Bridgeport OT August 6th 1854

Dear Brother & Sisters

I take this opportunity of writing you a fiew lines to let you know that we
are all well at this time I hope those lines will find you all injoying the
same like blissing, the connexion ar all well as faur as I know I saw your
Father & Mother to day at meting John E. [Murphy] was the Preacher thay both
look harty & well, I have no news to write you at this time, we had a
very cool backward spring heare, thare has bin a good eal of
complaining of bad colds & some with lung fever one of our neighbor
women dyed with that disease, thare has bin no complaint amongst the
connexion that I know of I want you to send me a reseat for making
that cough surup that Wm F. Smith got of Smith Wallace, we have
had beautiful weather heare for a while harviest is about done wheat
generaly was first rate some late wheat was injered with the freeze last
winter, mine amongst the rest.

Matilda wanted to know how often I had wished my self back in
answer I wol say that I came heare for health & as long as we can
have as good health as we have had I try to be thankful and contented.
this is a poor place to rais children on the account that people take
such little interest in school if I ever wish my self back it will be on this
account I like the country but the sosiety I am not very well pleased with
though I have hops that it will improve. I let out an orchard of grafted
fruit last spring it is growing as fine as any I ever saw I have hopes that I
will have fruit plenty in two or three years trees bare younger heare than
in Illinois I was sorry to heare that fruit was killed in your neighborhood.
you misunderstood me about hireing some person to tend my ground
what I wanted you to do was to hire some person to plow that wet land
so that it wold not grow up in weeds & grass again, I supposed that was
the reson that it woldent rent. I wrote to you not to sell that I had some
notin of leasing my reson for so doing was first I do not particular need
the money secondly property is riseing faster thare than heare in Oregon,
thirdly improved places sell higer in proportion than unimproved,
tharefore if you can get some person that is trusty, to put some chep
buildings and a small orchard on it, for what it is worth, and take the rent
of the place for pay you may set him to work reserving to your self the
right to pay him at any time for his labor provided I should wan to sell
it before the lease runs out, trust your own judgement & I will be satisfied.
times is hard heare & money verry scarce property is about one third
lower than it was a year ago, cows & calvs is worth about 50 dollars each
beef 7 cts per pound, sheep 10 dollars a head bacon 25 cts per pound
chickens 6 dollars per dozen, salt is worth 3 dollars per busel sugar
10 cts pound coffee 20 cts molasses from 60 to $1.25, dry goods &
redy made clothing are about as cheap as in Monmouth, I still have my
fore mares yet thare are in good order, I have five of my mules yet I wold
like to sell them, thare is plenty that wants them but I cannot find any
person that has the money.

I saw a book advertised in the atlas called the western fruit book I kneed
such a book if you can get it for me with out to much trouble send it to me
by mail it is at Porters Rockiland, we have a new post office in one mile of
me this will be a great accomodation to me I live about a leven miles from
Independence and it is a good eal of trouble for me to get anything from
thare I want you to direct your letters to the said office, (Bridgeport Polk
County Oregon) tell the rest that writes to me to do the same I also want
you to have the atlas directed to me thare thare was one of the best griss
mills started in our neighborhood last weeke that I ever saw the report is
that thay are making 47 pounds of flower to the bushel I dont believe it
thoug I suppose thay can make as much as any mill in any country we have
plenty saw mill handy.

till the children that that I wold like to see them very much I could tell them
a good many fittsh storyes my love to you all & my respects to all of the old
neighbors no mor at presant write often it to dark to write any more

your affetionate brother

Isaac Smith

May the 7
I like to have forgot to tell you about Berymans misfortune about 9
weeks ago he was taken with a pain in his leg just below the knee in
a fiew days it comenced sweeling and sweeled to his body it pained him
a gret deal he fell of till he was nothing but skin & bone I imploid a doctor
his medisin gave him some releif it has not paind him any of conseqence
for about 5 weeks thare was small places rased up on it like biles I have
lanced two of them & I think thare is one more that will have to be opened
he can walk round some