Hamersly Library

March 31st, 1857

Dear Brother and Sister,

It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you of our health
and prospects we and all the connection are well as far as I know. there
has been some sickness here this last winter but not many deaths. we
have had a verry bad winter here. we had a snow that lay on the ground
about two weeks, but it was not verry cold but there has been a great deal
of rain this winter more than I have ever saw in one winter since I have
been here. grass is getting verry good now and stock is mending fine. I
have about 15 head of cattle 7 head of horses 20 hogs 29 sheep I have
about 200 bushels of old wheat which is worth 1.25 per bushel Cows are
worth from $40 to $50 dollars per head Sheep $6.00 I have 10 acres
volunteer oats that look very well. Our country is improveing very fast
good buildings and large farms are taking the place of log cabbins with no
yard fence. All we lack here now, (or the greatest thing we need is a good
steady market) give us a good steady market and Oregon in a few years
will tell for its self

This is a great fruit country which none can dispute All kinds of stock do
well here and most all kinds of grain except corn and we can raise from
20 to 50 bushels per acre of that we can raise all we need and that is
sufficient

There is some excitement in our country about the slavery question but I
am in hopes that it will not get very high, Ira F.M. Butler recieved a letter
from you a few days ago requesting him to pay me the sum of $184.00
and some cents this we could not understand, him nor me did not know
what this money was for. now he wants to know what this money is for
before he can pay it and receit to you Just under that you stated that
would leave $1115.00 and some cts due the estate (if I recollects right)
this we did not understand, the two letters you wrote before this one he
never got probably if we had them they might explain this one. now I
want you to answer this letter as soon as you get it and explain to me all
about it. be particular to tell it very plain for buisiness of all kinds ought to
understood well. I supposed that this 184 dollars was the second payment
on the place that John C. Butler bought of me and Huchinson but we were
not certain about it. I have written several letters back there but recieved no
answers I wrote one to you last fall but no answer came I sometimes think
my brothers back there have shureley forgotton me but there is a great many
letters started that never get here Some letters have come here directed to
Monmouth Polk County dont any of you send any to that place for there is
no post office there yet. I shall leave part of my letter untill I go to the post
office tomorrow I may get a letter from some of you this mail

It is my opinion that the land and everything had better be sold amediately
for you know if one of the heirs should die leaveing small children it is not
likely any of us would ever get any good of our part of the estate. Ira thinks
it would be better to sell the land now, if it does not bring quite so much
one week from tomorrow is the day we have set to get together to make
out the power of atorney to send to you. I did not get a letter this mail write
as soon as you get this

Isaac M. Butler
Sarah Ann Butler

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