Gold Rush Era Collections

Dear Brother,

Nicholas N Ryerson I Wish you to Peruse this letter that I have written to my family & I Donot [do not] see any thing Discourging [discouraging] in the Butter Busness [Business] if they they should be an Dificulties [difficulties] I wish you write to me and tell my family to write and aid and assist them as much as is in your power and I do Not know of any Directions to give you any Diferent [different] from what it was under stood when I left New York Dont [don't] forget to see that My inshurance [insurance] on the buildings Does not Run out before it is renewed which is this sumer [summer] or fall I May Write Again whe We get Ready to start from this Plase [place] if you hapen [happen] at goshen Goshen, New York teel [tell] Mr Murry you heared [heard] from me I could keep on Writing Past Events All Day But Probely [probably] they Would not be interested But Give my love to All my love to All my Brothers & sisters and Friends and

I truely [truly] Remain your Friends and Brother

John N Ryerson

Panama May 6 1850 if you Write Direct your to Sacremento Citty Calefornia Sacramento City, California Peter Brown is Well & has been since he left New York & All the company that left Paterson [Patterson] Except one which had the Ague once of [or] twice which he is not well which was ll in number

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Provisions is verry [very] high and the most of it got up in verry [very] Bad order Chese [cheese] 50 ^cts [cents] a pound as for Butter I have not Eat 1/2. since I left new york New York I have not seen any good butter nor Milk nor Water since I left new Jersey New Jersey the steam boat that I have a ticket has not arrived here for us and we may have to lay here three or four weeks but still I have not seen any more difeculteys [difficulties] than I Expected when I started from home Although it is verry [very] tedeous [tedious] laying here among A missriable [miserable] Rase [race] of inhabatants [inhabitants] but they dont [don't] appear to be Evil Disposed I have seen nothing nor heared [heard] nothing to Discouege [discourage] me from continuing my Journy [journey] through A Olthough [Although] I long to see you and the children verry [very] much Although keep good courage and try and keep Amos in good courage and let him see this letter and Read it As to the Prospect of Butter in california California I see men from there which Does not Differ much from what I heared [heard] before I left home. NB. Do look after Amos In A kind and Motherly order for giving Directions as to work for Isaac I cant [can't] do only Each one of you look after your Buisness [business] honestly and honerbly [honorably] and all will turn well which my mind is to do the same I should have Writen [written] Before But Peter Brown Writ [wrote] which letters they was to let you see let Hannah Read this letter to others Children and let Catharine Read it to Betsy & Mary let G W Houston and an [Ann] see it And all give my love to All my Friends And Neighbors and I Remain

Affectionate Husband

John N Ryerson

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Dear Brother,

Nicholas N Ryerson I Wish you to Peruse this letter that I have written to my family & I Donot [do not] see any thing Discourging [discouraging] in the Butter Busness [Business] if they they should be an Dificulties [difficulties] I wish you write to me and tell my family to write and aid and assist them as much as is in your power and I do Not know of any Directions to give you any Diferent [different] from what it was under stood when I left New York Dont [don't] forget to see that My inshurance [insurance] on the buildings Does not Run out before it is renewed which is this sumer [summer] or fall I May Write Again whe We get Ready to start from this Plase [place] if you hapen [happen] at goshen Goshen, New York teel [tell] Mr Murry you heared [heard] from me I could keep on Writing Past Events All Day But Probely [probably] they Would not be interested But Give my love to All my love to All my Brothers & sisters and Friends and

I truely [truly] Remain your Friends and Brother

John N Ryerson

Panama May 6 1850 if you Write Direct your to Sacremento Citty Calefornia Sacramento City, California Peter Brown is Well & has been since he left New York & All the company that left Paterson Paterson, New York Except one which had the Ague once of [or] twice which he is not well which was ll in number

or take this letter what I write and what Peter Writes and let Hanath & my son amos [Amos] see it As soon & Nicholas N Ryerson as soon as you receive it N. N. Ryerson so far as the Butter is concerned it is safe opperation [operation] it must make some thing Perty [pretty] Nice if it comes here in good condition attend to it Right so it does not loose its flavor before it is put out of the air direct your letters to sacremento Citty Calefornia Sacramento City, California and Butter also I can not write to give any directions to give amos [Amos] Nor Isaac but only am hopefull [hopeful] they may d [do] as well as they can tell Isaac that I will write to him as soon as I see how things are going in the mines & Also Mr. Murry & Capt [Captain] Row I was disappointed when I arrived here not to find any letters from some of you when you send your bills of laden send two at different mails so if one should get lost or mislaid I might Receive the other & see my buildings are inshured [insured] before the policy runs out show this to all of my friends I should like to see hannah [Hannah] and the Children but I think that all may turn for good keep good courrage [courage] that half the battle Dont [don't] for get to write No More but Remain a friend to all

John N. Ryerson

NB I caled [called] on Gabriel Post and he was well and his brother Iseph had Arrived there and was well I sleunly Adam as in Panama and he sailed on a sailor which had not arrived yet I heared [heard] from David Cirin they said he was in the mines & John Fowler also doing well the other fowler [Fowler] not doing much my Informant was Gabriel Post

Dear wife this is to inform you that I am well hoping these few lines may find you all the same Peter I Brown is also well at my Writing I Received Evi A Marten's letter & My fathers & Nicholas N Ryerson which I was verry [very] glad to Receive and I Expected one from you & some others of my friends am verry [very] sorry I do not Receive any more for it is pleasant to Read how You are getteng [getting] along which is Pleasing to me to hear I see from Nicholas letter of 26^th Augst [August] 1850 & I do not Know from his letter about the Butter one lot sent. of shipped 29 May of 14 tierces & on the 29 June 28 tierces & on 26^th August 36 tierces this last lot I Expected to have Been sent on the 1^st of the month But if this is all he has sent up to this date But I Expected it to have been sent evry [every] month if he had sent any more than the three lots I have not Received I have Not Receive [received] any any letter to that affect and I have not Received the Bill of laden of the last lot with the letter I am In hopes he Nicholas N Ryerson has sent all the Butter as I contracted with him I Expect when you Receive this letter you will be done making Butter I think all the Butter that comes here wright [right] will make sure quite some money But I was sorry to hear that Nicholas had changed his Plan of packing it different than I derected [directed] him to for my plan the packeges [packages] was small anough [enough] & I think the Butter will Be Better In them for the wood is thicker than the small ones & made Better than he can git [get] small ones mad [made] But when It comes here that will tell me Best Bet the way I derected [directed] I think is the Best from what I have learnt since I have been here I Received the Bills of laden for the two first lots and if Nicholas sent the Bill of laden with this letter of 26^th of August I was not at sacremento Sacramento when the letter come & Peter sent it to me at Sanfrancisco San Francisco where I was & perhaps Kept it so I Will Know in a few Days

a while yet none of the Butter has arrived yet But I Expect some soon But how soon I cannot tell just while I am writing this line they are telling about a steam Boat being Blowen [blown] up in sanfrancisco San Francisco where I am this night which Blown up about six oclock [o'clock] and said to be Sixty lives lost I Expect to write to amos monsen Amos Monsen this mail I was verry [very] glad to hear that the children had got well of the fever and ague & that you was all well and doing well he said that sister Jane had been quite sick But gitting [getting] Better which was Pleast [pleased to] hear & munsen [Munsen] Said that he had Renewed the Insurance on our busisness [business] for 2250 for Building stock furniture & which is a good thing tell Nicholas N Ryersen Nicholas N Ryerson that I write this line for you and him Both and all the rest I shant [shan't] rite [write] any secrets in it so you can show it to all the frinends [friends] to let them Know that I am among the land of the living if any of your friends Enquire why I do not give more a description of the country tell them to write to me what they wish me to write for I have given in my letters my travels in calaforna California me and peter Peter J. Brown is doing quite well Just now But how long it will continue time will tell I am Inhopes [in hopes] that Nicholas has sent all of the Butter according to contract & if it comes out here in good order it will make some money I sent in Adams Express line some time a go [ago] 30 ounces of gold dust directed to Nicholas N Ryerson which he can git [get] at the goshen [Goshen] Bank which I Expect he has Received before this time I want Nicholas to send a Bill of the whole cost of the Butter with his Expences [expenses] and all & tell him to write for I have to Write