Josephine J. Crawford

Allie has moved into a cozy Cottage nearby the big house and their youngest Son and family have moved into the boarding-house and are going to run it this Season, and give Sister more quiet and an easier time – She has worked hard, but I hope from this time on She will have it easy – She is naturally very industrious and does not idle away time but will always find something to do – She is nicely fixed in their Cottage, and 'tis in a lovely location. Has lovely roses, pinks, violets, sweet-peas, verbena's, poppies, lillies [lilies], hollyhocks and other flowers in her front yard. Just across the road is the Grove of Redwood, Madrone and other trees, with many kinds of wild flowers of all colors nearby – In the grove there are swings, hammocks, seats, tables, croquet grounds, a rippling Mt [Mountain] stream along through it with a clear cold Spring of most excellent water at hand From the grove to the large house is a lovely shady walk through a grape-Arbor which is very inviting & cool in summer. Many from San Francisco

Oakland San Jose and other cities, delight to come to this rural Mountain Retreat where the air is so pure and sweet.

Just before I left home a distant Cousin Emeline Pond Ashley's daughter brought me the "History of Poultney" to read, which she had just rec'd [received] – and Alphonsine read it to me before I was able to read aloud – We did enjoy it very much, and we talked and revived old scenes, and loved over the Past as we had not before, for in that were names of people, places, and facts in regard to the early Settlers that we had not known, with many with which we were familiar. We love old Vt. [Vermont] our childhood's home and our dear friends living there. Comparatively few remain to what there was there, when we were – It will not be long there will be any left of the old ones. They, and we, will soon go the way of all the Earth –

California is again visited b a drought that is very severe in many localities, but right here 'tis not bad and they will not suffer great loss

In the vicinity of San Jose it is worse, and also other places – In consequence it will be hard times for many, if not all – We had a very cold winter, more frost that any before and so late it injured the fruit in some localities – but Mr Sanders is looking fine He and bro [brother] Brayton are on a business trip as far north as Stockton – Expect them back in a few days – Brayton has improved in health greatly since coming here, and is so contented he is going to remain.

Dear Aunt Sarah – is well and smart for a person of her age – She has never had to work very hard, so is not worn out –

I have not heard from you Since I last wrote and also wrote to cousin Julia A. Proctor – Have had no word from her – Hope this will find you all in comfortable health and prospering We wish you to accept this as coming from both of us, after a little Allie will have more time to write, but has not yet got fairly settled and I make her more work too –

Expect to go back in a few days – I may continue to gain, but if not and I am not able to write Sis. Allie will – She is making her little grandson a waist – She has five grand-children – Did Oramel leave any children? Is Mrs. Proctor still in Castleton Where is Jane & daughter? Dear Jennie promised to write for you and I wish she may find it convenient to very soon – Please write me just how your all are, and all the friends we know – Did you make maple sugar this last spring How large a family have you – Alphonsine joins me in sending much love to all – We would like to see you just as you are in your present home. We well – remember the old one – Lovingly Yours

Josephine .J. Crawford

Mission San Jose, Alameda Co, Cal. June 6^th 61 [1861]

Dear Aunt C –

Your letter has just reached me & as soon as I finished reading it the second time I took my pen & am going to begin a reply. Aunt, words, are feeble, to express my joy to hear again from you & the dear Home of my childhood old V.T. [Vermont] I often visit you & the dear haunts of my childhood in my dreams & have wished O! so much! – to hear from there, but after writing several times to You, Cousins Julia Ann, Cornelia J. Fuller & Charlotte Lewis without receiving a word in reply – I gave up in despair – and thought I must depend upon my Father's family to get any information concerning Friends in V.T. [Vermont] — For some time past, I have been thinking I would write again to you hoping I might get an answer – Aunt Calista accept many thanks for your letter – It has filled my heart with joy – Could you know my feelings you would feel richly repaid for writing.

My Home is situated on the Pacific Coast about a day's journey from San Francisco – about twenty miles from the head of the Bay of San Francisco – We came here last Oct [October] – Sold our Home in the Mountains & came to a milder clime – Had both been in poor health for some time I had been down sick for several months –

with Congestion of the Liver – As soon as I was able to travel Mr Crawford started with me for the Coast – & we have settled here – After coming here my health improved rapidly – and I began to think I might recover my health & become strong again – but I have had another attack from which I have only got so to be about again – but am still poorly – My Liver is enlarged – Have constant pain in my side ––– This – is the finest Climate in the world & if I can recover anywhere – think I can here – Never spent so pleasant a winter as the last – Have no Snow here – & there is no time during the year but we can find Flowers – Last Christmas had a Boquet [bouquet] of wild flowers –– I call our House Crawfords Retreat – 'Tis a wild rough section of country here (& a back Place)m – though near the Metropolis of San Francisco Hiram is engaged in the business of Stock raising – There is but little land on our "Rancho" – or Farm, suitable for cultivation – Have enough – as Hi [Hiram] does not intend to (or wish to – work much of a Farm) so long as he is engaged in this business – Have a nice Garden considering the Short time we have been here – The Place was a wild one – last Oct [October] We lived in a Tent Six weeks until we could build a House – Now we have a nice Garden & Orchard Vine-Yard &c [etc.] – Have about 1800 Grape Vines – 10 different kinds – Apples Trees 16 different varieties Pear 14 – Plum 4 – Peach 7 – Cherry 5 – Currant 3 – Gooseberry 3 – Raspberry 2 – Quince 1 – Strawberry 8 – Figs 2 – Hope soon to be able to sit under our own "Vine & Fig Tree" – Have, now some ripe Cherries on one Tree – Has eight nice Cherries on it – notwithstanding it was set out this Spring Also have a few Currants & Strawberries – Think our Trees look well – & hope it will pove [prove] a good Place for raising Fruit – Dont [Don't] know how it will do here but are going to give it a trial – Aunt C – I wish you could see our Retreat – & visit me in my quiet Home – I love my Friends dearly, devotedly, & wish to see them, but I am – sick of the gay frivolous world I would not exchange this quiet Place for a home in a Town We have always lived in a City or little Villiage [Village] (save a few months) since we came to Cal [California] but I prefer this Spot for my Home – Though many would feel lonely & could not content themselves here I have seen only one woman (an Irish woman) with whom I could converse since we came here – She is our Neighbor lives about a mile from us – There are many Spaniards living in this vicinity One Spanish Woman has been here but I could not speak their language well enough to visit much – So you see I have no congenial female companions – The few neighbors we have are kind neighborly people – but there are no women here that is any company to me – but I am not often lonely I think, read, write & gaze upon the beauties of Nature when