William Letter 1-9-1870
Idaho City
Sunday, January 9, 1870
Dear Father & Mother,
By the grace of God I am again permitted to write you a few lines. Since I last wrote you, it has pleased the Almighty to take our youngest Son to himself. He was a fine baby child of five months & ten days. He died of affection of the brain. His suffering was extremely painful. We have all been sick pretty much all summer of (fever & apnea) a very prevalent disease in these parts. Our little boy (I) suffered several & though quite well for the last two months. Looks very (puny). We are all well however & in our (winter) good spirits.
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We are in our winter quarters for you must know that we keep our cattle in the mountains in summer & have to go ( ) the valleys in winter on account of snows. There is a kind of (herb) called (Whise-Sage) that cattle eat. It is being (nutrients) & grows some 20 inches high. Giving stock a good chance in case of snow. Our stock looks well & I think we shall have a mild winter a very important matter with us. Stock men (some) years ago Myself & two partners lost over five thousand dollars worth of stock on account of hard winter. At that time the (Whise Sage) was ________ to us or (we) would not have lost (even) (thousand) ( ). I received a
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letter from Bro Joseph last July for which I was much pleased. I have answered it today. I would say that it is a (mistaken) ( ) in reference to Bro James. He has (said-paid) (naught) that could ( ) me against you or yours in ( ). He said nothing further than that you did not (patron) him to the extent you ( ) a (matter) of no importance (to) me & experience will soon teach him to pay no attention to such little matters. Joseph says you was astonished that I had not mentioned you in Bro James letter. I think I wrote you a letter about the same time. You will find all (right) by time you can rest (assured). As long as I (have) ( ) ( )
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you will always have some thing write mea good (plain) letter as soon as you get this. I am a little ( ) about (writing) but I am ( ) for different to you. I have a (many) things to occupy my attention & divert my mind Changes are (nothing) here. I have a buggy & a span of horses. I (put) my family in & drive 35 miles to my new residence which consists of a log cabin. Here I stay for two months or a month just as it may happen & yet we are comfortable live of the best in the land. In fact without boast, there is not a family in (Rams ) eats better things than we do. No sleeps on a better bed. We (ought) to & do enjoy our selves. Though we (roam) like the (gypsy). My (love) (to) the ( olfenden) Family. Bro John & Thomas Aunt Duckworth & Family. Aunt (Brooks) Family all Friends & ( ) me Your Affectionate Son,
William Kirkman