Portland Oregon Teretory
September 1st 1854

Dear Son

I have delayed writing for a long time hoping that I should be
able to acknowledge the reception of my draft but I have waited in vein
I have been expecting that I should receive a letter containing the draft
for the last six weeks and as it has not come I thought it would be best
to come down to the office and see if it had been presented by any other
person, but they dont know anything about it and they also say that they
have no dealings with Page & Bacon but that they have with Clark &
brothers they also say that they have a house in St Louis that is they have
a house in the name of Adams & Co. St Louis. Now I want you to see
Rankin amediately and tell him that I want him to see to it for me if he
pleases, and if you have sent the draft, duplicate, and triplicate they have
all failed so far and I want a fourth. If you have sent a draft from Page &
Bacon it will be payable at San Francisco, but if I could get it, I could cash
it here I want you to write to me amediately and tell me all about it, and if it
should come I will write amediately and inform you of the fact, my money is
due to day, and if I dont get it I shall be sued Isaac Smith has not received
his draft and is very uneasy about it, if the money should be at your disposal
in any way I would like to have a draft payable in New York as I could sell
it for a premium. I have notified the house of Adams & Co not to pay the
drafts to any other person except myself & Isaac Smith I want you to tell
old Mr. Chinn that I am writing this letter in Charleys house in Portland they
are all well and Charley says that he has some notion of comeing home next
Spring. They have a fine daughter calls its name Sarah Anne.

This letter leaves us all in usual health, but some of us are not very well
sattisfied this is a tolerable good country, but I had reather be at home if I
could be thare as well is not for the reason that I am old and not able to
make a farm and I have a tolerable good farm in Illinois, Ira's family are all
well or was last Wednesday, he has a claim and has got about twenty acres
broke and has built a new house Edward Grounds family are all well he has
about 18 acres broke Isaac Smith's folks are all well he has broke some 15
acres. Elijahs folks are well and doing well. Thos Hutchinson's folks are all
in good health. he has been teaching school and taking care of his wheat
Uncle Elijah Davidson and all his folks are well John E Murphy's folks are all
well except his little daughter she is complaining but was better last Wednesday
morning. Calvin Murphy is not very stout but is still about the rest of his family
are all well  Licurgus Furgeson was maried yeasterday near Layfayatte in
Yamhill county to a grand daughter of old Robt Birds I have learnt that Benjamin
Despain has got in with fifty head of cattle. William Murphy has not got in yet
or had not when I left home yeasterday morning

I will write to James as soon as I get home Write soon, and let me know
what I must depend upon in relation to my money John I think that you
have paid James Bimken as much as his work was worth and more too
but if he is not sattisfied propose to leave it to other painters I must come
to a close as it is so dark that I cant see to write any more

I remain your father

Peter Butler