Gold Rush Era Letters

Michigan City

Jan 8th 1854

Dear Sister

I am yet in the Land of the Liveing [Living] and enjoying good health at the beginning of the New Year and have no cause of Complaint neither for myself or family although I am utterly ignorant of how you folks is getting along at home. I once in a while get a Albany paper from Dyer Sathrops Son. Day before yesterday I saw the Knickerbocker Express an Evening Journal and Switch of Nov 9 in one of the papers I regret to Learn the death of Miss Lydia Newton and leaves me in Suspense as to the fate of my own folks

Christmas past off very well and so did New Years no accidents or fights in this place but on friday [Friday] there was a very serious Accident. occurred about a mile from this place at a place called El Dorado