Recently while searching my own line another fellow genealogist brought to my attention this group of letters which are written between Jan 3, 1852 & Nov 10, 1869. I will be posting over the next week each of the letters. They are a wealth of names, vital records, and just general everyday life. If you wish to see the originals they can be found at the Historical Society of the Town of Chester in Chestertown. Hopefully everyone enjoys them. The original spelling has been kept intact. Occasionally I'll reprint the introduction and some background. There will be 12 parts. I will post them all on the USGenWeb site, for Warren Co. Watch for them soon. Chester, May 26 1867. I am very sorry to hear that you are so miserable. How I wish I was where I could come and see you. How lonely you must be off there alone with nobody to come and see you. When you are well you can stand it up there but when you are sick it is a hard place to be. My health is not good this spring. I am like a broken stick, but I am so to be around the most of the time but I never was so miserable in my life. But I have one of the best babies in the world. He is good and pretty and cunning. He is three months old yesterday. We call him Willie. He will sit up in his crib and laugh and play an hour at a time. Old Uncle Ephraim Smith died yesterday morning. We are going to commence our stopp tomorrow. We are going to have two carpenters here. We are going to build it halfway around the house and we are going to build a corn house the same time. Steve has bought him a two year old colt. Some time we will have a team I expect. Fathers folks are well excepting Mother's health is not very well. Delia is at home this summer. Louisa Taber has got another boy, only 1 year and 20 days difference in her two boys ages. And Helen Terrell has got a girl. She beat me. I have lots of company this spring , as usual. I was up to the circus a week ago Monday and I saw Jim West and his wife and child. Jim seemed very much pleased to see me, took particular pains to come and speak to me, but as greasy looking a mess as I see there. They was both dirty and ragged. I suppose you have heard that Aunt Mabel Baker is dead and all Urve thinks about is getting married again. Mariah Hill, it used to be, has got a boy. It weighed 2 pounds and is a smart baby. I have not been over to Fathers but once since Christmas. I wish you was out here some place where I could come and see you. I heard your mother was coming out to Chester village to live. I wish she would. Nov. 10, 1869 We are all well up in Grassville in a little log hut 7 by 9, cold enough to freeze to death, but I have some bad news to tell you. Grandmother W. is very sick. Steve was there four days ago. He said he would not have known her. Dr. Sharett is attending her now. She had all the other doctors around but still kept failing. He had not been there but once but was coming again that day. I am very anxious to hear. I hope for the better. Aunt Polly Baker is dead. She died at Ann Bakers. Uncle Levi is at Urve Bakers. He must be very lonely. Mary Jane Wallace is married to Harvey Carpenter. I have not been out since I came in 8 weeks ago. I have not but 2 men besides Steve so I do not have much to do. Ida is well and grows like a pig. She talks some. I have not weaned her yet, think I will not until I am obliged to. When you get out to the Gates place I will come and see you if I have to come afoot. Steve keeps promising me to go and see you but never gets ready. He has so much to do. I suppose you are alone. I wish I could come and stay a week or two or that you could come and see me. I should be lonely if I dare to be. There is a family of Fritiers close by, most to near. They have never borrowed my shirt. I do not know as they know that I have one and I shall not tell them. We have lost our neighbors out home© Robinsons folks have moved to Uncle Dave Coopers since we came up here. They have bought his Puckerstreet lot. Gave $500 for it. I hear Sages folks are going on the Loyd place. Hope it is false. Delia is home this winter. Mother was staying with Grandmother when Steve was out. Libby Wood has got a girl. You are losing time. Idy go away and stop bothering me. Thomas and Nancy is coming up here Sunday and the man and his wife that keeps the next shanty. They are a mile and a half from us. His name is Alfred Matison. Steve come in and wanted to read my letter so I read it to him. He says there is one thing I forgot. He has taken a dose of salts and expects they will operate before night. Sunday heard fromGrandma. She is better. THIS IS THE LAST ONE.