Yuba
County, California
Sept. 26th 1855
To George Marshall
My Dear Uncle,
I embrace this opportunity in writing you a few lines. I believe that I have
not written to any of your family in six months. I have been waiting &
expecting mail would bring a letter from someone of you, but have looked in
vain as that letter has not come yet So I thought I would write to you one
more time
and favor you with one more of my scrolls. In the letter that I
received from
Emira Jane (Emira Jane is a daughter of George Marshall) he said that she
wanted us to keep up a regular correspondence Nothing would afford me any
more pleasure than to do so. I answered her letter but never have
heard from her since except through others. I am aware that I do not write a
good letter. They are
uninteresting but I think she might look over my weakness. We are all in
good
health & I hope these lines will find all enjoying the same kind blessing. I
have not enjoyed as good health in this country as I did in Missouri. We do
not
know how to appreciate good health until we are deprived of it. Mother has
just got home from San Francisco a few days ago. She carried Emily to the
Doctor
to have her eyes operated on. You remember that she became cross eyed two
years previous to our leaving home. She had gotten almost blind in one eye.
The
Doctor says that she would have been blind in a short time. She is at San
Francisco at this time and will have to remain under the Doctor's care yet
about
four weeks. She is there all alone 250 miles away from home. Uncle James and
family was well the last time I heard from them. They have another fine son,
though I presume you have got the news before this. We received a letter
from
Uncle Alexander Brown the last mail. They was all in pretty good health at
that
time, though times was very hard there. Provisions is much higher in Texas
than
it is in California, flour is 6 cents, beef from 12 to 15 cents per pound
and
everything else in proportion. California is certainly the best country that
is on the vast Pacific Ocean. This is a better farming country than Missouri
is
or ever will be and it is supposed that the gold mines will never be worked
out as long as time lasts. I presume that it is all nonsense to talk to you
of
California as you have determined to live and die in the cold prairies of
Missouri. I presume you all think we are living away out here like the
heatherns,
or the raving tribes of Patagonia, but if you do have such ideas you are
laboring under a sad mistake. We have splendid schools here both Catholic
and
Protestant, expressly for educating young ladies. There is as smart and
intelligent
people in this country as there is any place on the whole continent. The
climate is delightful here. The rainy season will soon be here and by the
first of
next February hills and valleys will be covered with green grass and from
that time until the first of July California might be compared with the
Garden
of Eden. Give my love to Aunt Betsey and to all the children also to Ann and
her Willie. (Sara Ann and William Anderson) Say to Emira Jane and George
that
their Cousin Betty is very thankfull for the letter that she has not
received.
Now Uncle George when you get through reading this sit right down and write
me
a long letter. My respects to all enquiring friends. Write soon and often.
And
believe me your affectionate niece.
Farewell to you all,
Elizabeth Humes
The Family of T A and Elizabeth Humes Cravens
From the Family Files of:
Larry Marshall, Ft Worth, Texas
and
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