Luckamute Apr 1854

Dear Elisa;

It is a little more than a year since we left our homes and you, and all
the rest of our dear friends, and started on that almost endless journey
to this great land of Redskins, and wildcat. But luckily we all reached in
safety as you have long since heard; no doubt. This great journey with
its numerous inconveniencies , and dangers; take man, and beast, through
a material change yea and even woman it seems to arouse and set to
work all the selfish and beastly passions, a natural consequence, when
all restrictions are taken from over them

We reached Elijah's on the 10th day of Aug with our two little ones.
Robert was just a week old, he was born on the Cascade Mts on the
3d of Aug

We stayed with Elijah 3 weeks, and then started (excuse this blot for
I was killing a musketo on my hand and made the pen give down a little
too much ink) up country about two days drive from E's while on the
road Mr Hutchinson took the ague and a few days after we stopped
& took it also. there we were both sick with our little babe four weeks
old and living in a house without door floor or chimney and cracks in the
wall large enough for a dog to creep through. well I had several hard
shakes and then got well but Mr Hutchinson had it five months

June 24 1854

Dear eliza

you see by the previous page that I have in days of yore commenced a
letter to you. But I have almost forgotten what I had intended to write,
no difference, all has probably been written previous to the date of that,
and this.  even the crying of the babes of trouble-

Excuse me for taking the same sheet poverty told me to  You wonder
what the reason is that we do not write more positive and tell you all
about the country and how each one is satisfied. Well one reason is we
dare not write the truth and conscience wont let us write lies. So we
write nothing. Perhaps I am mistaken maybe we dont know the whole
truth and are afraid to write a part, lest we be mistaken and thrown in
the lie. But Eliza what I am now going to say to you, pray take for the
truth to the best of my judgement

We are all well and all of the kin folks except Berry Smith he has had
something like a white swelling on one of his legs his doctor says it is
worse if such a thing can be. I have not heard from him since a week
ago last monday. Eliza Mother and I went to see him we think it doubtful
whether he ever get well Mother told me that he said if he died he did not
want to be buried here and if he ever gets well he intends to go back to
Illinoise.

Mother is grieving herself to death about leaving home she has failed so
much that she hardly looks like the same person. you must write to her
particularly, she feels bad because there is nothing written to her. She
thinks if she could write she would not treat you all so.   You know it
makes one feel more like they were remembered if their name is
mentioned. I am shure this letter will do you more good, than if your
name had not been mentioned. The day before yesterday Mary Ann
came to see us for the first time. She taked so much about Monmouth
and the folks there that I could almost think myself there. She is the worst
whipped woman you ever saw she says she wonders that she could be so
blinded to her own interest. She says if they do not go back to Monmouth
it will be Ira'a fault.

Pauline has grown more since she left home than she had for several years
before. she looks considerably like a woman and every hair on her head is
full of ambition. she begins to talk of Silks, Spanish, Side Saddles ,
young lawyers etc. But Giee's li us, as the red men say, are
ad Swampum non comatum  that is men of the first standing.  I must tell
you something about the Mrs of Oregon they are from eleven to twenty
years old from eight to twelve hands high and some a lilly white other
as a light chesnut sorrel and dark brown hair dressed in all sorts of pretty
prints from Geise and dirt.  made in bright to come about half way between
the wire bender and their delicate walkers. just before each wire bender is
tied the leg of their dady's breeches or something similar now when all
this rigging gets under good headway of a moderate walk it presents an
aspects worthy of not

Now in my next, (if you do not chastize me for this) I will tell you about
the Silks and nicer things I have omitted to give a specimen of their
knowledge  I will state one ease which came immediately under my own
eye One evening while sitting in the presence of one of the afore mentioned
personages it came about that I asked her how old she was.  she said she
did not know though she thought she was about sixteen her husband spoke
and told what year she was born. She was near twenty I think Oregon will
sometime be a very pleasant place to live. the folks will very soon become
aristocratic though an account of the wealth and beauty of the valley there
are a great many rich men here it appears we are destined for years to
mingle in one common herd with the sap heads of every country and clime
schools and society are in the lowest degree. The climate is very different
to what I expected. it has been very cold this summer we have been
obliged to keep a good fire all the time and sleep under three or four
covers every night.

Our gardens are backward. we have not had any vegetables yet except
lettuce. times are very hard, there is very little money in circulation this
makes it very hard for new comers to take a start. I must tell you about
our camp meeting which commenced two weeks ago last thursday and
lasted until the next tuesday morning we heard some good sermons though
there was but very few conversions. the Cumberland Presbyterians there is
more of that denomination than any other in this vicinity. though I speak
with some uncertainty, for I have never heard the numbers of any but
they seem to be in the lead if you ever get this letter I wish you would
answer it and tell us all the news tell me all about that you are doing
what improvements the childen have made tell Lavina to write to me tell
me what has become of Nancy G.

your affectionate sister

Elizabeth M.B. Hutchinson

*Addendum*
Somehow I dont feel in a spirit for writing but I must say a little
more to you. I wish you would go to Father's old place and look at all the
flowers and shrubbery which Mother and I have planted there with
our own hands, and tell us about them. go to the graves and look
at them for us. I know this will be a pleasure to you for the
remains of that good old mother of yours lie there   Oh, how often
do I think of her and you and all the rest there but alas it is to
me as though my Soul had fled to another world and was looking back
to thingk of time regretting my evil thoughts and deeds. there is
this difference I am still on earth (I was obliged to pause and
think how near I was to its edge before I could proceed) and can
ask my fellow creatures and my God to forgive all these wrongs.
this I cheerfully do. Will you grant it!

And last of all will you go in the east room below stairs and the
west room above and think of me for within these walls many a
cheerful and hearty laugh has busted forth from a happy and
careless heart which is now far far away throbbing with care and
great anxiety for the welfare of others which are a thousand times
more innocent

Go in that old kitchen and the west room and below stairs look in
the corner next the dining room and what immages do you see there!
Ah! I need not ask it is one which will never fade from your
mindseye until death shall have transplanted you and her in the
garden of paradise never to be torn away by the rude hand of time
but there to dwell in happiness forever with its author.

Since writing the above Douglass Butler cam here direct from Isaac
Smith's he says Berry is better he is able to walk about the house
the rest of the family are all well.

give my love to all your family and particularly to John tell him
I will write some to him in Mr. Hutchinsens letter I have no more
to time to write though I quit reluctantly.

Your loving Sister

Lissie

Mother is spending this week with Elijah, Ira, Eliza and me. we
expect her here this morning if the maid would wait I would wait
until she comes so that she might put something in my letter She
sends her love so I put it in.

*Addendum*
Dear Matilda,

I have said all to Eliza that I know about the kin folks. But I
must say to you that I have not forgotten you. I looked at that
little lock of hair a while ago but could not see her whose temples
it once adorned no it was only the reflected immage. write to me
and tell me all about what you are doing, whether you have pieced
any quilts, what you have done with the tenas trunk, what do you
keep in it, how many new dresses have you got, who does Emma
Whitman have for beaux, does Matilda have any beaux

Wednesday morning;
W.B. Ground has just received a letter from one of the Turner boys
stating the death of Uncle William the sad accident of Granvill
getting his arm broke this is very distressing news to us. poor
old uncle I suppose his soul has take its flight to another world
you must write and tell us all about what he said before he died,
where he is buried and what the family are doing. Did he suffer
much, did he look natural when he was dead, how does Aunt take his
death Mr  H is waiting for this letter to take it to the office
or I would write more I have been so hurried I fear you cant read
it if not send it back and will write you another. Reluctantly bid
you good-bye

Your friend

Lissie