Polk County Oregon Teretory September 24th 1854

Dear Children

I seat myself this morning to inform you that the drafts have come to
hand, and we have got the money, and I considered it my duty to
inform you of the fact by the return mail as I expected you would feel
some uneasinefs after receiving my last letters. I have paid for the claim
by borrowing two hundred dollars of Isaac Smith which I expect to be
able to return about Christmas. I sold my horse for one hundred and
seventyfive dollars to be paid at Christmas. I expect to sell my little mule
that I bought of T. Haley for one hundred dollars which will pay all that I
owe, but I shall have no means to help myself with so I must live poor for
some time to come. I have agreed to take Isaac's land in Illinois for the
money that I paid for his claim. Thomas Hutchinson has concluded that he
wont sell his part of the land, and Isaac thought that his part would not sell
by its self and he had no other way to make the money for me and wanted
me to take the land and concluded to do so, and if we should any of us
conclude to go back to Illinois, we will have the land to go to. I suppose
Hutchinson and Isaac will sell the undivided land which they own in Illinois
if they can find a purcheser I would be glad to sell my tax title land down by
Squire Rises, if you can get an offer for the land I am to have of Isaac let me
know what you can get for it and by that time we will conclude what we will
do, for some things this is a very good country, by I should be better sattisfied
in Illinois for this reason  I have a living in Illinois, and have to make a living
here, and an other thing your mother is not as well sattisfied as she expected to
be. I will inform you of a most dreadful murder or rather masicree committed
on Snake river near fort Boisey some few weeks ago a Mr. Ward (whose
brother lives near us) was comeing to this country together with some other
emagrants they encamped one night and the next morning a dispute took
place between an Indian and a packer about a horse each claiming the horse.
The packer pulled out his revolver to scear the Indian, who drew his pistol
and shot the packer dead. the masicree then commenced and the Indians
killed ten white men, and took the women and children and shortly afterward
burnt the children a live in the presents of their mothers, and after treating the
women in the most brutal manner, tortured them to death in a manner too
horrible to relate a number volunteered and Isaac amounght the rest to start
tomorrow after them Indians, but the acting governor counter manded the
order and the men will not go this fall and by next spring the Indians will get
into the mountains and so the matter will likely end. I believe I told you James
in my letter to you that Eliza Ground and Bob both had the chill and fever, they
are both about well now or was when I heard from them last. I have had two
chills, but I have got about well, so this leaves us all in usual health. I write this
letter to you both together with your wives an all your dear little children

John  I think that some person bought my three cornered harrow. I believe it
was one of the Criders and it was not put into the note I wish you would try
to find out how it is, and if you can get anything you may have it for the trouble
you take in getting it. I want you to have pay for all your trouble and you must
retain enough in your hands to compensate you well. I have not time to write
as much as I wish to write this morning, for we want to go to meeting some
six miles off and must quit writing and start or we will be too late Your mother
says that you may tell Hannah Whitman that her cough is no better than when
she left Illinois, though her health is about the same, indeed if the health of
Oregon is better than Illinois it is only case of the cholery or some malignant
disease. I close by subscribing myself

Your loving father

Peter Butler