Letter from Jane, dated 1864-04-24

middle making a sitting room and kitchen an addition at one side of two comfortable bedrooms, the chambers are divided by curtains into 2 rooms, a good cellar and cistern complete the main fixings about the house, we intend puting up an out room for the stove in summer, a good granary and an Iowa stable were on the place and H has added a Small hay barn prise $1700, about 3 miles from meeting.

How does your little meeting prosper. I would like a good long letter from thee very much telling all about your selves and things that interest us mutually how does Uncle Rowland and family prosper. We get little or no news except through Dr Staples family. How is it with father Miles and family and aunt gemima &c and finally if thou knows anything of interest about any one we were associated with morrally or religiously or by the ties of consanguinity we should be glad to hear [?].

In much love to thee and thine in wich the elder members of the family gain affectionately Jane

[page break]

[upside down:]

Our Post office the same it has been (Muscatine) Ellen wishes me to inquire about cousin [Ann?], she would like a letter from her, she is under the impression she wrote last

[right side up:]

Hilldale 4 Mo 24 1862 [IOA]

Dear Cousin R

It has been so very long since there has been any interchange of letters that I really do not know who is debtor, be that as it may, perhaps a few lines from thy absent cousin will not be unacceptable, and will fullfil a twofold mission, whilst it bring us to thy rememberance, it will also assure thee thou art not forgotten.

We have heard nothing from thee of late except one of thy sons was drafted; how can we who have never had our sons torn from us by the ruthless hand of war and sent to the battle field, sympatize with those who have, yet we can mingle our strong desires with their warmest petitions (though far distant) to Him who takes cognisance of the

falling sparrow that He will preserve the absent ones [untainted?] by camp life, and if consistant with his will return them sound in body and mind to their home and friends.

Perhaps thy son has chosen the missionary field and is instructing the Freedmen. It seems to me we ought not to censure any one for enlisting in the present war for who shall say that it is not under the supervision of Him who holds the destinies of nations. I would not say he orders it, but permits it. I doubt whether by any other means that long desired boon , (freedom to the bondman, would have been produced, too many are living as under that dispensation whose retributive justice was blood for blood, the question naturally arises will as much blood be shed in this war as has been shed under the foul system of slavery.

[page break]

Henry bought a farm in a retired situation, of 160 acres pretty well fenced, divided about in the middle making a nice pasture of about 60 acres the land for tilling is rather rolling, but it is all the better for that this season as it has been rather rainy thus far which has greatly retarded the springs work. H has his wheat in, Pine Creek runs through the pasture and there is a nice little grove in it for shade to the cattle the grass looks nice and green. There are several [deleted] thrifty looking apple threes and cherry trees and curent bushes on the place; we have set out gooseberry & rhaspberry bushes and hope to more as well as strawberries and try and make us a home of our own; such a thing as we have not known for several years past our house is rather small but it does very well for the present, the [?] of the house is 16 x 20 divided about in