Gold Rush Era Collections

Thursday Sept 15th

I am as well this evening as usual & should be glad to know that Charles had recovered from his sickness & that you were all well & happy --- but I must await patiently await the arrival of the mail & even then I can only learn of your situation some thirty days since ---

I have no more news to write so I may as well close. Give my kind regards to all my friends. Please write as often as heretofore

Wishing you all continued health & prosperity I remain

Your truly affc [affectionate] Son H. A. Parker [Henry A. Parker]

P.S. I will send Chas. a paper -- & also one to Mr Tucker. I shall not write to him or his family by this mail, so you will please give them my love H. A. P. [Henry A. Parker]

To Mrs Ann Parker East Pepperell Mass

covered with a white frost. After opening my place of business, I took a walk of about 1/4 mile & then sat down to my breakfast which consisted of a cup of hot chocolate & a french roll for which I pay 25 cents. I have not drank any tea or coffee for a long while & I find that I feel better for going without them. I live on two meals per day & if I should only leave off smoking so many segars [cigars] as I am now in the habit of smoking (& of which I am going to break myself of the habit of) I should feel first rate at all times, still after all my my health is as good as I could wish & I feel it my duty to try & preserve it. Wishing you health & happiness I remain as ever your affectionate Son, H. A. Parker [Henry A. Parker]

Mrs Ann Parker East Pepperell Mass

Friday P.M. Sept 15th

I have just finished letters to Miss Lewis and Mrs Tucker so thought as the mail does not close until evening, that I would fill this sheet although I have nothing very important to write. I am well today as usual, and should be pleased to know that you were all enjoying the same blessing

My business at the Book Stand has been about as usual the past month, but for two or three days past has been rather dull, but as long as it averages well through the month we do not mind a few dull days. Mr Noyes [Ephraim Noyes] (my Partner) is well and we continue to get along together first-rate

I find him to be a business man, and I do believe he is strictly honest.

He places unbounded confidence in me and rates me as one of his best friends. He did think of returning home the coming winter but has lately made up his mind to stop here as long as I do

Please give my love to Uncle Bradley Aunt Betsey, Cousin Willie, and all the rest of my friends. I shall enclose a few lines in this letter to Miss Lewis which I wish you to hand to her, and oblige

Your Son Henry [Henry A. Parker]

To Mrs Ann Parker East Pepperell Mass

I have not heard from Sam T. since I last wrote you, but presume he is as well as usual. ---

I believe James K. Bolles, has not yet returned from Puget Sound, but I saw the vessel that he is in reported a few days since, so I think he is safe and well. I have got six or seven letters for him which I have taken from the Post Office here. They are all from his folks at Pepperell and I shall hand them to Jas. [James] as soon as I have an opportunity. I do not hear from Thos. G. Lawrence [Thomas G. Lawrence] or the Leightons, or rather have not heard from them since they first arrived from here, and then went to Auburn. The rest of "The Pepperellites" are all well I believe.

Please give my love to Chas. [Charles] & Harriet and remember me to my Pepperell friends.

Write by every mail, and with this accept the love, and kind wishes of Your affectionate Son H. A. Parker [Henry A. Parker]

To Mrs. Ann Parker East Pepperell Mass

Friday Evening March 23rd. The Steamer leaves here tomorrow morning, so I must put my letters in the Express tonight.

I should like to finish this paper out, but I have got a very violent tooth ache this evening. It has been aching all day, and this afternoon it has pained me very bad, so that it often brings the tears. Still I will write away a few minutes.

You will remember that I wrote about having two teeth pulled a month or two ago, and it now appears that a prong of one of them was left in which is now troubling me, but if it does not get better soon I shall have to get it dug out. ---

Yesterday and today the weather has been very warm and pleasant and our trade has been quite good and if I can only get rid of my toothache I shall be "all right" again

Give my love to Chas. [Charles] & H. [Harriet] also to Uncle Bradley and family, Mrs Betsey Tucker & so on, and write often to

Your affectionate Son H. A. Parker [Henry A. Parker]

To Mrs Ann Parker East Pepperell Mass