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. Feb. 12 1860 Our folks has been gone three weeks but they are home now. The snow is almost gone so the lumbermen have all quit work. Steve has not got his lumbering half done yet but is waiting for snow. I saw Mr. Smith when I was down in the falls and he did not know me. Had to tell him who I was. They say Wesley has bought Havern's land. Tell him all that is lacking now is a woman. The next we shall hear that he has bought him a landlady. There has been no less than three funeral in one week in this neighborhood this winter. Old Aunt Amy Dickerson is dead and Sam Weller's only boy is dead. He died of the canker rash. Aunt Sally Baker is dead. She died the 19th of January. I wish you were here to go to our spelling school. We have had 3 and are going to have another. The last one we had there was 125 people there. Steve and I went down to Little Bills yesterday. They are the greatest talking folks I ever saw. Sophia Pritchard is married to a fellow by the name of Oliver Bates and it will not be long before you will hear that Sarah is married to Sylvanus Smith. They are riding around all sorts. Almira Middleton has got her another silk dress. It is plaid and she has got her another white dress. Feb. 19, We got plenty of snow now. Steve is going to draw wood in the morning and I can send this to the office. Julia A. Newbery of Bolton. Sept. 16, 1860 We have one of the sweetest little boys born to us the 23 of June that you ever saw. It is the prettiest one I ever saw. Oh yes and don’t you believe, Mother has got another boy. Well she has and Billy Middletons folks has got a boy. You must know our folks are all wonderfully pleased with the new baby. It is quite a rarity there. Aunt Mary Hawley has got another girl, ten children now. And Aunt Sarah Wallace has another boy, ? days younger than Mothers, and Sally Baker has got a girl. Betsy Smiths baby she thinks looks like you. Lydia Smith is married to Levi Pratt. He lost his wife this spring and has 3 children. Lydia has a good start, I think. Jane Smith is married to Orin Burge. Don't you believe Nancy and Thomas has made up friends again. The first Nancy come up here and come upstairs and shook hands with me and she is as good as she ever was and has been here a great many times since. She and Thomas both make everything of the baby. We have named him William Arthur. We are looking for you down this fall. Steve took a job that will last him all winter of drawing logs. We have had lots of melons this year and lots of tomatoes. We have got them now.