Dallas Polk Co, Jan 3rd 1863
Dear Brother
As it has been about four years since I received a letter from any of
you I will write to you once more and see if I can get an answer. this
leaves myself in good health but my family are not so well my wife
has been very sickly for four or five years last winter she came very
near dieing with the sore throat but kind providence spared her life for
which I feel very thankfull. we have but one little child a girl about five
years old, a very promising and a very great pet, she has dark skin,
black eyes, and black hair, we think she is the prettiest one of the
name my wife is rather small very fair skin auburn hair and blue eyes
and a perfect beauty when in good health, we are now liveing in Dallas
Polk County. I was elected sheriff of this county last June for the term
of two years, the law requires me to keep my office at the county seat
was the reason that I left my farm, I think my office will pay about one
thousand dollars per year, and this is five times as much as I can make
on my farm Mother is now liveing with Ira she was in good health the
last time I heard from them Edward Grounds family were well the last
time I saw them except Eliza she looks very bad but I am in hopes that
after a year or two she will probably get stouter as it is about the turn
of life with her. Robert and Luther are both almost men, and are both
out in the mines east of the mountains Isaac Smiths family are all as well
as common except Peggy she is not quite so well as common for her
Elijahs widow and children are well. She has married again and lives on
the same place that Elijah left Elizabeth Huchinson is still single and getting
along tolerable well for one in her fix she is now liveing in Monmouth in
my house the rent costs her nothing, and she is getting eight dollars per
month for her property here in Dallas I heard yesterday that she was
talking of going out to Umpka valley to stay this winter at Robert
Huchinsons, Ucle Elijah Davidson and Aunt Peggy are still liveing but
both are getting very feeble the rest of the friends and connection are
well as far as I know except John E. Murphy who got throwned from a
horse the other day and broke his leg it was thought at first that he would
not recover but he will probably recover. The health of the country is very
good, and has been for some time there has been some sore throat and
some few cases of the feaver but as a general thing it has been remarkably
healthy here in Oregon, we have had one of the finest falls and winter so
far that I ever seen in any country we had but very little rain untill Christmas,
we had about two inches of snow the other night - but by ten o clock the
next morning it was all gone our stock look very fine, times are getting
some better than they they were but property is still very low large work
horses are rating from 75.00 to 125.00 dollars, lands are worth from
2.00 to 10.00 dollars per acre wheat 75 to 1.00 dollar per bushel oats 50 cts
sheep 3.00 to 10.00 acording to quality large mares 100.00 to 150.00 and
other things in proportion, wages 20.00 to 30.00 per month, the people
generally are quiet with regard to political matters, there is but two political
parties in Oregon at present the Union party and the Secession party there
is some ranting abolitionist and quite a lot of secesh, but the Union party
is
much the strongest. I am very much in hopes that we will not have any of the
troubles that you have in the east and south it is bad enough to hear of the
many hard faught battles and the many thousand valueable lives of our Union
army, the last news we have heard is very discourageing but it may all be the
best we are so far from the scene of action and the news so unreliable that
it
is very difficult to form correct conclusions as to what is going on or what
is
necessary to be done, my prayer is that the Union may be sustained, there is
one thing certain we never can get along with the Union divided a house
divided against its self cant stand. I guess by this time you know that I am
neither an abolitionist nor a southern fire eater I am a conservative man one
that is in favor of a vigorous prosecution of the war untill there is a permanent
peace restored the Union as our fore fathers made it I think the presidents
message is a very weak thing there is hundreds of men in Oregon that can
beat it bad but I do not wish to do one thing or say one word that will have
the least tendency towards weakening the arms of the government.Now my
Brother I want you when you get this letter just sit down and write me a long
letter and tell me all the news that you think will interest me. I thought I
would
have sent you our likenesses long ago but I have had considerable bad luck
lately I lost two thousand dollars in a debt that was oweing to me last summer
we all would like very much to see you all and talk with you face to face but
of this we are deprived but if we follow the example of our master that has
gone before we will meet to part no more tell all my Brothers to write to me
in
your letter tell me all you know about Joseph and William, I have writen time
and again to all of you but have not recieved an answer little Mary Ellen says
tell uncle John that I go to sunday school every sunday and get pretty books
and that I have got the prettiest little dog in Oregon and his name is trip
Isaac M. Butler
Sarah Ann Butler
Mary Ellen Butler
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