Ellinwood March 23rd 1874
Dear Brother
it seems a long long time since I have heard from you please write
as soon as this comes to hand that I may hear from you all and especially
how Ellen and Agnes are; well here we are in Kansas we broke up house
keeping in Illinois about the 1st of March arrived here about two weeks ago
(come, by rail) but are not very well settled yet though we have selected
and are living in our farm yet there remains lots to do before we are
comfortable we have no house yet only a rough shelter temporary untill
[until?] we are able to do better to all appearance this is a beautiful
healthy county people are coming to permanent homes and fill up this fertile
valley very fast I thought we were almost at the outside of civilization but
the railroad brings us near almost to every place six neighbours called to
see us a few days ago and when going away invited us to come to church on
Sunday as there would be preaching in one of their houses a sod house at
that (or rather a dug out) of course we went and met with about forty to
worship God and I humbly hope our services was acceptable for God looketh
[looks?] on the heart and not on the outward appearance
indeed they had a very rough time of it for at least one night we left the
village of Ellinwood on Saturday afternoon a week ago to come to our farm a
distance of ten miles or so, of course there are no roads here yet or fences
or anything to guide us on our way only the sun as the day was close and
fogy [foggy?] night set in early and it became impossible for us to find
our little shelter I knew we must be very near it but it was impossible to
tell which way to go to find it so there was nothing for it but take the
horses of the wagon and tie them to it and wait for day oh John but that
was a long night like Paul we wished for the day the night was preety
[pretty?] rough thick drizziling [drizzling?] rain dark and stormy besides
we had very uncomfortable seats as I had a load of household goods in the
wagon but day light did come at last and there stood our little shanty about
40 perches away from us it pleased God to preserve us from harm in the storm
neither wife nor children are apparently the worse for it
I must start in the morning to go to the land office to make out
the proper papers for our land the journey will consume a week mean time
Good bye [goodbye?] from your loving Brother Andrew
Adress [Address?] Ellinwood
Barton Co
Kansas
