cams_JosephineJCrawford_b010_f014_002_001

Strawberry Valley, Cal. June 11^th 1854

Ever dear Aunt,

Your kind letter found us in Marysville, California
where we remained until May 27^th when we left for Strawberry
valley in the Mountains about fifty miles from Marysville

Since the commencement of warm weather we had both been
quite out of health & we saw if we remained there we were
both going to be sick. The heat had become very oppressive and
it had been so long since we had had any rain there was so
much dust we could not longer endure it, so we made
our way to the Hills – Give me a life in the country – in preference
to City life – The quiet and pure fresh air of the Mountains
to the filth & din of a city in the valley of the Sacramento –
We liked the city of M____ [Marysville] very well but in summer it is
very warm there & quite unhealthy – Had a very destructive
fire the night but one before we left there It originated
in a gambling saloon only one block from us & had the
wind not taken it in the opposite direction, doubtless
all in our vicinity should have been a mass of ruins – I
never witnessed such a fearful sight before & I never
desire to again – Where the timber is all pine & becomes so dry
it is nice for fire – The engines could do nothing with it
for a time – but finally succeeded in stopping it at a crossing
of the street The loss was very great – It commenced
about 10 o'clock at night & was stoped [stopped] between 12 & one –

[written vertically in left margin and across the top of page]
I wish Cousin Julia Ann would write to me – I would like
to have her
here with
me – the
price for
making
dresses is from
four to eight dollars –
I want to
see and
hear from
all my
cousins.

Is
Uncle
Asohel's
hair
as black
as it
used
to be?
or has
old Time
scattered
some
silver
with
it –

[written upside down across the top of the page]
Direct to Marysville There is no Office here and
we send there by Express Mr. Crawford joins with
me in sending much love to all – he claims my friends
as his – I want to see you all very very much indeed –