to the foot of the table land. I think about one mile _x more or less _x in width. The table land is I think a much better soil. More stronger than the bench land. The B. L. is a little bit sandy. We came near buying 160 on the Bench. The difference between us was the taxes for last year, which he wanted us to pay. We told him No.

The Bluff land is much more rolling than the table, high bluffs and narrow deep revines. Not so easily cultivated. It is just the [same] as far as eye can see. Just the one sameness, doted here and thair with settlers. A good many new cabins which s[p]eakes of new coummers.

I took some notes on our way, but they are getting old now. But if you want them, I will send them in next.

Our land is raw prairie, not one furrow broken. After we bought it, we hired a man with his team to take our chests, a small stove and a few boards and a spade from Schuyler to the place where we built our cabin. We got train at 4 p.m. sit our things down on the prairie. Plenty of room. Then we went at work and to build a shanty to stay in all night. We built it near one that is standing empty so as to get water from the well. A little farther than to the foot of the garden. A man and his son from Boston lives on the south of us. They came the same train that we did. We were in the land office at Omaha to gether. The Father* is a cabinetmaker, the son** an organ tuner. He will find, I think, the Braking Plow will not be so easily kept in tune. He does not look like keeping it in tune, following our talk, but they be noblemen.

From our cabin we can look up and down the Platte bottom, see the cars passing. I will get you a plat so that you can see just where we are located. The farmers are all busy plowing for and planting corn. The wheat & flax fields, well, all the crops, look well, give promise of a large return.

Alex and I went north among the Germans to buy an ox team to brake with. We bought them, paid 125 dollars. They are the largest oxen ever I saw, 7 years old. I here that oxen is a little higher than last year, but not so high as 2 or 3 years ago. We would have to give for the same 175 for the same then. We want to get another team. They are cheapest to brake. Will st?? [stable?] them out on the prairie. Braking plows is very high priced. I think 22 dollars, but then know people ??? to have them in hand. David.

Boys can you send me a few locust seed, one or 2 horse chestnut. We have planted a good many seeds, vegetable seeds. I will enclose a prairie flower. We are having beautiful weather at present. I have lots to tell you about Nebraska when I get a little more time. In haste, truly, David.

I wish you would send me 250 or 300 dollars as soon as you can. We want to get another team to brake with and we have not as much as [will] get them and keep us through braking. After braking we can get plenty of work in the harvest fields with new farmers.

Thee people here do not know what to make of us 2. They treet us very respectfully. I hare that some on has put an article in the paper about us. How is Uncle E. Hope he is keeping better and Grand Mother tell him D is well. Guess she is when my k???ing and best of everyone. -David

[*Henry J. Coffin, Sr.]

[**Harry J. Coffin]

[Postmarked 9 August, OM. & KEARN. JUNO. R.P.O.]

[Address to Charles C. F. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York, care of S. H. Gerow]

On the Prairie

6 Mo., 21^st, 1878

My Dear Friends,

I sup[p]ose you will be thinking you are not to here any more from the west. We have got done braking except a place for trees. Have not rece[i]ved plan yet. I will try to give you a little idea of the country we passed through and our surrounding neighborhood on the Prairie.

We left New York about 7 p.m. beginning to get dark. The Brakeman light the car lamps pretty soon after we left New York. About midnight snow began to fall. 7^th day night, first day morning, we had a hard storm all day. Clearing away in the afternoon. We had a very cold frosty night. At daylight, first day morning, we were passing through a mountainous region. What little cultivated land I saw seemed to me to be as rough and stony as Back of the Woods at home. Perhaps more so when seen with no snow on the ground. The Erie R.R. must run through the wildest, roughest and most uninhabited part of N. Y. Ste.

Arriving at Hornellsville, at 11 a.m. still snowing and very cold. Train stop[p]ed thair some little time. I wrote a Postle card for home, put it in the main car letter box that was going east. Did not see anyone in the car. Hope you rece[i]ved it. On leaving the Mountains, we came into a beautiful valley with quite a large river running through its center. I asked a Friend in next seat the name of the river. He said "it is Sasquahanna river and valley." Alex said "that is the best-looking part of the country we have pass'd through." The Large fields attracted his attention, being so smooth and level. "The land thair must be very rich." A little snow being on the ground did not show to good advantage. It looked to me a wide, beautiful valley, the banks of the river skirted with timber, and here and thair I saw scattered over the valley some beautiful little farms, that showed as if the owners had some taste. They looked so neet. I also notticed a good many as if the owner had but lately arrived from Cork. Tis beginning to get dark. The Conductor informs us that we will be in Buffalo by 7 p.m. We arr'vd about that time. After the train stop[p]ed at the station, a man came through the cars calling out "all those that have tickets for Grate Western of Canada have one hour & 20 minutes to stay here. And those going by Lake Lake Shore [sic] will have to stay all night. I will take you to a Hotell whair you can have bed and board for 35 cents--that is cheap enough, is it not?" A voice "depends upon the quality." We did not have to stay all night. It is bitter cold, snow about 8 inches deep and blowing and drifting so that it was difficult for us to get to the other cars only a few rods away. We got th' at last. Men, Wemen & Children all huddled round the car stoves to keep warm but we could not. Alex and I buttoned up our overcoats and took a seat not far from the stove. Oh but we had a cold time in Buffalo. Yes and all the way to [the] Su[s]p[ension]. Bridge [at Niagara Falls]. The snow kept coming in at the cracks of the windows, making little snow banks. The cars new and nic'ly fitted up. Ar[r]iving at Ar[r]iving at [sic] Sup. Bridge we had to change again. But we got into a very comfortable car on the Grate Western of Canada bound for Detroit. Oh yes, and we were all glad to get into so comfortable [a] car. For outside I herd nothing but crys of cold from all the passengers.

Alex and I was rec???ing on passing over the Sup. Bridge in the day time. But instead of that, it was near midnight. The cars pass over the Bridge very slowly. When we were passing over, I looked out, but could see nothing, it was so dark. But the whistling of the wind, the cables of the Bridge and the roaring of the water in the chasm below Reminded me of the wind whistling through the shrouds of an Ocean Steam Ship. And the roaring of the water to the roaring of the waves in a storm on the ocean. We are passing over this grate Bridge very smoothly and very slowly. But the ship don't sail so smoothly. In the one you are [over] a Grate Chasm. In the other, on the Grate Ocean.

Well, before going any farther, I must tell you of a little conversation I had with a Gentleman from Buffalo Who had been seeking a house in the Sunny South. He said, "I have been as far South as the Carolinas. Advertisements induced me to go and seek a home thair. The high or table land is very good, very rich soil. But there are a grate many Swamps that would cause Malaria and other Deceases." He said "He had traveled over the mountains and through some of the most beautiful valle[y]s he hadd ever seen, with thousands of acers of unbroken land with almost perpetual bloom. It seem'd to me to be the most desirable of the country I have ever seen for a home. But thair is one grate drawback." I asked him what the drawback was. I had an idea what it was. He said "It was the Darkies." "I don't like them. I will go west and leave the Sunny South to them." We ar[r]ived at Buffalo "Now I am almost home. I live in Buffalo."

Well, after rolling us three times over the grate Bridge, They started of at full speed through a portion [of] Canada. As day broke, we were running through deep cuts over deep revines. A very rough and stony country. The houses are very small and far bettween. Plenty of Rocks and Lumber. After an hour or two run, we came out on a grate plain, very level. I think rather to[o] much so. For the ground look'd weet. Some very large wheat fields looking very nice. No snow on the ground. The cars stop[p]ed at a little station. Brakeman called out 20 minutes for Breakfast. A & I went over to a very neat little Hotel. We had a cup of very nice warm coffee and some of the containts of the Bag for Breakfast. The first warm dinner we have had since we left New York. The Conductor call'd All Aboard. And of[f] we started west again.

It looks this morning as if we had left out the bad weather on the American side. Tis a very beautiful morning, the sun is shining brightly, every appearance of a nice day. The farther west we go the less cultivated is the land. Only here and thair a little piece on small bluffs on which is a small cabin. Alex asked me to look. "See you cannot see a house nor a tree." We could not for many miles. It looks to me like a grate swamp. Water standing on each side of the track as far back as I can see for the tall grass. Continued swampy untill we reach the point or arm of a lake. Think it must be Lake Ontario. Tis on the north side of us. The cars run close to the shore of the Lake a little way. Tis only a little way, then leave the swamp and Lake behind and run through hills, some timber. Ar[r]ive at a place call'd Michigan City. It must be a small city. I only see a few houses, quite a number of engines. A large number of cars. And plenty of sand. Sand blows in banks like grate snow banks. Leaving the city and sand we come to more timber. Looks to be mostly oak, not elm, more cultivated land as we come nearer Detroit. Ar[r]iving thair, crossed the river on Boat in car, the[n] changed to Michigan Central Railway. Detroit looks to be quite a large business place. Quite a large depot, large number of im[m]igrants.

After a short stay, the cars again started west. Passing some very neet little cottages and farms. The country looks to [be] pretty much the same here as it does at home. Now it seems to me that we are entering a timber region, timber on each side for a long way, large, heavy timber, principally oak, it looks so to me. At Ann Arbor I wrote and gave a postel to the man that took the mail bags to post for home. Hope you rece[i]ved it. At Ann Arbor the Rail Road runs through a narrow valley, quite a large river in bottom, villages on hillside. Some large buildings on top. Bettween Ann Arbor and next station land very stony. At Delhi some very nice wheat fields looking very well. Some timber skirting the river Delhi and some very beautiful buildings. Nice farms on booth sides of the track. More timber, men clearing it of. Wheat among stumps.

Chelsea, a beautiful little village, very neet houses. It must be that the people don't do anything elce but cut timber and wood. The largest wood pile that I have ever seen. Engine and Saw Bench on track cut[t]ing wood. A quick way of cut[t]ing wood, 2 saws running in a long bench, elevated to the height of about 20 feet. An endless chain or some elce with rows of iron pegs a short distance apart. A number of men car[ry]ing cord wood and laying it on this endless chain. The 2 saws cut the wood into 3 pieces on its way to the wood pile. Wheat among stump very rough but wheat looking very nice. A large field dwelled [?] in very well drain [?]. Nice farm, brick house, fields all nic'ly laid out, very nice young orchard. I wish the cars would run a little slower when passing the nice places. They would not lose much time, they are so far apart. I can only get a glimce as we pass going so fast. Grass Lake, a beautiful little lake. Land around looks like strong clay.

Jackson. Quite a large manuf'ting town. Land level. Good looking farms. Clumps of timber. Wind mills pumping water. A Waggon stuck in the mud, man prying up one hind wheel with a fence rail. A Lady standing by, giving directions no doubt. One thing I nottice where the land is level, farmer[s] all have windmills for pumping water. And yet the land seems to be very stony, couble stones. I nottice some very large heaps in the wheat fields. I always thought that in stony and hilly parts of the country thair would be plenty of soft spring water.

Battle Creek. A large town, streets looks nice and clean. Wallace Wool, a large building close by the track.

Before we reached Chigago [sic], we run over a large prairie. It looked to me to[o] weet for cultivation. A prairie fire running across the prairie clearing every thing before it. A grate many hay stacks on fire, some not, but will soon be on fire to. We ar[r]ived at Chicago at dark. Got aboard R. R. com'ny carriage for Rock Island Depot. The last train west had gon[e]. We stayed at the Atlantic Hotell all night. Left with the first train for Joliet to hunt up the friend that came over with Alex^r. Found he lived a long way from Joliet. Took the cars again on another road for a place near Coal City. I see I did not take down the name. Then walked about 6 miles to his home. Got thair bettween 4 & 5 p.m. He was not at home. One of his sons meet us. After making our selves known, He asked us to come in. Said "I have herd My Father speak of you very often. He wondered why you did not write to him." He came home in a little while, was very glad to see us. He clap[p]ed his hands and made a grate time for a little while. Thought he was never going to see nor here of Alex^r any more. Nice family, 3 boys and 3 girls. His wife, a very long flashy woman-- He has 200 250 acers, 50 in timber lies quite a little way from his home. Land very level and very weet. And very high in price, 40 dollars for raw Prairie. Principal Produce, Hogs and corn. He had a large number of Hogs. Pork 3 cents, corn 35 cents and Mud knee deep and has been since the beginning of corn husking last fall. Hoses [sic] and cattle all have mud fever. Mud Feaver is a swelling of the limbs and the Hair comes clean of[f] as deep as the mud is. I guess the Hog is mud proof. I did not see anything of it among them.

Phebe, the hogs were running about the streets of Joliet and Coal City nearly as plentiful as the dogs is in Danbury. One would greet you at every corner with grunt.

We did not find any thing to sell [?] us. After a short stay, we started for Joliet. Bought tickets for Omaha. Got aboard the train and started west again. The cars crouded with emigrants going west. I got a seat beside a young man going to Kansas. He did not like Ill. very much. "It is to flat and weet," but nevertheless I saw some very nice farms, nice buildings, and every thing comfortable about, as we came nearer Mississippi river. Cars run down its side to the point of Rock Island. Then crossed over the Mississippi Bridge to Davenport. Stayed thair all night in order to cross Iowa in the day time. After supper, we went up to see the Bridge. It is a d[o]uble bridge to or [?] as far as Rock Island. Alex and I walked over to Rock Island and back on the grate Iron Bridge and over a part of the grate river, which I had often heard about. The bridge is keept nice and clean, a constable walking to and fro at its entrance from Davenport

[tragically, there is a lacuna of 8 pages--2 folio sheets--here]

Riveting Hammer to cold sharpen our shares, which proved better than a hot one. Blacksmith charges 30 cents for sharpening. At that rate, 3 shares [sharpenings?] paid for our hammer. We got ours done for less, by a Scot. A and I sharpened our shares every 1/2 mile with feld, just a little rub. Plow runs much easyer booth for man and team. Put on a hammered share every every day. The coulter is selfsharpening. Lay Plow on land side [?] to file, take of[f] the hammer share.

Braking is at various depths, from 11/2 inch to 3 inches. We brake about 2 1/2 inches. When broke to[o] light, if it is a weet season it all grows up to grass. Looks just as if it had never been plowed at all. I have seen some in that state this year, which is reather weet. I think from 2 to 3 inches is best. When to[o] deep it will not rot [root?] so well. It is just one solid mat of grass roots some what are called brech [?] shoe strings. The root of a small shrub, a pretty little thing, but I have no doubt but it would be large, wer' it not for the Prairie Fires. In all we have plowed we did not see nor touch a stone the size of pea. Well, in peat [?] thair is no stones. I saw one one day I was walking across an old Plow'd place about the size of a bean. Braking is very nice work. By keeping the plow in good order, very nice work can be done. A and I made very nice work. A grate many come to see it. Every body speaks about it, say it is the best Braking in the state. Well it is no trouble to plow nice here. But they don't know how to do it. One fellow said, "I thought I could plow nice, but I see that I do not know anything about it." I here a grate many thing[s] that people say about us. A lad told me what a minister said of us, "These are the kind of men that is wanted in this country," and much m?? is or plains [?]. We had seen and talked to him once or twice. He did not know any thing about us. The majority of the Farmers are German and Bohemian. A good many Americans in Schuyler, or seem to be. Young Americans & old. Cannot full [?] than pressmen [?]. Popl. About 1000, and increasing very rapidly. Many houses built and still building this summer. Schuyler lies about 4 or 4 1/2 miles southeast of us. In the Platte vally. We cannot see Schuyler from our cabin. A Bluff lies bettween. But often I go west a little from our cabin where a fine view of that Platte Valley is obtained. Standing on this little bluff, and looking over this beautiful, level, green valley, green as far as the eye can reach, with many herds of cattle, sheep and horses, the Grate U. P. Railroad, the Old Military Road, and the beautiful Platte River with its banks skirted skirted [sic] with timber, running near the center. At my feet lies the Bench land, a track of land that lyes bettween the bottom and the foot of the Table land. Turning around and looking on the Table, on this Broad Prairie in general, this sea of land, as far as the eye reach, with numerous fields of Wheat, Rye, Barley, Oats, Flax and Corn. All have the appearance of a large return. Looking on these and many other things that bring reward to the farmer for his labor, tis no wonder then that Grate and Good Man Horace Greeley said, "Young Men, go west." Oh, I wish you could stand here at present and look on this beautiful country. This Platt[e] Vall[e]y will soon be one of the grate farming vallies of America.

Many men with Teams and clipper built Plows of polished brightness is fast turning over the broad and green Prairie into human use. Ye'll think this A- gee lang -- Liberlichuin [?] an ??mes turn?, Dhaibh.

[Postmarked 27 June, Schuyler, Nebraska]

[Address to Charles C. F. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York, care of S. H. Gerow]

6.26.78

Dear Friends,

This is a little rough sketch of the land we contracted for from the R. company.

I would like to know where you think it would be best for us or where you would plant a grove. A. and I differ a little as to where, Phebe, and the spot for the Elm. I want that to be the first tree planted, but do no know where I am to find one. The few that is along the crick is not a good kind, being read [?]. I can get plenty of cotton wood and box elder, but no hard wood. Except sending of[f to?] some Nursery East. Can't you send us a small one by Mail from the Glen. I do not know if you can form any idea of how it lies by this rough sketch. Please do give us a little outline [of where to plant a grove?] so that you will know it when you come to Nebraska. Please do, for we want to brake it up now. If we don't do it soon, we can't do it untill a year from now. Do not think that I am loosing interest for the Glen by not writing. We are very busy Braking Prairie. I think every first day morning that I will write home to day, thair won't be any body here to day. But by the time we get our breakfast, some one comes. We have only had one first day to ourselves since we have been here. Oh Dear, I say sometimes to A, this seems to be the headquar[t]ers. I thought we would have a nice quiet time on the Prairie, but it seems to be the reverse. Hop[e] I will find time before long to give you full perticulars for I have lots to tell. Please write soon, it d[oe]s me so much good to here from the Glen. I wrote this little not[e] while Alex is hammering out our Plow shares. Will tell you all about braking prairie.

G[u]ess how many acers of Prairie we have Broken. Nearly 80 acers. We did think of braking 100, but it is getting pretty warm. A patch of potatoes about as large as the tower yard, about 7 acers of corn. In all that we have plowed we have not seen nor touched [?] a stone as large as a bean, in all thair is not any of the kind. I would like to know which little garden has been made this year. How many calves [?] are being reared [?], how "Spittie, Coom and Bell" [?] is getting on. All the seeds came up except the field beans, not one [of] them has come up. First day I am going to shut up cabin and make notes. Please write by return. In haste, very truly, David.

Pheve [sic], butter is 3 cents per pound in Columbus. As good J. L. Irish's or even Spring Street.

Mdra. Vine is 2 1/2 feet high.

[hand drawn map on reverse]

[Postmarked 9 August, Schuyler, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Will^m. P. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York, care of S. H. Gerow]

On the Prairie

8^th Mo., 26^th, 1878

Dear Friends,

I rece[i]ved 2 letters from the Glen one day I was in Schuyler some time ago. I was very much surprised to here of Elias' death, so sudden. Dear old man, he will be missed very much. Well do I remember the last time I saw him at the Glen, Elias and Isaac and helping to fix him off when they went away. I helped him on with his overcoat, buttoned it up and fix'd his comforter for him. I remember that visit so well that it seems but yesterday. Little did I think it was our last good by[e]. But we [do not?] know the hower we are to be called away. He will be missed very much booth inside and ouside, at Hillside.

Hope Alley will realize the position he is placed in, and keep the old home to gather for his Dear good Mother and sisters.

I think I stated in my last that A and I was going to McKinzie's to help him with his harvest. We went along on the 10^th of 7^th mo. The weather came off very warm, so hot one day that every body had to quit work. We had to do the same, A and I was binding on a harberaster [?]. I did not feel very well for a little while before we stop[p]ed. I told them that I was going to stop working. It was so very hot, I told them I would be sunstroke if I staid in the sun much longer. Before I got to the house, I felt a dizzy sick like. I bathed my head in cold water. I felt better after a little, but I told McKenzie that I would stop working for 2 or 3 day[s] untill I felt better, and left the next day for the cabin. He got another man to bind with A. I did not go back. I staid in the cabin a day or two. I felt much better, but I did not get long time to rest. A man came after me to go and stack for a headder. I went the next day. Have not felt sick like since. A headder is a machine for heading grain, drawn or rather pushed by 4 horses. Custs [sic] 12 feet swath, elevates the heads into a large box or boxes on wagons. Stacked in the field 4 stacks in a place so that they can be threshed without carting away. When 4 is threshed, move machine to the next 4 and so on. Custs 25 acers a day, more and less according to how the grain is, if much log[g]ed [?] or not. The first day we cu cut 25 acers. When we was dun cut[t]ing we was dun stacking. We had 2 weeks of very hot weather, not a breeze to speak of. The oldest settlers say this is the hot[t]est summer they have experienced in Nebraska. The thermometer stood at 108 on the north side of the house. We have had a good deal of rain this summer, some hard thunder showers. People say this is a rainy season. Nebraska's hardest storm in 15 years, a thunder storm on the night of the 8^th and morning of the 9^th of 8^th mo. Came up from north west about 10 oclock at night. At 12:40 it seemed [it] rained very fast. A good many stacks turned over, but I did not here of a cabin. The houses in the country are all small or mostly all. Well, we have not the means to build large ones. Cabins run about 10x12, 10x14, 12x16, 16x20-22,24. Some have L. I have seen a log or sod house, some sod stables, many stables a sort of pole frame covered with straw. Some 1 1/2 and 2 story houses. A Dutchman across the creek had a colt killed, another man had a setting of wheat burned by the lightening. A setting is 4 stacks. The storm seemed to me to be about as hard as the one we had when P and the Boys was at Darien, the one that turned over the Willow tree by the saw mill. We have no funaling winds, not in the time I have been here, but we have the gentil, sweet, refreshing, cooling, strengthening, breeze from across the prairie almost every morning between 8,9 oclock untill sundown. It has not been to[o] strong yonder in the harvest or haying fields. I think the air is much stronger here than in the east, at least it seems so to me. This is a very healthy place, no feverague in this part of Nebraska.

A great deal of wheat in this neighborhood also rye, oats, and flax. A Scot[t]ish man a few miles northeast from us had the largest wheat field that I know of, one of 500 acers. Next year he will have one of 1500 acers. He harvest[s] with cut[t]ing and selfbinding machines. Quite a number of them in this neighborhood, such as we saw at the Centen[n]ial. No fences in Nebraska herd land. Every man has to herd his cattle. We located ours when working in McKinzie herd. We are 19 miles from Columbus. I think it is bettween 3 and 4 miles to Richland, southwest from us. Schuyler 4 1/2, I think, southeast. Three large flowering mills, all on Shell Creek. We have a good many kinds of birds, such as meadow larks, blackbirds, kingbirds, and a good many kinds that is in the east. Also Prairie Chicken, very much like a Partridge, very much larger, Hawks, Geese plenty, fall and winter, ducks, crains. I judge not Blacksmiths.

We have also wolves, Rabbits, Ba[d]gers. Our neighbor, Wallas, tells me he has seen deer and antelope.

Harvest wages $2 pr day for good hands. My Dear Boys, I cannot at Present state the time when I will [be] home, but sometime, if well. I wish I could just step in and take you all by surprise. Alex has not caut [sic] his wild horses yet. He is well and happy. This country just suits him. He laughs and tells stories to the neighbors. The[y] thinks every thing of him. He is jus[t] such among the??.

We have not broken a place for a grove yet. Will tell you more about it next and some not down [?] stuck in y?? harvesting.

I have lots more to tell you about Nebraska and the west. Ask all the questions you can think of. I will answer all I know. My Dear little boys, [next?] time I will try and tell you the mode of farming in Nebraska. Is David boy always the good little boy? Yes, he says "I will not be anything else." Now Boys, can't you get up a little letter for David? Willie won't ever tell his little story about herding duckes, spotten caper [?], curlie, old Jack and lots of things. Where is Mira this summer. At Bune?? I suppose. Truly, David.

Prairie shrub

Exquse mistakes.

[Postmark illegible; someone has dated the envelope, in pencil, 'Nov. 1879,' but this is evidently a misreading of the date on the letter itself, where the abbreviation 'mo.' looks a bit like 'No.' David very rarely uses the names of months.]

[Address to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Neb. Prairie, 1 mo, 15^th, 1879

Dear Friends,

We are having road troubles here at Present. The People living west and north west want a new road to Schuyler. The road ought to be on the section line, but 1/2 mile west of our west line there is a long slough which would have to be graded. To avoid that they want to go 1/2 mile south on the west side of section two, then strate east 2 miles and come out with the road on our east line. It will just take 2 acers of us. We want damages. Some of them think we ought to give the land as the road would improve the value of our farm. The two farms west of us have no road, that is no laid out road. I have drawn a rough sketch of the road on the other side. A road running on the 1/2 section line will bring us right in the middle of travel on 3 sides. We though[t] we would have a nice quite [sic, for quiet] place here. I sometimes wish I was 25 miles from the next house. Samuel, what would thee do? Let them come or make them keep the section line? We have to decide whether it shall run through or not. The west side farmer, I think, will give the land as they have no road, in hast[e], David.

We had a pretty cold snap the week before Christmas. The thermometer came down to 6° below zero. I he[a]rd is [sic] was the coldest weathe[r] Neb. settlers experienced in twenty years. A cold north west wind but little snow. Snow fell heavy on[e] days morning, but cleared away about 10 oclock. I had an invitation to a newyears dinner at McKinzie's. I went up after it stop[p]ed snowing. We had a good time. Another Scot[t]ish man and his wife an[d] family was thair. We had a good old Scotish time. Had a very nice time. I must tell Scottie what we had in my next. David

[map on reverse]

[Postal card, postmarked 27 January, 1879, Schuyler, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Schuyler, 26/79

Rece[i]ved of the 17^th. Will come. Will write when. In the co[u]rse of twa ooks [sic, for 'weeks'] or ilk.

In haste, Dhaibh

[Postmarked 31 January, 1879, Schuyler, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Schuyler, 1879

Friend Samuel,

I sent thee a Postal the other day stating I was coming home to stay a year or more. I did not have but a minute to write it. The Mail was near the station. I think I stated I was coming in a week, "twa ooks" [?].

I cannot state the day I will leave Schuyler as I have to go [o]ver to Mc's and bring over Alex^r but think I will leave Schuyler a week from to day, nothing preventing. Will take 5 days to come Limited time. Will write stating time I leave.

Rece[i]ved a letter from thee this morning in regards to the road question. I did not give thee all the roads in question that is to cross us. But will wait until I get home. A Road on the north as well as the south.

We are having Beautiful weather. Plowing and Ha?ring every day, farming in general. The desk at which I am writing is close by the door, people going out and in jar it so I can hardly write. David.

P.S. Twa two men talking of the country-Neb. in my hearing say it is the finest country in the worald [sic].

[Postal card postmarked 6 August, no doubt 1880, Schuyler, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Charles C. F. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Richland

Ar[r]ived all right. A- busy in harvest is well. Was looking for Mr. Perth's son. In haste, Dhaibh

[Postal card postmarked 12 September,1880, Schuyler, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Irving S. S. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Richland, 9, 11^th, 1880

We have finished harvest some little time ago. Ar[e] busy get[t]ing hay on the bottom. Had lots of rain last two week[s]. Will give all the pert[icu]l[a]rs soon. Have been sick like. Hope P- is not have the H[ay] feaver so bad this year. D-

[Postmarked 14 December, 1880, Schuyler, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Charles C. F. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Richland, Nebraska, 12.12.80

Dear Friends,

I received a letter from the Glen the other day. I ought to have writ[t]en you long before now, but after waiting so long, thought I would wait until we had finished thrashing. Well, but I must begin away back. Well, 6^th day or I made a mistake in get[t]ing on the train and leaving the bags on the platform. Not in the wagon this time. Got them a little nearer the cars. But it seems as if the two bags was to be left behind. Nevertheless, I got them through all right. Well now, for the trunk and barrel, the Agent at Patterson gave me a check for my trunk. Would not check the barrel. Sent it by express to New York for which I had to pay 65 cents, delivered at foot of 23 St. The Agent at Patterson telegrap[h]ed to the express office to hold barrel untill I came for it. I staid all night at the Devon shire Hotel near the Depot. Next morning, I started for the Erie Railway Office to see what I could do with them. I was beginning to think, if all the roads was like the Harlem, I would not very well know what to do. But things seemed very different thair. They treated me very kindly. I told the Agent or whatever he was that I wanted to go to Schuyler, Nebraska, and as cheap as I can. "Well, we cannot ticket you to Columbus. That is the nearest to Schuyler we have tickets for. 25 dollars by first class train all the way." Then I told him about my baggage and how it was fixed. "I will see that that is all right." I bought a ticket for Columbus, then we went to the baggage Master. "Let us go to the head one." He told him that I was going to Columbus, that I had a trunk and a barrel that I wanted checked through. The baggage Master asked where my baggage was. I told him, the the Agent said he would send a wagon for it. I told him the barrel was express'd and I would have them deliver it. B. Master said I had better have it deliver'd at 23 S^t. "And I will give you an order to have them checked to Omaha. That is as far as we can check and not cost you anything."

I got my order and started for the depot, Grand Centeral [sic]. Had them take baggage to foot of 23 S^t. Handed my order to the B Master their. He read it, then handed me two checks for Omaha. I did not [see] baggage but once on the way. That was at Niagara Falls. Were not broken or bruised, no barrel to be seen but mine. Untill I got to Omaha, where I had to stay all night, or rather, at Union Station, Iowa, just opposite Omaha. I explained the matter to the B. Master. He checked them to Schuyler, where the[y] arrived all right.

The ticket Agent at New York asked me which route I wanted to go, and how long time I wanted. I told him by way of Niagara Falls to Chicago, naming the roads, and Chicago North western to Omaha. He made out my ticket for one week. Said my train left to night at 6:30 p.m. I got aboard the Chicago Express. Arrived at Niagara Falls first day morning. As only one train left Susp. Bridge over the G. W. Cannada [sic] on first day, that left towards night. I had all day to visit the falls, which is truly very grand, and well worth going a long way to visit. Susp. Bridge is a dubble Bridge, hanning [sic] on 4 cables, railway above, foot and wagon beneath. Landed in Chicago third day morning. A little to late for the Wed. morning train. The next one did not leave for Omaha until nearly 9 p.m. Went to a hotel, got cleaned up a little and some dinner. Then started for Newman. Found him at the office, but I guess W^m will have to wait a little longer. Will tell thee in next.

Another 24 hours ride to Union Station. A large and commodious depot built not long ago. A did not meet me in Schuyler 5^th day afternoon when I landed. Had to walk home. Said he was down looking for me a few days before. He was beginning to think that I was not comming at all. He was doing up his chores when I got there. A and George was glad to have some help in the harvest field. A had just finished cut[t]ing ours at noon of the day I got home. Some 34 or 35 acers. Some wheat and oats he did not cut, thought they were not worth cut[t]ing. Gave them to a neighbor to cut for some young stock he had. The oats was considerable better than the plain lot that the neighbor had for his cattle, only a little thin and some weedy. The rest was all lying as the reaper left it. A went for my things. The next day we started to stack. A day at ours, then at Georg[e]'s, untill booth were finish'd. The wheat was poor, light, miserable stuff. We thought so when stacking it. So light that we though[t] it was not worth stacking, but it turned out much better at thrashing time than we ever though[t] of. We got 260 bushels of wheat. From the little bitt of oats A cut, we got 100 bushels. Much better than last year. Very thankful for what we have got. A neighbor on our north east corner did not get any wheat or oats of about 30 acers sowen [sic]. Yes, and many hundred acers there a reaper put [?] at all. The dry weather in the spring at corn planting time killed a large quantity of the small grain in this part of the country. Corn in some places is very good, 50 to 75 bushels to the acre. Other parts only a few bushels, especially on Platte bottom. Ours is about half a crop. Like the east, did not come up in the spring. That that did not come up is the best crop. I here that corn is 28 and 30 cents per bushel. I think will be more before spring. Last year, Schuyler was full of corn. This year not a bushel to be seen. Wheat is something over 80 cents. Flax 90 cents. Rye some 60. We have only sold one load of wheat that we could not get into George's granary. He did not have much wheat, not any oats. Said we might put ours in his and save us building one. If it gets up to about a dollar we will sell ours. Hogs is 4 cents p[e]r pound. A took down two the other day. Brought 33 dollars. Eggs 25 cents. Butter 20 cents. We have a better market for butter and eggs than we used to have. Is shipped west west [sic] to the mining camps. Chickens 15 cents. I think A is a little ahead of Susan [?] in the chicken business. I counted 97 chickens a day or two after I got here. Yes, and more in the corn that I did not see. He thinks chickens pays about as well as anything. Plenty of room here. A is not disheart[en]ed in the least at the small crops. Very hopeful of next year. Had plenty of rain this fall. Thanks we will have a fine crop next year. Is not to sow much wheat. Is to sow some flax instead. I thought he would be clear down. I do not see the least difference. But is to sell the first chance. You will be thinking that I have given up writing altogether. Jus[t] started writing this when McKinzie came after me to help him through thrashing. We had just finished. Took me along with him. Was there some little time, thrashing and getting our corn. Had a little over 1300 bushels but little corn. We got along nicely with thrashing at home. Their was hand enough of us on the 4 places. I purposed a new plan, being all close together. For each to board at home and, where we're thrashing, for them to board the 3 b[e]lon[g]ing to the machine. They all agree'd to it. W^m Penn to board them while thrashing ours. And George did for him also. He only charged us 15 cents each for each meal. I thought was very cheap. We gave him a little more. We had no tr[o]uble with them at all. We had quite a snow storm in October. Snowed in a grate many trains. About Sidney and some farther west. Had no down mail for 3 days. 5 engines went up to their relife [sic] all at once. 9 trains went down almost togeather after they got clearing.

The paper containing the account of the Gerow brothers' prizes by this time rolling over the blue water of the altantic toward the caledonian shore. Well Charlie Coupar is doing pretty well. McKinzie gave us a cow this winter, gives quite a good mess. A and I are well. No word of Charles. In haste, as ever, David.

Exquse mistakes, lots of them

I have lots more to [write] you about nebraska, but as my paper is about full and I am going to Schuyler this afternoon, will end it. Glad to here that Libby was well again. How is Grandmother? I have some Scotish black [?] I will send her for hir scrap book. Was not much surprised to here of Harrison['s] death. Is James at home or west? We had quite a long ???tch in the W. Rural on the death of L. Mott, and the noble link [?] of goodness gone from among us.

[Postmarked 19 February, 1881, Schuyler, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Charles C. F. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Richland, Nbraska

2^nd mo., 18^th, 1881

Dear Friends,

I suppose you will be thinking that you are not to here any more from Nebraska. But let me tell you we are snow bound or almost so, and have been nearly all winter. A grate deal of snow with us. Have had more farther west and steady cold weather. The thermometer down as low as 20°, some say 30° and 35° below. 2 M^o 7^th we had a large fall of snow from the north east, but little wind, so fell very even. On the morning of the 8^th, the wind changed to the northwest. Snow seized [sic], the sky became clear. The sun shone brightly, but was cold. Next day, much the same, but on the morning of the 10^th, the wind increased to quite a gale. We had some "Prairie Breezes." The snow being light, the air was soon full of snow. Yes, so full that we could not see our stable. We managed to get in at the stable doar all that day, but the next morning, when Alex^r went out to feed the horses, he could not get in. He try'd to shovel away the snow from the doar, but had to give it up, as the snow accumulated faster than he could put it away. Came in saying he could not get in. Our hen house is on the west side. The doar near the west and the snow does not bank it up. Between the stable and hen house, there is quite a large hole in the flaxetran [?] wall. He thought to get in the stable that way. A succeeded in getting in throu[gh] the said hole. Fed horses some oats, oats being in a bin in the stable. The cow stable doar was was [sic] not bank[ed] up so bad as the horse stable doar. Fed cow some corn. Neather horses nor cow got any hay or water until night, when the wind abated a little and seemed to change a point farther west. But did not stay very long, when it blew again from the north west. The snow bank in front of the stable doar is as high as the roof, yes, eaven with the very top. We had to cut quite a long tunnel to get to the stable doar, which is stll standing as first as a roack, or seems so. The snow being so hard we carried in enough hay to last two or three days. Got a little water to them. That was the hardest of it all, as we have to carrie it all from our neighbors well. Closed up the mouth of the tunnel so that it would not again fill with snow. The cow stable is not quite so high as the horse stable. Did not a have to tunnel. Is on the east of the horse stable. Water'd and carried in some hay. The hog pen is east of cow stable. This is snow bound, nothing is seen of it but the top of one or two tall posts. We feed them throu[gh] the roof, closing up the hole after each feed. George came over in the morning of the first day of the storm to stay a while. Thought it would not blow any harder, but it increased so that he was afraid to go home. Staid untill near night. We saw that he wanted to get home to see to his things at home. A told him he wo[u]ld go with him. Got their and back all right. Snow does not bank so much at George's. Has quite a grove of trees on the northwest that brakes the wind. Thee trains was snow bound at Schuyler for three days, 10^th, 11^th, 12^th. I herd that all the trains ar[e] snow bound west. The passenger train on the A and N (Attachis? and Nebraska) is snow bound a few miles east of David City.

No word from Scottland yet. Must be going astray. Had wrote to S seeds before I received the one in S- Schuyler 192. Please ask the milk man if any mail came to Patterson for one, but I suppose it would come here. I hope it does not go to G. Ho any more.

[Postmarked ?? February, 1882, Schuyler, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Charles C. F. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Schuyler, Nebraska

2^nd mo., 24, 1882

I suppose you will be thinking we have migrated or given up writing to you altogether. Alex often says, "Are you never going to write to Samuel any more." When I ask him to write, he has an exquse and is off. He will not write home to Scotland, so I have to do all the writing. It is so long since I wrote and so much has happened that I do not very [well] know where to begin. But think it was just before we moved last spring in April. Well, we moved just 1/2 mile north of our north line to Section 31, Grant Precinct. We have a good house of 4 rooms and kitchen, a stable and a splendid well to 100 feet deep. We draw by horse power. Have not drawn it dry so far, with bucket some 5 1/2 feet long and only 6 feet of [water] in the well. We have this place on shares, give one third only. 40 acers broken up of the 160 acers. This is the place where Alex was braking when I was home. We planted the 40 acers to corn. Or rather, Alex did. On our own place, 24 acers of Flax, 10 of wheat and 10 of oats. The best crop we have had in Nebraska. Had 261 bushels of flax, 123 of wheat, 300 of oats. I do not know how much corn. Think about 30 or 35 bushels per acre. Being on new land and the dry weather last summer injured the crop very much. A grate many acres in this neighborhood of wheat and flax was not harvested, would not half pay for the labor.

We sold our flax when trashed at one dollar p[e]r bushel. Wheat we have not sold yet, was low in price last fall. Oats and corn we feed to horses and sheep. The present prices, wheat 95 cents, oats 36 to 40 c, corn 42 cents per bushel. Two weeks ago, corn was 47 1/2 to 48 cents. At 48, the U. P. Railroad C^o raised freight 5 cents per bushel. Since then has fallen one cent. I have been herding our sheep on the fields not harvested this winter. Find them excellent pasture.

Boys, we have two little lambs. One one [sic, probably for 'on'] the 10^th and a black on the 27^th of first month. The first one Alex found in the corral one cold frosty morning, no mother with it nor could we find one. A carried it into the house. We feed it milk from a bottle a little while. It no drink from a dish nicely. Is growing a nic'ly [?]. Little black doo not grow so fast. He has a good mother to take care of him to[o]. We have two colts, Jennie and Joe. Joe came last spring, is a fine fellow. A. put Jennie in a pasture last summer, did not do very well. Grass was to[o] large before he was put in. Pasture about 20 miles north of us. Think we will keep them both at home this summer. Land hunters are plentyful in Nebraska at present. We have concluded to sell our place. A family from town, Schuyler, was up looking at it the other day. Want to buy us out. We shall let them have it. Tis get[t]ing to[o] thickly settled around here to keep much stock will range. Think we can do better somewhere elce, where we can have a good free range. Have not desided which way we shall go. Think of staying heer another year, and in the mean time look around for a good homestead with plenty of water and hay land and range. The importation of Scot[t]ish men to Nebraska is get[t]ing to be quite a business. Last year, D. Lord, a sheep farmer 12 miles west of us sent to the Old Country for three sheepherds, one for himself, the other two for two neighbors. D. Lord has now 3 attending his flock. A. Legg a few miles east of us has sent for 6 men from the east of Forfarshire, where he formerly was an overseer to the Earl of Southesk. He expects them to be here about the first of March. Ar[e] to work on the large farm superintended by A. Legg. Brechin Castle, near the town of Brechin, on the S. Esk river, is the residence of the Earl of Southesk. A few miles northeast of my early home. We have had fine, warm, sunny weather, but little snow. On the 14^th of second mo., some farmers commenced plowing and sowi[ng] wheat. On the 20^th we had a norwester, accompany'd by snow and cold. That put all such operations in the shade. Did not last so long as we expected. Only from about noon untill a little after midnight. But long enough for such a blizzard. Has come of[f] nice and warm again, as we have had it all winter. The last word we had from Scotland, they were all well. Father & Mother very well. Jennie still in London, John in Pitloughrie [sic, probably for 'Pitlochry'], James in the Chance Inn near home, Rbt. in the W. Highlands, W^m in Wales, Jessie at home.

Samuel, we are adapting a new way of planting corn in the west, cal[l]ed Listing. Probably thee has heard of or seen the same, but I think they are not very well adapted to rough ground. Was introduced heer last spring. Listing, or the Listor, plants the corn in rows 16, 18 and 20 inches apart. The advantage the inventor of the Listor claims are two fold. First, by planting in rows, every stalk has a good sound ear on it, no muldings [?] at all, a larger yeald per acre. Second, with a Listor, corn can be planted on stub[b]le without plowing. The Listor is d[o]uble moulde [?] boarded, throwing a furrow each way in little subsoil, making a little furrow. Also attach'd to the plow for the corn and drop[p]ing it the same time. I do not doubt but a little larger yeald [is] got by Listing than the old way, providing the weeds can be kept down. For weeds will grow in Nebraska when nothing else will, where as corn can only be cultivated one way, giving the weeds a chance between the stalks. It is the opinion of many farmers that Listing corn on the stubble will leave the corn on to[o] hard a bed, as the Listor leaves but little loose earth for roots. The roots having to penetrate the hard soil, retarding the growth to some extent. Stu[b]ble plowed in the fall and Listed in the spring is a much better way, I think. Thus killing all weeds. The Listor agent in Schuyler Listed in 40 acers a little east of us to show farmer[s], he said, how to grow corn, but he did not make out much, and did more harm than good. He did not handle the Listor properly or could not. Let the weeds get ahead before he commenced cultivating, and they kept a head all summer. He got quite a good deal of corn. Would have had much more had the ground been plowed in the fall instead of Listing on the stu[b]ble. By plowing the corn ground in the fall and Listing in the spring, might [?] we will get a little sounder and more per acre than the old ways in Nebraska. Have you organized any Alliances in New Fairfield? Neb. is taking the lead in that direction. One year ago, a neighbor and I sent for a charter and organized one in our district. The only one in the County for nearly a year. Since New Years, three more has been organized. Will soon have one in each school district. Many of the would-be nabobs in town thought and said, when we organized, it would never amount to anything. They are beginning to think different already. We have some contemptible rings in town. At last fall's election, we opened and split up one ring so bad not not when to think [sic] and did just so gu?ty [?] at the ballot box that some contested their office. Will hear it stronger next fall who lives to see it. The Farmers here is determined to crush all the monopoli[e]s they can. Aie [?] and will not take any monopoly paper nor any paper that is not in full simpathy with the Farmers. How ever large their document [?]. Tis the best and most effectual way of slau[gh]tering them. Tomorrow the Treasure of the National Alliance, Allan Root [?], is to speak in Schuyler to orginize a county Alliance, a Farmers Bank is to be started, city scales, a flowering mill, corperation store.

How is all the boys. I suppose little Charlie has run out to the block many a time to see if there was anything from Neb. Dear little boy. I wish I could see him a little while. Yes, an[d] you all. How is mira? Hope she has got well. Is she still at J. Hart's? And how is Alery [?] get[t]ing on in Virginia? As ever, David.

[Postmarked 26 May, 1882, Richland, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Richland, Nebraska

5/26/82

Dear Friends,

The last from the Glen the Post Master at Schuyler was kind enough to forward to Richland.

We sold our land to a German by the name of Blust for $167. Advance of R. R. price. And was glad to get that much, because we had no outlet for stock. The School section on the north is all taken up and braking it up as fast as they can. We had a good piece of land in a good locality, not far from town, and nice. We think we can do better with a pen [open?] sheep than to raise grains. Altho[ugh] grain is a good price at present, corn 67 cents, wehat 100 cts, oats 60 ce[n]ts, butter 30 ct[s], eggs 25 ct[s]. But there is much less labor with sheep than grain. We rented a farm of 100 acers for $50 from a Scot[s]man, M^cAllister from Ayreshire. Between 60 & 70 acers under cultivation, large grove, fine Lake, plenty of fish. The farm lies two & 1/2 miles due south of Richland on the north bank of the Platte River.

We have 650 sheep on shears [sic, probably for 'shares'], have 1/2 the increase and 1/2 the wool for taking care of them. Think we have some 250 lambs, probably more. Will commence shearing the beginning of the week among the wethers.

Jennie [wrote] last about 3 weeks ago, stated saying she would be with us the time we wanted hir to come. I wrote to hir saying we would like to have hir here about the milddle of 5^th mo. Hav[e] not heard from hir nor from home since the above. I asked [her] to send plenty of word. You remember when Alex came that a note in the paper was all the word we had. It may be that hir letter has gone astray, but I think she has not left London yet. I sent hir a ticket last winter, by the White Star Line from Liverpool. Could not get one from Glasgow. The fare is the same. Brings hir from Glasgow to Schuyler.

I know she will be glad to meet some one that she can trust at New York. If I get word in time, I will let you know. We are having a cold spring, much rain, had a little snow last third day, white frost at night. Wheat looks well, not much sown this year. We have none. Oats and flax also. Corn that is up is very yellow. Many thanks for the squash. A got them in Schuyler. This is not much of a letter. Will give you all the par[ticular]^s when we get in ??as??. David

Am ?o??d w?? a ?is??? to be re????.

[Postmarked 14 July, 1882, Richland, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Charles C. F. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York, Care of S. H. Gerow]

Richland, Nebraska, 7^th mo., 27, 82

Dear Friends,

I think I state in my last that we had sold our lands and rented a place by the Platte river. We have a nice place. Land not so good as on the bluff, is very level and sandy. Have a good range at present, but there is no telling how long. A grate many have settled in this country this spring. I heard the other day that there is not a whole section of rail road land in the county. 4 years ago there were many. The government [land] being all taken. We have a log house, 1 1/2 stories, with kitchen on back, all covered with siding. A little delapidated. Good granary. Nice lake in fron of the house. The Old Military road between the house and lake. Lake about 3/4 mile long, not very wide, but looks to be deep. Tis an arm puting [sic, for 'pointing'?] back from the river, plenty of fish. Fish have been cau[gh]t in the lake weighing 36 lbs. The buildings is on a ridge that forms the north banks of the river and lake. The land to the north is much lower. The freshet [?] a year ago last spring that did so much damage all around, the water was not up at the house, but was all around, and a mile wide on the north. The bottom is not so thickly settled as the bluff. Our nearest neighbor to the west is about as far as to the sawmill. East, two miles. North 1/2 miles. Rober mcPhearson is a brother in law of McAllister. We sent our wool to Boston about a week agoe. Have not herard [sic] from it yet. We think we will get 25 cents p[e]r lbs this year, in this part of the country. We have 210 or 12 lambs. Very nice. We are having a grate deal of rain this summer. Corn is small yet. Other grain looks well. Corn is worth 58 cents. Wheat is low in preportion to other grain. About 85 to 90 cent[s]. Hogs is 7 1/4 cents per lbs. Cows 30 to 45 dollars, Horses good 125-150 dollars. Have not heard from Jennie yet, nor from home. We get papers from home pretty regular. One had a note saying mother had rheumatism in her arms. What is the cause of our not getting letters I do not know. I have wrote asking what is the cause of there not writing several times, but no answer comes, from London nor from home. We think she is on the way. As hir letter last march, the last one we have had, state that she would be here by this time. But we real[l]y do not know anything about where she is. May have gone with the family to some place for a short stay. Will write as soon as we hear from hir. With kind regards from A & D

Samuel, please send me the money. I do not know where it is, think thee stated it was in the bank. If so, please send it. If you send it by Post Office order, send to Schuyler. Draft on New York I can get at Richland. Just how thee thinks will be best, and obl?dge several as soon as thee can co???iting.

We are both well. The squashes is doing nicely.

[Postmarked 24 July, 1882, Richland, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Schuyler, Nebraska, 7.23^rd.82

I rece[i]ved the money all right at Schuyler.

Have not heard from Jennie, have no idea where she is at all. Nebraska has the appe[a]rance and will have the largest crop since I have been in Neb. If we have no storms to damage it before it is harvested, of which a good "deal" quantity is already done. We are to commence to morrow to cut our oats. Have no other kind of small grain this year. Corn is looking well. A much larger qu[a]ntity planted this year, and much less wheat. A farmer a little north of Schuyler has a 700 acres, qiute [sic] a little patch. Corn and oats is to be high in price next year. I have heard that parties from the east are trying to contract, offering 75 cents. It is now 60 and oats 89 for September. Oats is 50 cents. A friend of ours has just gon[e] east visiting, wrote stating the portion of Ill. throu[gh] which th[e] road runs thick-they traveled, the corn was nearly all under water. Started last month [?]. Much of Iowa is damaged. Hogs is over 7 cents. Everything is brin[g]ing a good price. A Pork Packing Establishment is going up in Schuyler. A large Flowering mill, steam power[ed], is running. I have heard it cost or??? a hundred thousand. Also, a creamery is running. Two hay bal??? Establishments in Schuyler is growing very fast. Phebe, I am afrain the Hawthorn is to[o] large to move. Secure and plant some of the fruit this year in the right places. And let the old king stand it will spare [?] him to move or be removed because thee knows the olde[r] the more beautiful. Give the gooseberry's shade and they will send out more young growth. I would like to s[t]ep in and see how you have got things fixed. Willie, how is the bees doing this year? Are both well. In haste, as ever, David.

A little while ago a water spout burst in Butler conty, about 2 1/2 or 3 miles south west of us, killing 9 [?] cows and t[e]arring up the ground. At this same time, a hail storm passed east of the river, another about 10 miles north of us doing considerable damage to crops in a narrow place. The Cyclones have all went around us so far. The nearest one was at Elkhorn, Neb. T[e]arring up some railroad track and doing some other damage. McKinzie had a cow killed by lightening, four others [k]nocked down, but they got better. Had his stock inshured. Got 50 dollars for the one that was killed. Cows are high in price, from 30 to 50 dollar. Good cows 45 and 50. Creamery in Schuyler raised the price of cows a good deal last spring. I will tell you how the creamery manages with the farmers. The Alliance is booming in Neb. Will be some pretty loud talking this fall and how we got the better of Schuyler on the south [?].

Boys, I do not forget you, altho[ugh] I do not write very often.

[Postmarked 16 March, 1883, Richland, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York, Harlem Railroad]

Richland, Nebraska

3 mo., 16^th, 1883

Dear Friends,

I suppose you will [be] thinking by this time that you are never to here from me again.

We are still in Nebraska. I think I told you we had rented a place south of Richland last year. Well, we moved on to it last spring, giving up the place we was on, and had rented for 3 years to ac[c]om[m]adate the owner in the sale of it. Shortly after we had moved to our new place, was a much better place for sheep than the one we left. Being close by the river, had plenty of water and shade, which is very nice to have in sheep husbandry in this country. Also a fine level range. Well, the owner had a chance to sell and sold to a baker in Columbus, who bought it for his brother-in-law. Well, the b. in law came down and put up hay and was coming to live here. A difficulty arose between them and the b-in-law would not have or take the place. Then we rented the place for another year from the baker, giving the same rent. This was about New Years. In about two weeks, the baker came down saying he had a chance to sell and would like us to give up the place. We would not do it unless he would give us the rent.

He thought that to[o] much, but finily gave us the rent to move rather than miss the sale. Two Can[a]dian Scotishmen fought it. Are buying sheep to keep or are to engage in the sheep business. We sold our sheep last Sep[t]ember, after the first sale of the farm, to a man living a little north of Richland. I have been shepherd for him since the sale, untill a few days ago. I left to help Alex^r move. A rented a place 3 1/2 miles west of Columbus for $50. Belongs to a Lady in Columbus. Only a part of it was under cultivation last year. A says there is hay enough on the place to pay the rent. That is enough hay can be cut in haying season and being near Columbus will have a ready market. We had a good crop last year. Our corn we have had shell'd and put in the granary. Will keep it untill May or June. Think it will be higher in price by that time. Corn is worth 35 to 37 cents, oats 30. Jennie is still in London. Stated she got hurt falling from a hansom (a cab). Is better again. W^m is married and living in Wales. His wife's maiden name is Ellen McDugal. Robert is also in Wales. Father and Mother is well. Jessie is with them. Well, Phebe, how is thee and the Boys? Hope you are all well. I suppose P- has the house all remod[e]led by this time. Wish I could step in and take a look around upon the changes. How is the Hawthorne? Where and how is Mira, Hattie and Susie, the Crain girls, and Jane, Jennie, Deby [?] Ann, Jessie, ??n ?ilt, Isaac, Jay, J.C. and Elias and family and all the rest ?

I think we will realize [?] more this year than all the years we have been in Nebraska. I think of going north as far as I???? the first of the week prospecting. Heard of good business opening f????? pump and windmill business. Will also look up a homestead. Write soon. I want to hear from the Glen

Columbus

2^nd mo, 21^st, 1884

Dear Friends,

We have got dun husking, so I will try and write a few lines to the Glen. Corn this year is of very poor quality. Did not mature well, much of it being soft, and will not keep when we get warmer weather. Had a very wet spring. Yes, and all summer until late in the fall. Kept the corn growing until nearly frost. Hence the soft corn. We are sorting ours, a new thing for Nebraska, but I think it will pay, as the soft corn will have to be got away while it is frozen. Good corn, I think, will bring a good price before another crop comes around. Prices is low at present, but no wonder. Much of it is almost soaking wet when we have a thawing day. Most of it is sold to feeders or ship[p]ed to the west. Commenced at 18 cents per bushel. Got up to 26 for best, but is back again to 22 cents. We sold some of the poorest of ours at 20 cents, a little a[t] 22. Are getting 25 for all we will have to spare. We are doing our own shelling this winter. I fix'd up a horse power, parts of an old mowing machine to run ower [sic, for 'our'] sheller. Works nic[e]ly. Price of shelling, 1 cent per bushel and board. Oats 22 cents, wheat somewhere between 60 and 70 cents per bushel. Potatoes 35 cents, butter 20 ct. [per] lb., eggs 25 ct. [per] doz., hogs $5.10 per ???.

We are staying another year on the place we are on at present.

Another two Scotch (Scot[t]ish) men and I went away west and north, Land hunting. We follow'd the Loup Fork River untill we reach'd to [sic] mouth of the Calamas [sic] River. We rigged up a Schooner and started about the last of 9^th mo. The first town of any size is Genoa, a nice little town on the north bank of the Loupe [sic]. Here to[o] was the Old trading post and Gover[n]ment Store house of the Pawnee Indians, when on the Pawnee Reservation. Now Nance County. The old store house is a large brick building, four stories high. Workmen are at present repa[i]ring and adding to [it] For an Indian School. We camped a little west of town on the Beaver Beaver [sic] creek, where we could get plenty of water for ourselves and Horses and dry willows for fire, Thair being plenty. We also took along a suplay [sic, for 'supply'], not knowing where we would [find] any more.

The next Town is Fullerton, about 17 miles west of Genoa. Has large flowering Mill, Roller Mill, new Process, on the Ceder [sic] river. A railroad was graded this summer from Genoa to Ful[l]erton, a branch of the Columbus and Albian, starting from Lost Creek, four miles west of us. The C. and A., a branch of the Columbus and Creighton, starting from Columbus on the U. P. R. We are getting plenty of railroads, but are charging them that use exorbitant rates, taking nearly half to car[r]y the other half to market. The Loupe [sic] valley is not so wide as the Platte valley, but the soil is much richer. The bluff land is about the same, judging from appe[a]rences. Many well to do farmers along its course. St. Paul, a large town in Howard Co., about 4 miles across the river from us. Were on the north side

[a lacuna of four pages, one sheet]

some letters, or rather postals. Purchased some suplays [sic, for 'supplies'], and started, making Fort Hartsuff, where we camped for the night. Fort Hartsuff is about 10 miles northwest of Ord. Many large buildings, all of concrete. Nice officers houses and soldier[s'] quarters. Long stables, all very nice. Was bought by the U. P. R. C^o. and the section on which it stands, from the gover[n]ment. The Company keep a man at the Fort to look after the buildings. The road is surveyed as far as the Fort, at which they will start a town some day. Beyond the Fort, the b[l]uffs gets much higher. Deep canyons, just east of the mouth of the Calamas [sic]. We went up a very large one, making a near cut, and better road in going up the Calamas than going by its mouth. While going up, we found quantities of wild grapes, very nice, and lots of wild hops, some plums. The canyon sometime[s] has had lots of Red Ceder [sic] growing in it. All along the bottom and sides are many stumps. We passed a good many log cabins, indicating timber some place at sometime, but not a tree is in it now. The settlement [is] thin[n]er as we get west. When we got over to the Calamas, about four miles distant, we soon got to the end of the settelment [sic]. Only a few settlers on the Calams from the mouth up. The Land here is more sandy, the Bluffs being mostly sand. We are now coming into the cattle region. Tis well adapted for cattle. After passing the settelment, cattle cattle [sic] as far as I could see, and all around. We kept on up the river, camped by the river, beside a bunch of willows. Gracy Creek, a small creek comming [sic] out from among the sandhills on the north side of the Calamas, at the mouth of which is a ranch. We traveled all day, did not see a house untill just night. We discovered a little, newly built cabin beside a plum thicket, but on the other side of the river. We came to a little creek comming from the north about opposite the cabin, where we cambed [sic]. I took my gun and went down to the river, opp[o]site the cabin. Call'd and a man came down to the river, which I was well aqu[a]inted with. Had been here 3 weeks. Came up from Kansas, with a little bunch of cattle, some 80 head. I went back to camp. He came over after a little while. Has located here, said Kansas was to[o] dry. I found that this was the place we had started for. The little creek has quite a wide bottom and plenty of hay, but the soil is pretty light-sandy land. Not very good for farming. We, after looking around a day or two, we decided to set up our stakes on a piece of Hay land. To secure plenty of hay. Their will also be plenty of range. The soil along the Calamas is all sandy, as a general thing. Some small pieces of pretty fair land, which I think will be taken before long. A large emigration [sic] is expected this spring. What we intend to do is to take up sheep to where we have taken our claims, where there is plenty of room, and hay, and buy or rent a good farm to raise grain, to fatten sheep, and for stock sheep. Over on the Lupe [sic], being only 10 miles across the sand hills, the sand hilles here is cover'd with grass, quite a good deal of Buffalo grass. Max richt guid feed for Bye [?], or that ilk.

[cetera desunt]

[Postmarked 20 April, the year illegible, but certainly 1885, Columbus, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York State, Harlem Railroad]

Columbus, 4.19.85

Dear Friends,

Not having heard from you in a long time, I feel as if I want to here from you. If you do write, I do not get your letters. The reason may be this, there is 3 of the same name that get mail at Columbus. Hence, some mail to us we may not get. We are still living a little west of town. Alexr is well and vusy plowing for corn, with 3 horses to sulky [?] plow. Have 7 pretty nice horses. A friend of mine and I went up the Lupe [sic] one year ago and got claims on an old Military Reserve. But is not open for ?ning under the general Laws yet. Also our claims was settled upon in 78. The man and his mother that held them was going to leave them for another place. We hear of it throu[gh] a friend. Gave him [i.e. the owner] a little money for what he had that wsa of any use to us, Altho[ugh] we need not have given him anything. He had a good frame sod House, with L stable, granery, Hen House, Shed and corrale, a nice grove, lots of small fruit, yard fienced [sic], also cave, about 70 or 75 acers broken up. We had in crop last year, 320 acers lying along the Loupe and Calmus [sic] Rivers. About 40 acers of willow and timber on the east guarter, along the rivers. Lots of fire wood, Posts, and Poles, excel[l]ent soft water. A little town has started just across the Loup, some 4 stores, 2 Blacksmith shops, Hotel, quite a number of dwelling houses. Promises to be quite a nice little town. A Flowering Mill. Is pretty well settled here. That is on the river bottom. Not many in the sandhills as yet. They are not fit for farming, but are fine pasture. A few settled in the hills last Spring. Think they will not stay long. Sold them some $60 worth of fire wood. There is not a stick in the hills. Once in a while a little plum bush. The Settlers cultivate the parks [?] in the hills are mostly small, from 10 to 20 acers, soil light, and sandy. I have come across larger ones about half a days ride in the hills that was about a mile wide. Do not know how many miles long. Lots of hay in some of them that is far out. The settlers in the hills is spo[i]ling the range for cattle. Here the cattle all run a[t] large. We ar[e] about 30 miles from the Railroad. I here [?] the road is to be graded to a place about 10 miles from us this summer. I was up on the Ranch all last summer. We'll be this [year] also. I started up a week ago, but my horse took sick like. I turned back. Will start again in a few days. Father and Mother are well, and Jessie the only one left at home. Jennie is still in London. They are well.

We are still keeping Bachelors Hall. Samuel, just ship a lot of New Fairfield's Old Maids to Nebraska. I venture they will not be Old Maids very long. Jessie wrote, in hir last letter, That if one of us would come over and make a visit, she would come back with who eve[r] came. Guess A will govr [sic, for 'go over'] next year. He talks of it at present. Samuel, How are you? How is Phebe? Has she that dreadfull catarrh every fall yet? I hope not. Tell Hir the gentel Prairie Breezes would soon drive it away. Do[e]s she go to the White Mountains? Any where to get rid of it. How are the Boys? All grown up I suppose. Little Charles too? I cannot think he is. Do[e]s he remember David? I guess I came pretty near making a trip East last winter. At one time, I could have got from Chicago to New York for $18 or I can get a pass anytime from here to Chicago. But I hired out last winter to a man to take care of his sheep, $30 mo. Should the fare get down next winter, I will try and make a short trip East, if I am well. How is Harriet? Is she still living on the old place? Hope she is well. How & where is Mira and Susie and all the rest of the nice girls? Do[e]s Edward come up to meeting every summer yet? How are the wing boys, yes, and the girls, Mother and all the rest? How is Uncle Jessie Lane [?], Aunt Deby [?], Almira, James C. and Franklin and Samuel [?]. Tell James C. to come west with his cows. Plenty of room now, free range. He would make a good stock man. There is lots of meny made in stock raising in the plains. When we [?] started, a stock man was down a short time ago, looking up young stock to ??????? his herd. He said he sold $17,000 dollars worth of fat stock last fall. Now the[y] only cost on an average 5 dollars per head. Are importing the Black Angus ?old cattle from Scotland to improve there herds in the west. Times are dull [?] here at present. Prices are low. How is Jay & Annie & Ella, Isaac & Caroline [?], all the folks. Should you write right away, address me at Richland. Will be there in a few days. Should thee be some little time in writing, address me at Burwell, Wheeler C^o., Neb.

Is raining to day, the first rainy day we have had this year.

Hoping you are all well. Yours truly, David

Exquse mistakes, did not ?ind this o? . ...

Remember me to Edward when he comes up.

Burwell, 6 m^o, 17, 1888

To the Dear Friends at the Glen,

After a long absence in writing to you, and not hearing from you in so long, I write you this few lines asking how you are all getting on at the Glen.

During the intervening absence, I have often thought of you all and of those I used to meet at the Glen. I suppose their are many changes since I last heard from you, their as there are here. Well, how is Phebe and the Boys? I suppose they are all at Home working on the old farm. All grown so much that I sometimes doubt if I wo[u]ld know them. But think I should, eaven if I should meet them in Burwell. A few years has made a great change at Burwell. We have now the cars running here, a branch of the B. & M., and known as the Lincoln and Black Hills road. The road was graded to B- and about 30 miles beyond last summer. The cars commenced running to B- last fall. As yet do not run any farther, as no rails are laid, only a little way out of B-. I hear the C^o. is not doing any work, that is building any new road, this summer. I hope they will soon put it throu[gh] to the Hills, as it would bring us in direct communitation [sic] with a good market for our Produce in the Mining Camps. Coal and Lumber would also be much cheaper. 4 years ago, B- had but one store, and that stood alone and empty a long time. The next summer, a store or two was a[d]ded [?]. Then an other town was started about 3 miles from B-, got the county seat. Yes, and flourished for about 1 1/2 years. Then the Rail road came to B-, so the people of W^w Springs pulled thair stakes and drove them down in Burwell. What was once a flourishing little town, only about one year ago, is now a deserted village of the Plain. What the rail road will do in a new country. We have one passenger train to and from B- and one freight train to and from B- every day, and things are lively in town. B. has about 1000 inhabitence [sic] or there about. Yes, and are coming in by every train. So plentyfull that all cannot find sleeping room. Houses are in the course of construction all the time. I do think B- will not make a very large town, as a great deal of the sourounding [sic] country to the north and north west is hilly and sandy. But will make quite a business center. Land has increased in value more than half. Suburb residences, lots of one acre on the section south of the one I am on, bring $50 00/100 p[er] acre. A Steam Roller, Flour Mill, A water power mill, Large Depot, Round House of two Stal[l]s [?], Section House. The road runs throu[gh] a corner of my farm, just west of the garden, taking in quite a number of trees on the west of garden, for which all I could get was $35 00/100. Of course, the road do[e]s not take much land, but is just a little too near the buildings. But are not running on it as yet. I will have them fence as soon as they commence running. Quite a change since I first came up here in 1883.

Well, Boys, how much corn do you raise? Or the number of Buchels [sic] in One year. The most we have raised in one year was 3000 buchels of corn, 1300 bu. Oats. We do not sell any grain, feed it all to Horses, Cattle and Hogs. Of Wheat, only enough for home use. There is more money in feeding the grain to Stock than in selling Grain. You remember the Locust seed I took west [with] me? Well, after lying in my trunk until the spring of 87, I planted seeds in rows. That same year, many of them grew to the hight [sic] of five feet. It takes Nebraska soil to make things grow. Will soon make handsome trees. Tell P. I have some nice Elms in the yard. Were planted by the man that was here before me. Some large nice ones in the Pasture, old residents. But the best and largest were cut down and taken away by the early settlers. Some of the stumps measure three feet across. I have plenty of fire wood, have sold lots of wood and poles. I will draw you a cart of B and the ?intate [for immediate?] vicinity so you can see where I am located.

Well, how are all the friends I used to meet at Glen? J. C. and family, Isaac, D. J., Elias at Deriun [sic, for 'Darien'], over river folks, Dewitt. Is uncle Jessie still with us, and Aunt D? How and where is Susie and Harriet. Is she still down at the Old Place? Tell hir the Muckel [?] winds & the vast dom[a]in [?] blow clouds [?] ore anes Destiny.

Give them my kind regards. Yes, and Mira, the Crains, and all the rest of the nice girls. Probably all married by this time, While I remain just the same Old Bach.

Do[e]s Edward still come up to meeting? There is always lots of Meetings and goings on of some kind in town, all the time. Hurrah for the 4^th ! I was made a citizen of the United States 10^th of April last. Remember me to all at the Glen. With Kind regards, as eve[r] David

When thee has a little time to spare, would be p[l]eased to her [sic, for 'hear'] from thee.

[Postmarked 20 September, 1897, 1:30 PM, Buffalo, N.Y.]

[Envelope preprinted: The New Tifft House, John Hood, Proprietor, Buffalo, N.Y.]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Buffalo, N.Y., 9.20.1897

My Dear Friends,

Just a few lines to say that I ar[r]ived here all right, after quite a tedeious [sic] journey.

By the time I could see fairly well, I was in Chatham, after parting with my Dearest Friends. Yes, you are all very near to my heart. I love you all very much. Never can I forget my visit to the Old Glen. No. I feel much worried about Phebe and the Boys, P- being out in the weet grass. Samuel, will thee please write me a few lines stating how they are? I trust & hope they are not down sick, but getting better, so that I will receive them about the time I will get home.

Well, I ar[r]ived in Chatham at 1:35 P.M. Had to wait until 7.6 P.M. for a train to Albany. Ar[r]ived in Albany at 8.5 P.M. Had to waite until 10 P.M. train for Buffalo. Ar[r]ived in Buffalo at 6.15 A.M. Cares [sic, for 'cars'] were very much crowded.

Well, I got my ticket all right. Have not seen Mother Coffin & Harry as yet. I think they have come over the Pit[t]sburgh route. I look for them this afternoon.

Will leave for Chicago at 8.25 P.M.

Please write a a [sic] few lines stating how you all are.

As ever yours truly,

David

[On reverse: If not delivered in 10 days, please return to D. E. Anderson, Burwell, Neb., Garfield C^o.]

[Postmarked 21 September, 1897, 4-30 P, Chicago, Ill.]

[Envelope preprinted: The New Tifft House, John Hood, Proprietor, Buffalo, N.Y.]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York]

Chicago, 9.21.1897

My Dear Friends,

Just a few lines to State that I am here and well. Meet [sic, for 'met'] Mother Coffin & Harry at the station in Buffalo, afternoon of 20^th. Ar[r]ived here this morning at 9 A.M. Leave the P.M. at 5.50 P.M. for Home.

Please tell J. Lane had they traveled over the Boston & Albany I would have met them at Chatham. But they traveled over Erie. I will write again when I get home.

Yours truly, David

I hope I will here how P- and the Boys are when I get home or very shortly after. Please.

[On reverse: If not delivered in 5 days, please return to D. E. Anderson, Burwell, Garfield, Nebraska.]

[Postmarked 1 November, 1897, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York State, Harlem River R. R.]

[From- D. E. Anderson, Burwell, Neb.]

Burwell, Nebraska, October 31, 1897

Dear friends at the Glen,

Since David returned from his eastern visit, we have talked a great deal about writing you. Of course there was a great deal to be done both out doors and in and David was saying how nicely he was getting along with the work when nearly two weeks ago the middle finger on his right hand began to pain him and for a week he suffered a great deal. Finally, a week ago Satuday, the Doctor lanced it, call it a felon. But it was still so painful that the following Monday he went to the Dr. again. The pain then was so severe that instead of treating the finger, he gave David morphine. It being his first dose, it made him very sick and he was such a long time getting over it. It was an effort for him to ride home and a still greater one to get out of the spring wagon and get to the house. The next morning, we drove to town in a terrible rain storm, David suffering so much with his finger. The Dr. gave morphine, then had to put David thoroughly asleep with chloroform before he could operate on the finger. Then it took three of us to hold him still. That night he was obliged to stay at the Dr^s. house and I faced the sleet storm home alone, as we were anxious about Louise and my mother, who were alone. The next morning, I went after David in the cart and found him able to be about and the finger quiet. Since then, we have had the Dr. attend the finger every day or other day now, and it seems to be getting along nicely. For a week, David has not been out of doors, except to the Dr. and we were obliged to have a young man come to do the chores. We were fortunate to secure a young man who is so trusty, a neighbor boy whom we have known for years.

I have gone into a long description of David's case, as I knew you would be interested. His eastern trip seemed to do him so much good tho' the hot winds we had the two weeks following his return seemed to wilt him so much. Since the frosts and cool days have come, he has felt much better. We both regretted the short time David had to stay with the eastern friends, but were afraid if this opportunity went by, another might not come very soon, and a little visit and a sight of the old familiar faces and places, we knew would do our travelers so much good. David says so often that his visit in Connecticut was not nearly long enough. He wanted to stay a month at least. But every moment there was most pleasantly spent and we hope as many years will not go by again before David can be with you. You sent me many little remembrances and I want to thank you for them and tell you how grateful I am to the knidly [sic] hearts that prompted them. The wine I consider very precious and to be saved for times of illness. We have tasted it and I think it so fine. So different from anything we can get here. The knives are different from those we have and I have found them very useful. The carving knife Charles gave David is so sharp I enjoy cutting the bread and other things with the it. We have planted most of the plants in flower pots and I have them in the house. The most hardy ones David has out doors. I shall take great pleasure in them and hope we shall have success with them. The books and papers David had in his satchel will prove most interesting a little later in the season when we have more leisure, and the apples and pears had the real eastern flavor. I thank you all most gratefully for these gifts. David arrived in Buffalo on his way home, early Monday morning and met the others about nine o'clock and they spent the day there leaving at about six in the evening, viewing Niagara Falls by starlight. Reaching Chicago early Tuesday, meeting friends of ours, and buying fruit to bring home and otherwise spending the day there. They left about six o'clock for Nebraska and reached Burwell at half past six Wednesday evening. The trains had been running on new time and we did not expect them till midnight, so I was on the road to Burwell in the spring wagon with baby Louise and the girl who had been staying with me when we met David walking home. For several days, Louise was full of wonder as to how her Papa got here. David was surprised at how fast she had grown and how much more she could talk. She is very cunning now that she can talk so much and she has enjoyed David's being in the house so much this past week and coaxes him to play with her. She has her sixteenth tooth thro now and has got thro the past summer so well considering she was cutting the troublesome teeth. The day she is two years old, which will be soon now, I want to take her picture and I will remember you friends at the Glen when I send them around. David brought home scarcely a picture of the bundle of them he took away with him. I am glad you enjoy them, but some of them are such poor ones. I do not have practice enough nor all the facilities, but we enjoy them. David has had the threshing done since he got home, and luckily before the rain storms began. The grain turned out pretty well. The corn was quite badly broken down during the snow and rain storm of last week. They will begin husking this coming week tho' I don't expect David will be able to do any of it this fall. As the field is not large, the two men who will do the work will soon get it out, about 30 acres. David is anxious to have it done so the cattle can have the corn stalks.

Soon after David's return, a long letter came to him from the Glen and in it were the kindly words to me from Aunt Phoebe, which sank deep into my heart and I felt that my husband's most cherished friends were my friends also, and I am glad that it is so.

A couple of weeks ago, a package came to David containing his old coat he took with him to take comfort in on the cars or should the weather prove hot. He says he did not expect you to send it back, as it was so worn as not to be worth the trouble. Now, as our chief source of income is cut nearly off and that is no hogs to sell, perhaps I can get him to economize by making the coat last another season. There were three hogs left when David got home and they are doing nicely now. We were fortunate in keeping so many. Alex has two left and our other close neighbor lost 23 and has five left. David and Alex usually have between 35 and 40 hogs each, so we shall miss them very much. I have very little time for writing and quite a number to write to, and am usually so sleepy evenings that I cannot seem to gather ambition enough to write, but I will try to send you a line once in a while, and we are all always very glad to hear from the Glen. I really expected to be able to welcome one of the boys when David came home, and any of you who can come next summer we will welcome most gladly. Try and plan to come to the Exposition at Omaha and visit us. We hope Aunt Phoebe's hay fever is much better since the frosty weather has come. Please accept this from both David and myself, with love,

Sincerely,

Alice L. Anderson

Monday afternoon

David has been out helping a little this morning to get the shed ready for the corn. He says he feels better for being out of doors tho his finger is still very painful. He goes in to see the Dr. this afternoon. It is a beautiful, bright fall day, warm and pleasant. David says I did not tell you that all the hogs nearly in the neighborhood died of swine plague probably. People dosed them to no purpose. I was afraid there would be none of ours left by the time David reached home, but we were fortunate to save three. Two of them were very sick, but got all over it. The little one was not sick at all.

We measured Louise this morning, and she is 33 1/2 inches tall. Her weight we do not know, but should judge it to be about 32 lbs. She is very healthy and wide awake. She just asked David "Going to town?" Hope this long letter will not tire you. I am,

Sincerely,

Alice

[Postmarked 21 December, 1897, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York, Harlem River R. R.]

[From D. E. Anderson, Burwell, Nebraska]

Dear Aunt Phoebe,

The Christmas time has come again and I have taken a great deal of pleasure in working this handkerchief and making the glasses wipers for you and Uncle, as remembrances of the glad season. We hope you will all have a very pleasant day and that the New Year will bring you every brightness and prosperity. The continued cold weather since Thanksgiving has disappointed me in not having any pictures to send away now. We wanted you to see our dear little Louise.

David will write you before long. We have all been very busy. We will be glad to hear from some one at the Glen.

A Merry Christmas to all.

Sincerely,

Alice L. Anderson

Dear friends at the Glen,

I don't believe it is any use waiting any longer for David to write you. His day times are such busy times and evenings he is too sleepy to write letters after being out doors all day. But scarcely a day passes but what he speaks of you or some of those he knew living near you. And he says he is going to send a letter some day. Our neighbors seem to have leisure time, some of them a great deal of it, but David always has so much to do, and then cannot keep the farm and buildings in the condition he would like to. The winter has been a mild one as a whole so far, the past two weeks being the coldest and worst storms. But it is moderating again, and yesterday David, with the help of a man we depend on when we need extra help, began an addition to the wagon shed, 12 x 16, to be used as the shop: the old shop to be made into another hen house and moved just north of the house to accommodate my thorough bred White Brahma chickens, of which I am very proud. We thought this way cheaper than to build another small hen-house. Tomorrow they will do some of the moving and then be ready to fit up the new hen-house. A long time ago, David drew some rough plans of the location of the buildings. I will enclose and the boys will likely enjoy looking them over. The cattle are looking well, but prices are not as high as last year. This season we have had hogs to sell again. You remember there were only two left after the scourge of Swine Plague that fall David visited you. The price is $4.25 a hundred now and David has done well with his. He has a few Duroc Jersey pigs in the lot--but does not like them as well as his fine Poland Chinas. He had them in an alfalfa field last summer & they did finely, a great saving in corn, as he only fed one bush. a day instead of six. David thinks of having another field this year. He wonders if the boys would like to try a small patch of alfalfa. I hardly know how to write to interest you. Alex's family are well. Our Their two oldest girls are going to school and Alex drives them up and goes after them nearly every day. The school-house is over two miles away and the little girls are afraid of coyotes. When our school is in session, they cross the little foot bridge 100 feet long the mmen built over the Calamus river last winter, and go there. David, Alex and a neighbor built this bridge. It is 3 ft. wide and pier in the middle. The road is not as lonely. Our Louise had quite a bad time with the whooping cough last fall, getting over it just in time to celebrate Xmas. She was sick nine weeks and half of that time was very sick. She is growing fat again now and talks of Sunday School and Kindergarten for next summer. I would like to have her go part of the time. She takes great delight, too, in speaking pieces to us. We had a little stamp picture of her the other day. I will enclose one. We were greatly surprised last week to receive a package from "Gerow Bro^s." It was a gift much appreciated, and then we spoke of the kindly thoughts you had given us, the great care and much time spent in preparing the nuts so nicely. My brother used to gather the Shell Barks in Mass. But we do not see them here and we enjoyed the sweet kernals [sic] so much. The box full will last us a long time, for we are choice of them. I wanted, at Xmas time, to remember you at the Glen, but so many here to think for. I was obliged to let all the eastern friends wait till I could gather my wits again & plan for them. And I do not seem to get the spare time I want to make up a few pictures. But we both look forward to more leisure some day. David is glad to get letters from his old friends at the Glen and I would be very glad to know how you all look. Thanking all for the box of greatly-enjoyed nuts, hoping you will write David soon. Kind remembrances to each,

Sincerely,

Alice L. C. Anderson

February 20, 1900.

David wishes me to send one of Louises' [sic] other pictures so will send plans of buildings in that package. The weather is beautiful, quite spring like tdoay - Thursday -

[Postmarked 18 May, 1900, 7 PM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York State, Harlem R. R.]

[It starts out in David's handwriting]

Forks

My Dear Friinds [sic] att the Glen,

It is now many months since I made the glen folks a short visit. I anticipated writing you long befor[e] this. It was quite a long time fore I could do any writing at all. My finger being so sore, is still some[what?] crouked [sic] and sore yet, when anything presses hard against it. Quite a scar with a flat end is left to mark the return of my eastern trip, which was by far too short, at the Glen. I sometimes try to think of what I told you of this great western country and it seems as if I did not tell you anything.

Alice will often ask if I told the Glen folks so & so. I have to say I think not. [the rest is in Alice's handwriting] David wrote this the next spring after he was at the Glen. He can't seem to find time to write anybody nowadays, but he often speaks of the Glen folk. We still nibble at the box of nuts. With this I send a bundle of pictures. David finish[ed] planting corn today. Very late this year. Small grain looking fine, about 25 small pigs, a fine colt, but poor luck with calves this year. We have all been extra busy this spring & had some hired help. In hast,

Alice L. C. Anderson

May 18, 1900-

[enclosed are three hand drawn maps, I transcribe the more substantial notes on them below]

[in Alice's hand]

Burwell is to south east.

Rough drawings. Rivers cut off some of the 160 a. Trees & buildings cover about 5 acres. Many of [the] trees 2 ft in diameter. Some nearly 3 ft. Trees about house [sic, for 'half'] as tall again as the house.

Avenue where we have our picnics. Trees touch overhead.

[in David's hand]

This is a part of Fort Hartsuff reservation. Was offer'd for sale 12 mo. 30 1898, but is to[o] high appraised. Was not sold.

80 acers Alex bought at the reservation sale two years ago.

[Postal card, postmarked 26 June, 1900, 8:30 AM, Manitou, Colorado]

[Card preprinted with Souvenir Mailing Card, AUTHORIZED BY ACT OF CONGRESS ON MAY 19, 1898, THIS SIDE FOR ADDRESS ONLY]

[Address to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o. New York, Harlem Railroad]

I am on the summit of Pike's Peak. I think of you all. Snow. The are [sic, for 'air'] is very light. The view is grand. Cog Railway to the top, 18 miles by R.R. to top. Temperature 60°. Louise and I are up here. Mother Coffin & Alice are at the 1/2 way house. Will write all about our trip. David.

Dear friends at the Glen,

I know you will be sorry to know of the sad trouble that has come to us. Alex died a week ago Monday, October 15^th, of typhoid pneumonia, after an illness of eight days. He had complained of not feeling strong for some time before, would not give up. He was taken with a severe chill while at a neighbor's threshing and carried home & the Doctor called. But the disease spread very rapidly. His constitution has not been as strong since that lightning stroke six years ago, tho' you know how he would never acknowledge he was failing, and he really worked about as hard, but we noticed and often spoke of how much harder it seemed to be fore him to stand it. The funeral services were in charge of the Modern Woodman of America, of which benefit order he was a member (the $2000 insurance will prove a great help to the family.)

The services, flowers, music were all very beautiful and seemed very appropriate to Alex. Every thing was just as David wished, only the many friends did so much more. His wife and six children are here and the wife is in bed, seriously ill with typhoid and the oldest girl is up today after 3 days in bed with billious fever. The other children too have been a great care, for some have needed medicine and attention. No plans for the future have been made as yet. We have not had time to think. But our future plans will be a great deal changed as well as Alex's family. I would like to have sent you word sooner, but I could not. We cannot get a woman to help us and we are all nearly worn out with the sickness and care. We miss Alex greatly. It seems as if he should have been spared till his family were more grown up. The youngest of the six is a boy three months old. And it has been a great shock to David for the two brothers have been together so many years.

Sincerely,

Alice L. C. Anderson

October 25, 1900.

[Postmarked 7 November, 1900, 7 PM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York State, Harlem River R. R.]

Dear friends at the Glen,

Alex's wife died last Thursday night at 11 oclock, November 1^st after an illness of 12 days with typhoid pneumonia, nervous prostration & spinal paralysis, the latter being the principal cause. Just 17 days after her husbands death. She came here after his funeral, not caring to go home & we had a good nurse to help us care for her. It is all a great shock to us & seems like a dream. 4 of the children are here, the two babies are with kind friends. Every one has been so kind. The funeral was Saturday P.M. & as like that of Alex's as we could have it. Such sorrow we have never had before and it seems very hard to bear. We have made no plans as yet. We are all too worn in body & mind.

Sincerely,

Alice L. C. Anderson

Burwell, Nebraska

November 6, 1900-

[Postmarked 28 January, 1902, 7 PM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York State, Harlem Railroad]

1.28.1902

To Our Dear Friends at the Glen,

Alice wrote you at the time of our great sorrow. Over a year have [sic] passed since then. I miss Alex very much. We have the six children with us, which is a great care. Three oldest ones goes to town to School. In stormy weather, Alice or I take them in carriage or cart. Is a little farther than to our District School. We cannot have but from three to six months School in our district School for want of funds. But the worst feature is a family sends a lot of little ones which do not use the best of Language or Manner[s]. We think it best to send them to town. Burwell School is now a high School, so that they can go up grade by grade. We do not have to pay for their tuition, as we own property in town. This summer I enlarged our house, two rooms on the west, made the Dinning [sic] room larger. I hired two carpenters [to] help me with the frame and out side covering. I did all the finishing. We needed more room. Have five bedrooms, Parlor, Dinning, Kitchen, Store, Childerns [sic] play rooms. I will send you a plan of the House as it is now. Alice sent you a bundel [sic] of pictures. She is anxious [to] know if you got them all right--her own work. How do you like them? I built an ice hous[e] this fall. I was begin[n]ing to think we were not going to get any ice to put in it. Had quite a cold spell in 12 mo since that time. Most delightful weather up to seventh day last week. Had quite a hard snow storm. Thermometer registered eighteen degrees below zero. Very cold. Think we will get plenty of ice now. Loupe [sic] river is frozen over. We get our ice from the Loupe, and the town people. Calamus river does not fre[e]ze very much. Is fed by springs. I rent Alex's farm, have a family living in the house. Had one last year, but prove[d] to be of little account. This new man seems to be cleaning up things and taking an interest in having things clean around and buldings all in good repair. About the first he did was to haul a wagon load of old rags, cans and trash away from around the house. Well, he came from the land of the big read [sic] Apple, the Ozark Mountians [sic] in Missisouri [sic] where about all they have is hot cakes and sow belly. This family came from Kansas. The childern [sic] get 1/3 of all crops except the Hay, which I retain. About 80 acers of fine meddow [sic]. I sold nearly all the stock after Alex's death. We used to feed all the hay, his & mine too. I do not need it. Had it pressed this winter. Hauled quite a lot of it to town. Stacked in lumber yard. Harry sells it at 35 cents per bail. Will have to ship some, but the market is a little off at present. I had 3 renters, last one had 35 acers of corn on my Homestead, another 25 acers of corn on the School land. Have not rented anything but Alex's place as yet. Crops were not quite so good last year. Was very dry and hot all through July & part of August. Dried the corn up in many places. Wheat was also poor. Some pi[e]ces of Oats was fairly good. I had about 10 acers, made 50 bushels per acre. A little wheat, only went 15 bushels. I do not sow much wheat, only enough for bread as there is no money in it. I used to get 22, 25 & 30 bushels of wheat per acre. Chinch bugs got a little of it. The first Chinch bugs we have had in this part of the country. Price of wheat 47¢, Oats 40¢, Corn .60¢, the last I heard of Rye .36¢. The cattle Market is away down owing to the Short crop of corn, not as many being fed and the rather high price of hay, Bail'd $6.⁰⁰ to 6.²⁵, lose hay $4.⁵⁰ to 5.⁰⁰ per ton. Good young cows $25.⁰⁰ to $30 ^or $35.⁰⁰. Horses the range in prices is much greater, all the way from $10.⁰⁰ to 100.⁰⁰. So many little pony's here. I sold a good horse last year, weight--1800. A very large, fine animal, price $100.⁰⁰, the one to the left in the picture. I have three more, one a yearling colt, weight--about 1200 lbs., one 3 years old, bettween 1400 & 1500 lbs. The one at the right in the picture, George Maghogany [sic] Bay, a very large, hadsom[e] horse, 1660 lbs. Alice drives him to the carriage. One that was Alex's, a little lighter Bay, 1300 lbs. A very fine handsom[e] animal. Alice drives him cart or carriage. One of my wife's pony's died about two years ago. Both black, 1000 lbs. The other one is 23 years old, is not so strong this winter. Has not been hitched up in several years. I have only 25 head of cattle left.

Hogs is a good price here at present top? $5.⁸⁰ per cent. I hauled a load of spring pigs, very ones [sic]. Received for for [sic] them $1010⁷⁸ for the one load. The majority of the hogs that is brought to market is very light--some as light as 50 lbs, $3.⁰⁰ cent to $4.⁰⁰ & $4.⁵⁰ $5.⁰⁰ cent, owing to the light crop of corn. Farmers cannot finish the hogs out, Hence making a shortage of lard, the demand being for heavy hogs. I have about 5 acers field of alfalfa, a kind of clover [that] makes very rapid growth. My hogs run in it all summer. They like it. I also cut two crops of hay, about 3 1/2 ??? tons per acre, clover hay, each year, Leaving the third one standing on the ground to protect the crowns during the winter months. Has been seeded down five years. I do[e]s not stand to close pasturing with cattle or horses. Boys, I think it would do well at the Glen. Requires good soil not too close to water, as the roots will go to water. Say, for instance, the lot below the garden or the one by the Mill Barn Meddow [sic]. Saved some alfalfa for seed, but got spoiled. We had so much rain last fall, I did not get it thrashed. I have some old seed, perhaps it may grow. I will try. If so, I will send you some with directions. I have about 75 acers of rye that sowed last fall. Is looking very nice. Farmers are begin[n]ing to sow more of that crop. It does very well here, much better than wheat, but is not sp so much market value. Oh, there is so much I want to tell you, but it [seems] as if I cannot at this time. The trees in our grove are getting to be quite large. I had to cut down two in order to build the west wing. The largest one measured 2 feet-2 inches, the other very nearly 2 feet. Both cotton woods, 70 ft tall. There are some east of the house that is considerable over 2 feet--the yellow Locust seed that I brought from the glen and planted, after being seven years in my turnk, is now very large trees. Yes, and just loaded with Blossoms every spring. I have a few Apple trees that are twelve years old. Have not had a blossom as yet. Think I will top work them. Would like if the Boys would send me a few grafts (sions) [?] of the hardiest trees. Baldwins, Greenings, anything that is hardy, two or three acorns and one or two chestnut. I have not an oak tree on my farm, or a chestnut. Plenty of Elm, Hackberry, Cherries, trees seems to do very well here. Of the pictures I do not remember the different ones Alice sent to the Glen. The long bridge, 300 feet, across the Loupe river was ???ty built 1900. I superintended its erection, as commiss[i]on[e]r of Garfield. Well, Samuel, I have not told thee any about Colorado. I will in a short time. We are all well. Hoping S you are all well and Phebe able to be around. Thy self also. Kind regards to you all, in which we all join. As ever, David

[added in Alice's hand, upside down at top of first page]

In a few days will send another small package of pictures, the for the this season I expect.

[Postmarked 17 February, 1902, 4 PM, Galveston, Texas]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York State, on Harlem Railroad]

Galveston, 2.16.02

To the Glen Folks,

Well, we are here for an outing. We left home 13^th, bound for this place of the sunny south. The Lumberme[n]'s annual outing. Alice Louise, our darling girl, Harry & wife, one of there little girl's [sic]. We left Lincoln by Special Train along [with?] 81 other Lumbermen bound for a good time, consisting of 5 Pullman Sleepers, one day coach, on[e] Baggage Car. We are having fine time. People call it winter here at present. Everything is grean [sic]. Oleander's line many streets. Altho[ugh] they have done much in the way of clearing away since the flood which destroyed a large portion of the town, Still many Houses are leaning or down. I like the climet [sic] here, is soft and warm. I am told not [hot?] even in summer, being tempered by the cool windis [sic] of the Gulf. Little Louise is enjoying hers self [sic] geathering [sic] shells on the beach. A beautiful beach along south side of town.

We stop at all the places of intrest [sic] along the route. 1 1/2 days here, stop[p]ed at all the large saw mills. Banqueted at all the stop[p]ing places. Special train took us to an oyster roast. Had oysters served in many of the arst [sic] of cooking, if not all the ways. Stop a day at Sulpher Springs, Ark, one day the great summer resort of this part of the south. Have not any time to write. Will give you an account of our trip when I get home.

As ever, David

[Postal card, postmarked 2 May, 1902, 7 PM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Preprinted with POSTAL CARD-ONE CENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THIS SIDE FOR ADDRESS ONLY.]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o., New York State, Harlem River R.R.]

Just got the box of trees from depot. Came Wed. night but did not expect them till last eve & could not go for them until tonight. In seeming good order. Agent said his orders were to collect 1.40 but as card on box was marked paid will try & investigate. Please let us know if you paid the box thro or not. D. also received scions & used them. Weather very warm--D. is taking assessment. Please write us about box. Our busy time of year. Papers rec'd. Very truly--Alice.

May 2.1902.

[No envelope and undated, but certainly written in the summer of 1902]

We are glad to receive your very welcome letters. We read and reread them many times. Alice often asks me when I am going to write to the Glen. We are having quite a wet spel[l]. Yes, is the wet[t]est summer while I have been in Nebraska. Are having too much rain for the good of the crops. Much of the small grain is neather [sic] thrashed or stacked. By the time the stooks are dry, have another heavy rain. Last night we had a very heavy thunder storm, heavy rain fell, a deluge. Some talk of grain sprouting in the stook. A few days of dry weather about two weeks ago. A neighbor & I got a thrashing machine to come & thraish [sic] ours out of the stook. This way saves the labor of stacking, which is hard work in the hot weather. Got our grain all thrashed but a few loads when rain began to fall, "A regular Old Country" Drizzly rain. But got finished up a few days later in the rain. It takes quite a crew to run a thrashing machine here. Three men come with the machine. They run the machine, feeding, driving the horses & looking after things. The rest of the help the farmer has to furnish. 4 teams for the Horsepower. Are mostly all 14 Horsepowers used here. 5 teams to haul in stooks, 2 men to pitch in the field, 2 to cut bands, 4 in the straw pile if you want it put up in good shape. Even then one has to see that it is done. One team if close by granary, with two men to scoop grain into granary. Takes 18 or 19 men to keep moving in good shape. I had about 30 acers to oats, thrashed out 1414 machine measure. Grain is measured by the wagon load, 2 bu. to the inch in h[e]ight. Boxes are 3 x 10 feet, not all the same h[e]ight. My oats was badly lodged, could not get all of them with the Harvester. Twine Binder estimated that over 100 bu. are left in the field. I will turn in the cattle in the field. They will pick up the most of them.

I do not sell any grain. Feed all I raise & buy some. Horses, Hogs & Cattle. The prices are at present--Wheat--48¢ per Bushel. Oats 21¢, Rye 36¢. I had a few acers to rye, thrashed 104 bu. Machine man charge for wheat=3¢ per bu., Rye 3¢, Oats 1 1/2¢. Hence you will see that it costs quite a good deal for thrashing, to say nothing about the amount [of] food that is consumed. I always kill quite a large pig for thrashing time, 150 to 200 lbs. Not much is left when they go away.

I left the second crop of Alfalfa for seed in my field. I am afraid that I will not get any seed at all. The third crop is about as tall as the second. The second is begin[n]ing to cagdge [?]. I am in hopes to get a little seed. It is the crop to turn off the hay. My hogs run in it all summer. Horses & Cattle like the hay. Yes, I think east--end of the Plain lot would be a good place for a few acers of Alfalfa. It must not be to[o] close to water, with a rather poris [sic] subsoil, sandy loam is the best.--Sow 20 lbs of seed per acre. The richer the soil the better Alfalfa. Roll to pack the ground. Do not pasture. When about 6 or 8 inches high, mow, leaving it on the ground. Do not mow any more unless weeds come up or it grows about as high, leaving it on the ground to protect the crowns during the winter months.

Cattle is a fair price here at presant [sic]. I sold a bunch of Steers & Heifers. Steers $3⁶⁰, Heifers $2⁵⁰ per cent. Corn feed [sic] steers are getting quite scarce in the Market. This accounts for the fair price of grass fat & feeders. I think it was $65⁰⁰ that I received for the two pigs that I wrote you about-- I did better than that last Spring. I had a sow that farrowed 9 pigs 3.20.02 or raised 6 without looking it up. May 15 I sold her, weighing 520 lbs. Brought me almost $34⁰⁰, the highest price ever payed for one pig in Burwell market. We farmer[s] sell our stock to a stock buyer in town and [they] are ship[p]ed to Omaha.

Well, the trees came through all right. I do think they would have gone much farther and then been in fine shape. The roots and mose [?] were still wet, in fine condition. The bodies of the trees were a little too warm, some of them had quite large while leaves. I planted them as soon as they arrived. Alice was in town, brought them out. Most of them are doing well, especially the chestnuts. One of them has made a growth of over one foot in length. The Butternut put out a few leaves and died. Same way with one or two of the Oakes [sic]. All the others are doing very well. May persons look at them and ask what kind of trees they are and where did I get them. In all that has seen them, one man knew them by name. As to the extra Express charges, the Agent here thought there must be something wrong. Said he would investigate the matter. Agent took the address on which was wrote the word "Paid["] and the bill of Lading. Said he would send them to head quarters. We have not heard anything of it since that time. It was in all probability a mistake of some clerk. We have frequently had the same trubble [sic] with Packages from the east.

Now I will tell you a little about our beautiful trip to the Sunny South last winter. The Lumbermens Excusion to Galveston.

200 Lumbermen including wives, sons & Daughters left Lincoln in a Special train, a Pullman Palace train made up of Five Pulman Sleepers, one day, and one Baggage Coaches. A committee of three Lumbermen as Board of Managers, a train Conductor, one Pulman Car Conductor, one Porter to each car and a hold up Gaurd [sic].

The train was drawn by a powerfull [sic] Locomotive and we all had solid comfort. No worry about baggage or anything elce [sic]. We had the use of the Train night and day from the time we left Lincoln until we returned. Our first stop[p]ing place was St. Lewis [sic]. At all the Principal stop[p]ing places, we were meet [sic] at the Station by a Reception Committee who took us in charge. The Wholesale Lumbermen of St. Lewis Entertained us to an Elegant Banquet. We all sat down in a spacious Dinning [sic] Hall at 5 P.M. Dinner of ten courses, music all the time of Dinner, all color'd men waiters. We rose at 8 P.M., quite a long while to sit a dinner. It did seem as if every thing that land & water and ever clime could produce were before us or served us. After dinner, we we[re] taken across [to] the Theater, where we witness'd a beautiful play. Louise was ve[r]y much delighted with it and wanted to know if we would have more such nice times. After the Theater, we left for Arkadelphia. At this place is one of the Gigantic Saw Mills of the South. The logs are Squared by Band Saws, then sawed into whatever kind of stuf[f] is wanted on Gang Saws, Sawing up the logs as they run through. At Texarkana I think was the largest plant. There they sawed up 45 car loads of logs each day. All squared by one Band Saw and Sawed up by one set of gang saws. So you

[cetera desunt]

[Postmarked 30 October, 1902, 7 PM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam County, New York State, Route 1]

Thursday noon, Oct. 30, 1902

Dear folks at the Glen,

I am quite sure you will excuse a hurried scrawl and tho we are so rushing busy I know how much you would like to hear about us and I am just going to take a few minutes and tell you a little any way. We were glad of the letter a week ago and I had forgotten how you had not heard from us since I wrote you David was so miserable. He gained strength very slowly as he got over the cold, and was obliged to work but little at a time for several weeks. But now he seems pretty well, tho he still favors himself when there is any heavy work on hand. He is not the man he was two years ago, and never will be again. The weather has be[en] fine a long time now. All this month and we are trying to improve it [sic]. Several days David went to neighbors to help thrash and will have to go again. Haying dragged on very late. They finished the first day of October. This A. M. we shut up 7 calves to wean & the colt is to be tied up tonight. We are at least a month behind in our work. During August & September, my eyes & ears troubled me. One ear pained me very badly for 4 weeks, one eye three weeks & the others about a week each. Every year the hay fever seems to act that way for me. Now I am quite free from it all till next May 21.

Five of the children go to school. We have a fine teacher. So there are five dinners to put up every morning. All the children are well, fat & with powerful appetites. Cooking is about all we can do. I get in a little extra work some weeks. Two quilts quilted & one comforter tacked last week, and dresses and hats for the two older ones another week. Mother & I drove to Ord (20 m.) and back one day, about 45 m. in all, with one horse & our carriage. Apples there were $1.⁰⁰ a bush. In Burwell, we pay 30 to 35 a peck & you can imagine how long a peck lasts. We have not had any pears. Not many on sale & 25 to 30 a dozen. David was much pleased with the chestnuts & they were indeed a great treat, for David is not going to plant all of them. He talks of writing you and will some day. We hope the hay fever has left your home for this season and we talk a great deal about the boys. Irving especially. David says if we only had our quiet home like we used to, we would like him to make us a visit. We hope his health will improve. You all have your troubles too, as every one seems to have some time or other.

I had your package of ?oulliér pictures made all but 5 when the sunshine gave out & since I have been doing other things. But you will get them some day when I see my way clear. Will write you again when I can later and we are always very glad to get letters from the Glen. Kind regards to all and especially from David.

Sincerely--Alice L. C. Anderson

[Postmarked 1? November, 1902, 7 PM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam County, New York State, Route 1]

Dear friends at the Glen,

This morning we did some grinding, Rye and wheat mixed for pig feed. There are seventeen small pigs about three weeks old that are doing fine. David has a Quaker City mill No. 5 and the two horses run the power nicely. I drive part of the time or tend the mill. Late this P.M. will finish the grinding For graham flour of which we use a great deal in the house. We run it thro the mill twice and then a little sifting with the flour sieve to take out the stray hulls. Makes it just as good as that we buy. We want to do enough today to last all winter and have four bushels of wheat cleaned. David & the neighbors are now hauling the little bridge 100 ft. long over the Calamus out into our pasture for the winter. Last spring it fell down into the river. D. says wind swung it off the pier, and we could cross on one plank by perhaps getting one's feet wet in one place. As they cannot very well get it back on the pier now, the water being deep & cold, they will have it all out on dry land till spring. We use it any way very little now that Alex is not there. Only when the renter comes across to work for us. Many farmers are husking corn. D. husks to feed but wants to get it all in the crib soon. We are gradually catching up with the work. I am busy getting warm clothes for the children ready for winter. Our Louise will be seven years old Thursday and she is looking up prices of saddles & bridles for she wants a Shetland pony. David says she is too young yet for anything of the kind, but she loves horses as her Mama does. You will wonder at my writing so soon again and I intended to tell you sooner about the apples. Just after the other letter went, a car of apples (Missouri Pippins) came to Burwell & we got 7 bu. At 70¢ a bushel. David thought perhaps you had planned to send us some and we would have willingly paid the freight, but we think at 70¢ a bu. the freight would eat up the profit. Of course, we do not get apples like you have, but to the children any way they are fine.

We are all quite well at present. The childrens appetites do not fail very much. Just a few flakes of snow Nov. 5^th & since it has been cold. My hired girl failed to come back yesterday, so we have been very busy today. I hope she willcome this afternoon. David talks a great deal of you all & the Glen We hope all are improving that have been so poorly in health.

With kind regards to all.

Alice L. C. Anderson

Monday noon, Nov. 10.1902

[Postmarked 2 March, 1903, 7 PM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam County, New York State, Harlem River R.R.]

Dear friends at the Glen,

I have just labeled the pictures and I hope the package will reach you safely and that you will enjoy them. There has been little sunshine this years so far so I have been slow about getting the pictures ready. Then our girl left Xmas and we are kept pretty busy keeping the establishment running. I have sent away twelve packages of pictures with about a dozen in each, besides to several strays who get three or four, besides my own & 3 others in Burwell. So it takes lots to go round and I do not have very much spare time. I have taken great pleasure making your package for David knows how you will enjoy looking at them he says. David is better this winter than for a long time. The hot weather is hard on him every summer. He did not get his corn husked till in January, for, during the nice November weather, he had as company an old Schuyler neighbor for over a week. Then winter set in in earnest and kept it up ever since with only a little break in January. Lately there have been a few warm days when the water was in ponds every where, then when it froze up the roads were terribly rough. David shod the horse we drive the most, on his front feet. The blacksmith shops were so busy we could not get it done. We have killed our year old beef and the meat is very nice. I have put 7 quarts of ready to use mince pie meat in mason glass jars. I have some now that was made two years ago. Shall make more if the meat shows signs of not keeping well. Our ice house is filled with fine ice. We do not see now how we ever got along with out our big home made refrigerator. The Loup river is still solid, but part of the Calamus is out. That is a warm spring fed stream. There is so much snow. After it has thawed & settled a little we have another storm. David says the spring work will come in a rush as he cannot putter with any of the little jobs now. But its just the weather for me for sewing & when spring comes there is plenty to do out doors. The children started to town to school after the holidays, but I find the lower grade teachers there are not nearly as good as the one we had here in our country school this fall, so we shall send them to our own school March 16 for 3 months. They are going to gain a whole grade on the town schools this year. When the scarlet fever cases came down in Burwell, we kept them at home & then one & another has been sick for over six weeks. Louise was very bad for three weeks so we had the Doctor twice. Tonsilitis & billious remittent fever. The others had a form of the Grip that they are calling pink eye. All are better now. The two older girls & Louise can thread the sewing machine & when I am not stitching one of them sews carpet rags. We find there is heaps to do all the time. We wonder if the invalid members of your family are strong & well this winter. There is the hay fever that doesn't bother anyway. Mine will come the last week in May as usual I suppose, and I want to get the children "sewed up" and house cleaning done before that time if I can. My Mother is so much help. In fact, when she feels well, [she] is my equal for work, tho neither of us can accomplish what we could three years ago. We will all be glad to get a letter from the Glen. David in particular thoroughly enjoys all you write. Our potatoes & onions are growing in the cellar as usual. The apples we bought are keeping well & growing gradually less.

The snow storm last night is still raging, but thermometer is 30° above. But such a rainy snow is hard on the stock that is out. I see from the window a number of cattle getting shelter from the grade & our trees. That neighbor came from Virginia, & his stables & sheds are always open.

Kind regards to all. I wanted David to write, but he says it would take him so long. He will some day. He is busy making the stock comfortable. His poland chinahogs are considered extra fine and he had a few small ones.

Monday noon and we have our washing out. A beautiful day and thawing. So was yesterday. The storm raged 2 nights and 2 days and our yard has big five foot drifts in many places. The trains did not get up till last night. It was not a cold storm, but much harder on the cattle, David says, than a cold storm would be If the weather keeps nice will send the children to school. And I have begun the summer sewing. We all feel pretty well just now. Baby Karl's cold is better. David's calves that are coming one year old are the wonder to everyone who sees them, so large and fine looking. He wants a picture of them. There are ten in the bunch. I took three pictures yesterday of the children on the drifts and my hen yard. We must go to town this P.M. for a number of errands have been laid over on account of the storm. While David is waiting for dinner I will ask him to just say a word. You must excuse the hurried writing. Kind regards to all.

Sincerely - Alice L. C. Anderson.

[In David's hand]

Alice has just finished you quite a long letter. While waiting for dinner, I thought I would write you a few lines. We have had quite a hard winter for Nebraska, not so very cold, but more snow than any winter I have seen in Neb. I am trying to get ready for Spring. I am to try to raise cheaper corn, will List my corn in this year. I have bought a Machine with which I can cultivate 20 acers per day, taking two rows at a time. Progressive Age. Do not use plow at all. I am expecting a fine sow this P.M. on train. As ever, David.

[In Alice's hand, upside down at top of first page]

Kindly send a card if you get the pictures safely.

Sincerely,

Alice L. C. Anderson

Feb. 27, 1903

[Postmarked 12 October, 1903, 10 AM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Phoebe H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o, New York State, on Harlem Railroad]

Dear Glen Folks,

David, as usual, wishes you to have an invitation to the tin wedding. The silver one is so far away that we thought we better celebrate this one. We have so many gay friends about that were so good to us three years ago that it is very hard to draw the line in inviting. So our list has run up untill out of all the "tins" sent out. We will surely have forty people to entertain. We expect a very jolly time, as most of the guests are those who were at the wedding ten years ago. We will serve lunch on every dish tin and it will not be at all elaborate. Games, music and the wedding march, besides some reading & a good time will take up the evening niceley. David is better than during the past two months. Is shingling the kitchen roof today. This summer he was the same as last year, only not nearly as bad. Has been taking medicine all along. Winters he seems quite like he used to. I seem to be growing old too & much faster than the years count, but just now I feel quite spry & of course am very busy indeed. The two babies have bad colds. My Mother has had two bad colds so far. Such changable weather is so trying. The other children are well. Five go to school, walking most of the time the mile each way. The hay fever was not nearly so severe this season. So much rainy, damp, cool weather agreed with me. We hope at your home it was not as bad.

I am making candy for the little souvenir tin pails and cannot ery well take the time to write more. Will send you a paper. David never does any writing to amount to anything but he talks of writing you. We got the Patterson paper & were all much interested in the wedding. It must have been very nice indeed. I do so much enjoy company & so does David. I believe he is livelier than he used to be. He heard from the sister Jessie last week.

The corn crop is shortened on account of early freeze. Quantity but no quality this year. David's hogs are extra fine.

I wish I could write more for there are several things I expect you would be interested in hearing, of things about the farm & the work. This A.M. a part of the adjoining farm--80 acres[--]sold for $4050 or over $50 per acre. Five neighbors bid on it. David thinks its time for us to sell & go to California before winter comes. Hoping all are well at the Glen & with kind regards, we are very sincerely your wester friends--Alice L. C. Anderson.

[card on ribbon attached to small tin plate enclosed]

Mr. & Mrs. Gerow

[tin plate engraved]

1893

Mr. & Mrs. D. E. Anderson will entertain Monday, October twelve, from 8 to o'clock P.M. [sic]

1903

No gifts

[Postmarked 11 November, 1904, 7 PM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Samuel H. Gerow, Locust-Gen [sic], Patterson, Putname County, New York State, on Harlem Railroad]

November 11, 1904

Dear friends at the Glen,

David is about again, doing the chores with the children's help, and feeling quite strong. His old trouble with his stomach came on again this year the last of Sept. We thought he would escape this year, but he had been working too hard and that helped to bring on almost a fever. Was in bed a week, and since has been gradually growing stronger. Has at last decided that he cannot stand the hard work on the farm, but we don't know what to do. If there were not so many children to care for we could manage easily. Just now there is so much on hand that I am tired to think about it. So many wardrobes to keep in order and so much hard work all the time.

Wednes. the weather turned cold, there was a little snow and the thermometer dropped to 16. But today is bright and warmer again. This change in the weather brought so many changes to be made in the childrens clothing & so much making over and letting down. For four years now I have managed the sewing for ten people, but am more nervous than I used to be and so many things to sew make me tired. This coming Sunday our Louise will be 9 years old & will have her cake & candles & her big doll will be 4 years old & will have to have her cake & candles too. I may ask a little company. In August I expected to go to Boston on the G. A. R. excursion. The rates were good (37.⁰⁰ round trip from here) and time limit to Setp. 30. Every thing was favorable but I did not feel equal to such a long journey with only one of the children with me. Hay fever was not as severe as usual. Sometimes I think I am really out growing it. But car smoke does not agree with my nose at all & I tire more easily than I used to. But I was disappointed not to see all my old acquaintances once more and I doubt if as favorable a chance comes again very soon. David wanted me to spend two days at your home had I gone & I really would have liked very much to have seen you all. A great many in Burwell went to St. Louis. We did not care to. We talked of a short time in the Black Hills but could not get away from home. I think if David had gone he would have escaped this sickness. We hope to go to California next year. June I believe they are talking of going & I don't see how I can stand it then [?]. Last week Friday 20 went from Burwell to Denver, coming back Monday night for 6 dollars the round trip. They say they had a fine time but the time we thought too short. David needs a change, but we don't know how to arrange it yet. We hope Irving is improving. It of course takes time, and we hope all are well. We talk of you often. I drove our carriage & one horse down the valley18 miles one day last week to bring home 5 bushels of nice apples raised in the orchard at that place. It was a long hard trip for one horse & we got very tired riding too. We had a few cherries this year & small berries and a peck of crabs. We hope for more another year.

David & we all will be glad to hear from any of you & see you to hear from any of you & see you too if you would only venture west to see the country. Excuse my hastily scribbled letter --Alice

[Same envelope, but in David's hand]

To the Folks at the Glen

Dear Friends,

Tis quite a long time since I wrote you last. Have not been so well as usual. "Sick like." Guess working a little to[o] hard, there is so much to do around home to get ready for winter. I have had the barn yard cleaned out, were to haul the manure to the School land but as I could not help much, desided [sic] to haul it out with a Wheel Scraper into a pile near by to haul away at some future time. I still have the same man to help me that was helping me when I was at the Glen. Has been with us something like 15 years. Most of the time he is a good man [to] work and manage things when I am not at home. We don't see how we could get along without him. Alice has a good faithfull girl to help her, goes right along with the work. Kind to the children.

Had several huskers athering a field of corn so I could get the Cattle into the field and Stubble where there is a good growth of aftermath, the oats so badly lodged could not get them with the Binder. Finished husking and cleaning out the yard and did some filling in the yard, Barn yard with earth in the low places. Granma says we have only fifteen in the family just now. A good deal like Granma Gerow. She like[s] to be in the thickest part of the business around the house.

We are now ready to wean the calves, are very nice. Have just tied up a Splen[d]ed Colt to wean, the best Colt we ever had. I have sold [a] Colt at 3 days old for one hundred dollars. This One is much better, is black, a big blocky fellow. The Children go to school, 4 of Alex's & Louise are getting very well with there study's [sic], have had good teachers for several terms. Had a young Scottish Lady as teacher for a number of terms. Was a good, practical teacher in every way. Children made good head way. Alice has gone this Afternoon to Organize a Band of Mercy Club at a neighboring School House. Wanted her to come last first day but did not feel very well then, is not feeling very strong to day, but went, taking some of the Children with her, about four miles away. Alice has quite a knack in doing such work, has a very pleasing way of talking to such meetings. The Corn Crop in Neb. Very good this year. Winter Wheat in most places good, Oats and other crops good, average crop. Had more rain last summer than any year since I have been here, with much warm weather, which kept the crops growing right aloung [sic]. We sold a farm the other day, have 4 left, 3 of them lies here togeather [sic], one a few miles away. The one we sold is in Valley County. I rent them all but one, our home. Will have to rent it next year, as I am getting so I cannot do so much as I once could, "tir'ed like." I have a tennent [sic] house across the Calamus that I think I will move over to some place on the south side of the river, has been empty for some time, and fix it up for a man to work our farm. I have to hire so much help making so much work in the house. We have desided [sic] to do so. We want a man that will take a 1/2 intrest [sic] in the Stock, except Horses & Machinery, and give one 1/2 of all prosedes [sic] off the farm. Good renters are very s[c]arce here and most of them are very poor, and always will be so, as they always[s] live from hand to mouth, alwa[y]s having a hard time, yes, and b[e]littling the country in which they live. Land is rising in value here, an 80 acre farm just across the road from us sold last year for 55 dollars per acre, about equal to the "Rocks on Beglow prices." Few men wanted, which made it sell much higher. It was sold by a Adminiserator [sic] at public sale. I was at the sale. It is an eighty of good Land with a few. People say our place is worth much more. We are note [sic, for 'not'] ready to sell just yet. But [we] may, like the rest of them in this township, as there is only 3 old settlers left that was here 20 years ago. All have sold and gone away. Has the Boys got any Alfalfa on the east end of the Plain lot? I think it would do well there. Is a fine crop to grow making a large quantity of nice feed. I have been trying to raise some seed the last two summers have been so weet. Keept [sic] it growing so much would not make seed.

Well, Samuel, how are all the folks at the Glen? All well I hope Is P having as hard a time with Hay fever as ever? Is Irving got well and strong again? We talk about you all quite often. You will remember the little slate Charles gave me when we started west? Well it is still here yet, and in good order. Louise claimes [sic] it as hers. It goes by the name of Charle's Slate.

Well, Samuel, who is to be our nest [sic, for 'next'] President? Roosevelt or Parker? The latter has no chance in Nebraska, this is the quietest Presidential Election we have had in many years. Have you read Bryan's Opinion of Parker as not being a fit man to be nominated by the Democratic Party? Bryan also criticisizes [sic] the Democratic Platform as c[or]rupt and misleading, is framed in the intrests [sic] of trusts and combinations. We here have not forgot the hard times during the last Democratic power in Congress. I will send you some Republican Literature that is well worth reading.

As ever, David

[Postmarked 19 November, 1904, 9 AM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Mrs. Phoebe H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York State]

Dear friends at the Glen,

We are deeply grieved at the sad news from the Glen, and we all sympathise with you in your great loss. The news came as quite a shock to David, who says he cannot realize that his good firend Samuel is gone. Our thoughts have been of you all and we talk too of you often and wish we knew more particulars. David took advantage of his convalesence [sic] from this fall's illness to write you a long letter. It will seem strange to you all to receive it at such a sad time fut we little dreamed of the trouble you were having.

We hope Irving is stronger than for the past two years and that the hay fever has not left you as run down as last year. With me it was lighter than for a number of years, for which I was very thankful we feel a great deal of sympathy for you friends at the Glen, for you will all greatly miss the devoted husband and Father.

We hope one of the boys will write to David for he will miss the long letters that we enjoyed from Conn. And will be anxious to hear occasionally of the welfare of the Glen friends. With love to you and kind regards to the boys, I am

Sincerely yours,

Alice L. C. Anderson

Burwell, Nebraska

November eighteen.

David says he will write. He does not feel that he can just now. He is improving very slowly.

[Postmarked 18 February, 1905, 9 AM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to Mrs. Phoebe H. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam Co., New York State, (Harlem River R.R.)]

Burwell, Nebr., Febr. 17, 1905.

Dear friends at the Glen,

We were glad of the postal card received recently and the box of nuts that came as a great surprise was in excellent condition and the nuts are enjoyed greatly. We get very few nuts here and those you sent are very sweet and called for a great deal of careful work to prepare them for us. David & we all appreciate the kindly gift very much. Louise claims Aunt Phoebe as her especial friend & likes to remember her when she does the other eastern friends. We are glad you got her match safe & letter. She is what we call our old fashioned girl & would be such a nice one if there were not so many children here. We cannot give her very much attention as we cannot command the time. Since Xmas Mother & I have managed without a girl, but it is pretty hard work as it is not easy to get childrens help that is really helpful. However, we get on very well, only there is too much for us to do and the confusion of so many children who have been obliged to be in the house so close by on account of the severe weather has been distractingto people who like quiet as well as we do. School begins March 13 and we shall be glad when all can be out of doors more. Yesterday & today have been very fine & the men are hauling hay, fearing the bridges will go if there is a quick thaw. Since about Jan. 9 the winter has been extremely cold, it being zero or below weather all of the time. 26 was the lowest here but day after day the thermometer did not get about the zero mark. A great deal of snow fell & often, but only two or 3 windy blizzardy days. Still the snow now is so packed that yesterday was the first day for a week that trains have come up. We read of engines & trains blocked every where in the state, but are told that we here have been favored in weather. Valentine afternoon three of the children & I, with the hired man, went into town getting the horses down in a large drift on the way. About 2 rods long & at least 4 ft. deep. We unhitched & made the horses flounder back & forth until we had the road broken enough to get thro[ough]. Luckily we could walk on the drift. But the next day, several teams had to be shoveled out of the same drift and other parts of the road. Am afraid it will be May before the snow is gone from the yard as the drifts are high. My hens don't like the small yard room that they have now. David is getting over a two weeks siege of the Grippe. He has been about in the cold too much, for with the others the Grippe only lasted a couple of days. We think it is almost time for him to retire from the farm for the past few years he has not been as well and strong. Still we will not give up the farm for David was never built for a "corner grocery salt barrel conversation" man. The children bought calves at a sale & are interested in feeding them. Dorothy & Colin do most of the chores when David is late in getting home. They like out door work best. We hope to hear that all are getting along nicely at the Glen & with love & kind regards & many thanks for the box of nuts.

Alice.

[Postmarked 25 May, 1905, 9 AM, Burwell, Nebraska]

[Addressed to D. E. Gerow, Locust Glen, Patterson, Putnam C^o, New York, Harlem Railroad]

Forks Hall

Burwell, Neb.

May 24, 1905

Alice passed away to day at 11.55 A.M.

Yours,

David

[Postmarked 14 June, 1905, 10 PM, Tacoma, Washington]

[Addressed to Daniel E. Gerow, Patterson, Putnam C^o, New York State, Harlem Railroad]

Everett, Washington

6.13.05

My Dear friend at the Glen,

Just a few lines to say that we're at this place, Louise, Mother C-, Harry & Mary. The above place is on Puget Sound. We left home one week ago on a ture [sic, for 'tour'] throu[gh] the western States. With the Lumberman's Excusion. Will be gon[e] from home about a month. We are having a very nice time, but I cannot say I do enjoye [sic] it so much as I would as Alice is not with us. She was always a bright and shining light to all around her. Oh, you do not know how much I mis[s] her. Yes, we all mis[s] her, the whole neighborhood. We are going back throu[gh] Oregon & California. We spent all day on the Sound yesterday, visited several fishing stations, saw great hauls of Salmond [sic], had a salmond bake on one of the Islands in the sound. This is a very mountainous country. Lumber is the principle industry, a little mining. I am trying hard to leave all cares behing [sic], but tis hard to do. We have a Pullman Palace train, the cost is $32,000. I will tell you more about this country when I get a little more time.

In haste, David.

Kind regards to all at the Glen.

[Postmarked 16 June, 1905, 3 PM, Aberdeen, Washington]

[Addressed to Daniel E. Gerow, Locust Glen, Patterson, Putnam C^o, New York State, Harlem Railroad]

[on the back of this printed newsletter, David has written]

The Daily News is printed every morning on board our train. D. E. A.

[the newletter itself reads]

"DAILY NEWS"

NO. 5

June,13,1905

---o---

Arrived Everett 3 A.M. Train lay still till morning, Delegation of lumbermen met train at 7 o'clock and conducted them to a fine breakfast at Hotel Mitchell, Appropriate badges were distributed by the Everett delegation. At 9 o'clock party were taken on street cars over the entire city, and upon their return at 11,30 were again served with luncheon at hotel Mitchell. An hour was spent at the Cascade Club rooms in forming acquaintances.

At 1.39 P.M. train left Everett for Seattle, stopping at imortant mills on the way among which was the Perry Baker Mill. Arrived at Ballard about 4.39 and visited the largest Mill in the world The Seattle Cedar Lumber Co. This was a very interesting stop as there are several large concerns at this point.

Arrived at Seattle at 5.39 and were taken on street cars to the Hotel Washington were an informal reception was given by marching each member of the Nebraska delegation through a door in the parlor, introducing them to each member of the Setattle [sic] delaers [sic] present. A large and elaborate banquet was served in the dining hall, followed by toasts from the Mayor of the city and several others on the part of the Seattle dealers and responded to by Messrs. Krotter and Critchfield on the part of the Nebraska party. All were well pleased at the reception given.

June,14^th. At 9 o'clock the party were loaded into 53 large Automobiles and taken over the entire city at the rate of about 30 miles an hour. Mr. Wm. Krotter and Fred Krotter can tell us how it goes to be in an Auto when it is hurled against a curb-stone and "busted into smithereens" No body hurt, but the last named parties were delayed. The atuo trip was the most interesting of all that has occurred since we left. At 11.30 we were taken to Butler Hotel and served with lunch, and at 1.30 all boarded a steamer, the Atherton and started for Tacoma. The boat was stopped at the battleship Nebraska where souvnirs [sic] were given out. The trip was xxxx then made to Port Blakely and the party visited the large saw mill. The next stop was at the Bremerto [sic] Navy yards where the party were interested in viewing a dry dock, and several battle ships.

At 6 o'clock P.M. we arrived at Tacoma and were met by the delegation and conducted to Hotel Tacoma and served with dinner, after which a concert and a few toasts were enjoyed in the parlors, Mr. Savage ex-governor of Nebraska was among the speakers.

June,15^th. Day opened bright and all were up ready for the the [sic] fray by 8.30 when we boarded the streetcars and taken over the city, stopping at several of the large mills. At 11.30 we landed on a large fine beach where a real Clam Bake was served together with all other good things, xx and to say this meal was enjoyed is xx only putting it mildly. At 1.30 we again boarded the street cars and treveled a distance of 15 miles at the rate of about 30 miles per hour, reaching our cars at South Tacoma, and proceeded on our way to Hoquaim. Reached Hoquaim at 6.15 and immediately upon our arrival were conducted to the large Hotel Hoquaim and after an informal reception held in the large parlors before lighted fireplaces, and with the intermingling of the most beautiful ladies that can be produced, an elaborate dinner was served.

Critchfield was heard to remark, "that the ladies of Hoquaim were so beautiful that he could hardly tell them from his Nebraska party" he said he had made this mistake at nearly all the places we had visited. On account of the cloudy evening the boat trip was abandoned, but in lieu thereof the men visited the mills by electric light, while the ladies enjoyed the company of the Hoquaim delegation in a nice visit at the hotel.

June,16. The party arose early and were given tickets for breakfast. This was another "cut out", or "slam" at the Nebraska coin, which has been given us all along the way. They all say Nebraska money if [sic, for 'is'] worthless while in their hands.

A proposition is being discussed among the party as to what to do with the spending money they brought with them.

At going to press all are visiting the large mills, among which is the Panel Folding & Box Co. of which our genial Wilber Martin is the representative for Nebraska and a member of the Nebraska party.

Victor Beckman, (the 40 cent rate man) is with us and is O.K.