Mitilda Ferguson, Philadelphia to Elisa Jane
[Page 1] Philadelphia August 10th 1811 Dear Elisa Jane I sit down for the first time to right[write?] to you it is with a tribled [troubled?] hart [heart?] it is to let you know that your father is dead he died on Thursday night ten minutes past one oclock and was buried on Sunday the 5th he had a nice funeral he belongs to a society they call the Epeas? they escorted him to the grave and had a nice sermon we had the minister and his daughter and the superintend [superintendent?] of our Church we had three Doctors with him but the doctor graham that attended to him last summer attended him every day he says his disease was chronic gastriles [gastritis?] Johnny is very sick and the doctor bids him stop work that does not [Page 2] suit people in this country if the [they?] do not work the [they?] will want it is by work the [they?]make their living so he has went to the doctor this eving [evening?] I hope he will soon get better he was very hard worked since he came to this country but the [there?] are so many diseases in this country that it is hard to escape but the Lords will must be done David is out in the country with a truck his wages is sound but the [there?] are ten men idle for one that is working Thomas is very kind to us, had Martha now had a young son it is two weeks old so he could not attend the store himself and he took Samuel as boy he is a good obedient good child [Page 3] Dear Elisa your aunt Elisa Carson was over for to [two?] months She went home to [two?] weeks before your father died but we did not expect Death to the last week for him the Soity [Society?] failed and the [they?] maide [made?] a new regulation that the [they?] would give no help to any of the members for one year to the [they?] would get strong again so I do not know whether we will get anything or not but I will soon wright [write?] to your aunt Mary Ann and I might know then you can let uncle Jamey know that aunt Betty and cousin Elisa and Margrat [Margaret?] huchison was at your fathers funeral and your uncle Samuels brothers daughters Dear Elisa you would strange to see me going with the bare head [Page 4] Saragh [Sara?] is at home this three months she left a good place she had three and a half dollars [dollars?] a week She was foolish to do so Mary Ann is sowing [sewing?] in a store she would not make more than her board So Willy is not working this summer the times is so dull here the men went all on a strike and that caused great trouble in the city I keep the store in myself for it keeps me from thinking long it is very useful besides Dear Elisa I am so much slaved these 5 weeks I am hardly able to go my around [around?] so I am afraid my truble [trouble?] is not over the the doctor is afraid that Johnny will have the thifhard [diphtheria?] fever but I trust in the Lord that he will not for it is very is smitle [contagious?] Written at the side and across top of page 4 Dear Elisa send my best Regards to Joseph and you and the children and to your grandmother and aunt and uncle and Willy Excuse me for my bad righting [Writing?] as I am in trouble Written along side and across top of page 3 if it was not for the store I do not know what we would do your father worked to a man this summer and he did not pay him he owes him 50 dolars [dollars?] it was to [too?] much to loseClose