Not long ago we shared with you the quaint letter of Civil War times written by Quaker Grandmother, Hannah in New Jersey to her daughter-in-law, Comfort, in Illinois. -- Comfort, wife of her son, James. That letter was written in 1862. Here is one still older, nearly a century old, written in 1854 by the father of Comfort, who was living here in Illinois, to his son-in-law, James, who had taken his family back to New Jersey at the time of his father's death -- Hope.
"Respected Son and Daughter: It is some time since I have had any correspondence with you, but having the opportunity of perusing one of your letters through the politeness of Joseph, recording your father's death, which from appearances is a hard stoke to him. But it is a debt we all have to pay sooner or later and happy are they who are prepared.
"This leaves us all enjoying reasonable health, hoping it may find you and your concerns all well. In respect to your business here, Joseph has collected and deposited with me four hundred and seventy-three dollars, which I took the responsibility to lift your deed with a part of it. I gave Mr. Murray four hundred and twenty dollars to make out the deed, I gave sixty-five cents for recording deed, two dollars and forty-eight cents for tax last fall. In Joseph's letter you wanted to get timber for the balance.
"Now concerning the times in this far west. Everything in the shape of horse is one hundred fifty dollars. Some few may be less. Kit is worth a hundred and I have been offered three hundred for Jody and Nance, one hundred for Charley. Cows are from twenty to twenty-five dollars, wheat one dollar per bushel, corn from thirty to forty cents per bushel. Land is on the rise all through this country. David Strawn wants to exchange one eighty west of yours for your east eighty. Garver thinks you ought to exchange. Timber is worth thirty dollars per acre on the creek, likely some could be got for less. Work is worth sixteen to eighteen dollars per month.
"The spring had the appearance of opening very early but it keeps cold and dry. Last night it froze the ground quite hard. Spring wheat has been sown for some time past and some oats, though I think it won't do any good, it is so cold.
"I cannot think of all I would like to write but will content myself for the present by wishing you all the prosperity you need. Lucy sends Emma and Johnny a kiss apiece. Yours as ever, Samuel Milliken."
(Little Emma and Johnny, with their kiss apiece, were in their 60s when I first saw them, and both have been in their graves a quarter of a century or more. -- Hope.)