Letter: 29 January 1873

To Lora Arnold
From Elisabeth Johnson

Schuyler Falls
Jan. 29th, 1873

Dear Sister and all,

I have been a great while getting ready to write but think I’ll wait no longer, but commence this evening. We are all as well as usual this winter and stay at home as much as ever. Last Friday snowed hard all day and (no ?) blow until last night, and today the roads are drifted and fearfully cold so that no one has passed here and have seen but one team on Beckwith St. Sleighing was splendid before; ever since before Christmas, but we have had a very cold winter, thermometer today 14 (degrees) below zero. Corral came up last night and started to go back today but could get only to the hill. He has been down in Essex Co. but obliged to come back so stormy, and expects to go to (Chateangay ?) as soon as he gets back to Plattsburgh. Amanda has been nursing a frost bitten toe for the last three weeks but put her shoe on yesterday.

May Fitspatrick was married to Mat Rily the 9th, and Amanda and I went to her party the same night, there was a houseful and they danced and had an excellent supper. Charlotte Turner came last week in time for Amy’s party night before last. (Fet ?) came for Ma but she did not go & we have not heard the news yet. Mr. Mason had another shock last week, and they think that he will not live through another, but he is better now, yet is liable to have another at any time. Every time I see him he inquires about Amos and says he would be so glad to see him. Your Grandmother Lobdell’s death I suppose you have heard of before this, she died quite suddenly, only worse three or four days.

Now for a little business. Your $7,000, has been set off for you, as also has ours, in Mortgages, and it is necessary for you to say who to see to it until you come out. That is if you want me to do it; when interest is paid to let it out if there is a chance. There was $70 int. paid on one, and we took a Bridge Bond in Plattsburgh, but should you want to use some we can send it. We wanted Flora to have the East place and this 50 acres across the road for $5,000 and were all willing but Martha and thought you would be, but intended to write to you about it, she may possibly consent when she is 21, but you know what she is, and if she does not then we shall try to keep it until Ida is of age then will do the best we can to keep it in the family. If you have anything to say about it or about your money we wish you would say it, Ma bought in all the stock, and everything; they took an inventory and it was (priced ?) and she paid and it is in the Bank. Everything costs, but we do all we can ourselves, and intend to. We have a good boy this winter but pay him $20 a month the same as we did Pete, and he not 20 years old but he is steady and we are not ashamed to go with him, we go to church quite often, and he does better for us than Pete, for he does things as we say and we can depend on him. We do not know who we can get this summer, we wish we could Nate Spalding but don’t know as we can. It will be hard to find one to do as they ought, and no (farther ?) to oversee, hard for Ma and hard for Flora & I. You don’t know how Flora and I teased to come to se you last fall. We do not expect Martha will stay at home this summer, but think it would be better if she would.

Amanda expects to go to keeping house in Plattsburgh somewhere, so when you come you will have a stopping place, and they will be on hand to meet you at anytime at the depot. Send us Mary’s picture as well as the rest. What time do you expect to come? We are as impatient as you are. Write just as quick as you get this.

Your sister, Elisabeth Johnson.

Charlotte, John, Hannah & Orville are going west this summer on a visit of two or three months. You let the children learn to write as soon as possible so they can write to us. It is time Hattie should write now. Don’t neglect to write soon. Mela has left Uncle Darins is now down to Ephraines.

It is 39 years today since Ma was married, and she is going up to Uncle Darins.