Submitted by Virginia Finley
If you know Virginia's email address, please contact Harlan or Jen, so that she may receive proper credit
I am submitting this for Gwendolyn Brandenburg Proffer
Copy of letter from Absalom Henson Brandenburgh(1799-1872) and wife Nancy Ann Barker Brandenburgh to his brother John Henson Brandenburgh(1801-1860) and wife Deborah Bowman Brandenburg (mentions their brother, Joseph Henson Brandenburg (1803-1848)).[Descendants of John H. Brandenburgh have the original letter.]
Envelope addressed:
John Brandenburgh
at Kentucky
Estill County Post Office
Post Haste
Lexington, MO.
Fayette County
8 Mar
February 28, 1835
Dear Brother and Sister:
I now take my pen in hand to inform you that we are all well, Thanks be to God for his mercy. I received your letter about the forthcoming month reunion. It gave us great pleasure to hear from you and that brother Joseph was satisfied for I had rather he was there than for him to be here. This satisfied Joseph and you.
We have not had much cold weather this winter, the coldest weather we had was in February. It is _______than was ______ colder than it ever was in the state about the 20th of December, then moderately warm, it is cool, dry and during January it was most too warm for our meat. Pork has been worth $2 per hundred, corn is one dollar, wheat three bits a bushel. Great crop of wheat was made here last year but the corn was not so good in places. I sold 3 hundred pounds of pork and will have about 5 hundred pounds of bacon to sell. Have made one hundred and thirty seven dollars since brother Joseph went back. I gave only Five Dollars for braking twenty-two acres of prairie. Seven Dollars for making ________ and rails. Ten Dollars for hauling rails. I got 2000 rails hauled for Ten Dollars. I have fifty-two Dollars left, I have the $50 you sent me yet besides my other expenses and I am out of debt after this. I intend pasturing my land so that it will be no more to brake than an old stock yard. I have 30 acres now in the prairie ready for cultivation, 12 acres in the old field, seven is in wheat and the balance for oats. There is 40 acres of timber to be sold in a few days that I intend buying if it don’t go too high!
Brother John, if I get my money it will enable me to build a house and buy me land. I have 18 head of cattle, six head of horses, a tolerable stock of hogs, 10 head of sheep. Brother John, I have to work tolerable hard when I first come here but I think my harvest time is over, but if I keep my health I intend fixing to raise stock. I intend ditching round one hundred and twenty acres of land and then sow a good deal of it in blue grass and timothy and not pasture. The blue grass till the other grass is dead and then it will take my stock half through the winter. It will take but little timber to do me. We have three water mills built and two more two more building since brother Joseph went back. Times is better than when Joseph was here. Three more stores has set up in Lexington and one on black water and goods is cheaper.
About my business, I want you to collect that money of Warren Horn if you can and keep it yourself and the land that is not sold you can have in welcome for I think you have tended to my business in the best manner it could been done. I want you to send my money by any safe opportunity as soon as you can after you collect it. If John Baker comes in the spring send it by him. Tell John if he will bring my money I will oblige him when he come here.
About the Mormons, it has been though they would have been troublesome but I think there is a good many soldiers in Missouri and they will not be allowed to embody themselves in the state and have found they can not hurt us.
I have been reading the life of Washington which causes tears to come to my eyes to see him God like to save his people. I want you to read it through if you have not. When I was reading it I wondered that I never had read it before.
I want you to write to me when you think it necessary. I think if I leave after I get my farm fixed, I shall come to Kentucky to see you again. I shall have to make our children get able to make a crop then I will come in the spring and go back in the fall. I think I can fix to come so that it will not cost me much to go and come for I want to see you all ever much and to converse with you.
Henry wants to tell you that he is a pretty good marksman. He has killed nine or ten turkeys last fall and never missed a shot. He killed sixteen in all but the Deer is too cunning for him yet, but he kills the squirrels and prairie hens most every pass.
So no more at present but remains yours.
Absalom Brandenburgh
Nancy Brandenburgh
Henry Brandenburgh
Polly Brandenburgh
Samuel Brandenburgh
John Brandenburgh
She ways 175, I way 170, Nancy Brandenburgh ways 120.
James Brandenburgh was born the 23th of October 1834.
Nancy Ann wishes to be remembered and children to you all.
(Written in by Nancy Ann Barker Brandenburg)
To John and Deborah Brandenburgh We are all very healthy at this time and the children grows faster than I ever seen them.
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