Luckamute. Polk Co. OT

March 7th 1854

Mr. John Butler,

Dear Brother

We received your letter of December last 2 weeks since We were very
sory to learn that so many of our acquaintances had died and that so many
of them were lying sick. But we were happy to learn that you had escaped so
well

We are all well at present. We both took the Ague soon after we came in.
Elizabeth broke it soon and got well but it chilled me all winter, but I am about
well now. My sickness on the Plains was the probable cause of the ague. The
winter has been very hard yet I have not heard of any stock dying the cold
weather lasted better than 2 weeks the snow was nearly a foot in depth-
The grass is beginning to grow finely. During that cold weather Elizabeth
had a very severe attack of Rheumatism, part of the time she could neith
walk by day or sleep at night-she is well now- All the friends are also well
Little James Butler Hutchinson has grown to bee quite a large boy. He can
talk and run about finely. Little Robert was born in the Cascade Mountain
s on the 3 of August two days before we reached the valley. He is doing
very well and is growing very fast

Your father told me yesterday that he had written a long letter to you and
given a description of the winter times and etc. so I shall omit that I wrote
a few lines in your fathers letter last fall giving the number of my lots in
monmouth - They are Lots two,three,and six (2,3,6,) in Block forty eight
(48) in the City of Monmouth.

We wish you to sell that praire by Uncle Williams, and the timber attached
for the best price you can. Isaac is of the same opinion as he holds the
undivided half of it. I think the Praire is worth 10 dollars per acre and the
timber 25 or 30 dollars per acre. But I wish you to do the best you can with
it. The farm you may sell if you can get the full value of it I think it is worth
from 15 to 20 dollars per acre. But you may sell it for a fair price If you sell
you may deposit the money with W. John. Hutchinson, take a receipt, for it
and tell him to send me a draft or certificate of deposit, as speedily as
possible. But if you cannnot sell the place to advantag rent it and do the best
you can with it and we will be satisfied with it

If the place cannot be rented without a house if there is any money in your
hands coming to us you can put a cabin or small cheep house of some
kind on it, But we would rather have the money here I wish you to pay
paticular attention to paying the taxes on our property in Warren and
Henderson Counties, in Henderson County we have the Southwest quarter
section, of Section thirty six in township eleven north of range four west,
and the north west quarter of the same section. You had better see brother
Samuel or John I think they will attend to the land in Henderson, but I dont
want it neglected.

I wish to know if the wheat will pay anything more than expences? if it will
you may deduct pay for your extra trouble, and send me word how much
is lef- Did Bradley put in any of my ground last year? and if so what did
the rent amount to? did he brake any prarie? We want to know if you sold
our cows, and if so what did each one bring, and who got them  After you
have paid our taxes and deducted pay for your trouble, you may either send
some cows or if you have not sold the cows send them and there clalves,
by some good person. or if the amount is so small that you think it will not
be worth while you may pay the amount to Mis E.J. Hutchinson, and take
her receipt If you send cows to your father, and you succeed in selling any
of our land you may send a few cows for us, send young ones yearlings and
two years old are the best.

I wish you to see Quinby and ask him if you can make a title to land sold in
Henderson county, if my brothers get a chance to sell ou place in Henderson
you will have to make the Deed if you cannot we will have to send a new
power of atterney. If you do not sell the place try and get the prarie broke
as soon as possible and pay the brakers in rent of the ground as Bradley was
to do.

We have found some difficulty in gettin a clame in this vicinity as all the
claims are taken about here, and they ask as much for them as they do
for good farms in Ills We could have taken up clames but they were
some distance from our friends. We have bought a pretty good claim
about 2 miles from Elijah's and Ira's for 300 dollars the improvement on
the clame is worth that it is not a full claim. We will move on it in a few
days. We bought a claim for $1200,00 but we could not hold it as it had
been selected for University lands, the original holder could hold it but we
could not, so we gave it back but we are still living on it. You must write
and give all the news we will write soon again.

We remain your affectionate brother and Sister

[to]Mr. John M. Butler
Mrs E. Butler

T.H. Hutchinson
E.H.B. Hutchinson

Give our love to the family and all enquiring friends