Sunday Eve Nov 6^th 64

 

Dear Brother Oliver

Yours of the 29 of Sept which was sent in care of Capt Evans come at hand in due time and was gladly received by John and myself although we have sadly neglected answering it evry since. But you know John is a poor had to write letters and so am I and one waits for the other which is very wrong I will admit, although there is none glader to receive letters from there friends than we are. well I will commence by telling you that John and myself are well and little Bessie is a great deal better than she has been and we feel in hopes that she will get along now that cold weather is setting in. she is larger than her littel sister was when she was taken / away and looks a gooddeal like her since she has been so sick you know Nellie was such a delicate looking child. the rest of the family are well as far as I know of. Mother & Mary are keeping house together down on the old place yet. Mother is failing very fast although she still keeps on working the same as usual Henry Ald is the same old sixpence. he was over here one week ago to-day and he said when I answered your letter to tell you for him that he had not forgotten you and was going to answer your letter before a great while he is working his place alone this fall. I tell you he has done a great deal better since he come home from the army than he did before and I believe that he is trying to get along and get out of debt but I think he has a hard time of it for he has constantly some of Emily folks hanging on him. Jimmie Willcox and his wife and two children are out here from Ohio again on a visit. they came here the 20^th of last August. You knew them it is the same ones that came out here 4 years ago this fall and made a 3 month visit. her name is Ada. well they are there now besides Gust is there also sick a bed with the Typhoid and Lung feavor so you see he has as big a family as ever. he says if he could sell out he would go where they would not follow him for they will not do the least thing with out charging him for it and if he says a word Emily is mad about it which you know makes it very unpleasant for him. the neighbors over there are all well as far as I know of Mrs Vrooman was over here a fiew weeks ago with her brother Owen Farley. we had a good visit I tell you I think she is one of the best of wimen and such a good calculator to. she has managed to get a real nice house built and all finished of and painted to since Mr Vrooman went in the army. well Oliver I guess I shall have to stop / writing for to-night and finish it to morrow night—Monday Eve Nov 7^th Well I will try and write a fiew more lines to you this evening although I am quite tired as I have been working to day. John says tell you that he has got nearly through husking corn it is uncomonly good this season and he thinks he will have some to sell. his wheat and oats were also very good as the chince bugs did not hurt them very bad we have not got our thrashing done yet so he cannot tell how much he will have per acre. he expects to have the thrashers the last of this week and then as soon as he can sell some wheat he will go to Tipton and pay the taxes. Evry thing around here is about the same as it was when you left the men are nearly all gone to the army and what is left have all they can do to get along with there farms with out any extra improvements. Oscar Weeks has come back from the army. he has served his 3 years and thinks it is time that some of the other young men may try it a while I have not seen him yet although I think we will soon for he is now

 

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down to Henry Jobes. Josh McLeod is home on furlow. he has been sick the most of the time since he went south with the chronic diarhea. you know he was always so fat well he is now as poor as he can be and I am afraid if he does go back that he will never come back here again. /

 

Oliver you spoke in your last letter to see if John would not see to Marys getting some money on the soldiers aid society they say she can not get any thing from Cedar County as she did not live in this county at the time of your inlistment and you know she has mooved to Illinois now and this is not her home. John is going to Anamosa to pay his taxes as soon as he can and then he will do what he can about it for you. Now Oliver we want you to write soon as you can to us and we will try and answer it sooner next time. pleas write your adress, as we do not know where you are now. well I guess I will close for this time as it is getting quite late. John joins in sending our love to you.

 

no more only this from your

Affectionate brother and sister

John and Josa  To Oliver Shibly                    

 

Write Soon

 

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I have not had a letter from Mary in some time I cannot see why she does not write for she ows me a letter and she has not written to me since you wrote your last I wish she would write to me for I should be glad to here from her real often. I would write to her again but I know she got my last for she wrote to Mrs Vrooman since then and told her about Little Bessie being so sick and that was in my last letter that I wrote to her

 

Mr Newton was here last week from Illinois he said that Mother Coryell had gone to N.York to spend the winter and he believed that Mary had gone with her if so I hope they will have a good visit

 

John says tell you that to morrow is Election day and he is going up bright and early to vote for Old Abe he would write to you some in this letter but he is to tired to tonight he joins in sending his love to you and says be sure and write to us again soon

 

Oliver the story is around here that Jo Evans was cort martialed just before he came home. John says write and let us know if it was so—

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