Letter #3

Date: 4/14/1852, 4/19/1852, 4/20/1852
Place: St Joseph
From: Ann
To: Mother

  Dear Mother,
                    Chit & I wrote to you from St Louis and I hope you received our letters. Chit received a letter there from Jim Gregory inviting us all to come & stay a week or two there. C. & Noyce went & stayed 2 or 3 days. They left St Louis the 23^rd taking their saddles, bridles &c. They tried to find Mrs. Sanford in Alton but could not. They had a very pleasant visit, bought each of them a horse & went across by land buying the stock on the road. We left St Louis the 26^th.  Parker went down the night before to engage passage, & thought he would take one on the Saluda, but she had not dropped down in her place, & he took one on the Highland Mary. Now see the hand of Providence. The Saluda blew up at Lexington, killing 150 persons, while we are safe. Our boat was in great danger once but they put ashore & mended the boiler. She was a very good running boat & could have been at St Jo by Thursday, but the Captain could make more money by going back to St Louis ahead of the other boats & so put us on the Elvira at Kansas. That detained us all day & we did not get here till Saturday noon April 3. The river was full of ice & we did not get over here till Wednesday night. We lay opposite cakes of ice as large as your parlor from 3 to 5 feet thick running at the rate of 6 miles an hour from Saturday till Wednesday. If we had landed Saturday we should went right into the measles in the very house we are in, but now all are well of the measles. We lay on the Indian side of the river & saw them every day, Chiefs, braves, squaws, pappooses, &c. One day there was a war dance right side of the boat. The ladies all went but me. A merchant asked Parker if I was out there, he said I thought it was hardly decent. Oh he said all the ladies in the country went. Out I went. (Now girls don’t blush) & they had on a little cloth around the body and leggins. I wish I could see you I cant write half enough. We think now of leaving here tomorrow, & going out in the country & camping a few days till the grass gets started enough for us to go on. It is starting finely now.

          April 19^th 
                                   I had written this much when Parker came with some cloth & wanted me to help James make a tent. that night Noyce brought a very welcome letter from Mother, Sarah, & Harris. Many thanks & do so again. Dwight was unwell then but before the tent was done he was very sick & Thursday morning was covered with measles. he has been very sick but I thought I knew what Father would do & did not call a physician. His fever has left him & he can sit up a little. Clara has had them but was not very bad. She is quite smart. Guy is perfectly well & has been ever since he left home. The men are all camping out about 4 miles off. Parker comes in every day to see us, I am looking for him now. George Green is going with us. He is in the camp & shaking hard with the ague. Parker took Guy with him & left me alone with the sick. That must be my apology for not writing more. Clara is in my lap crying & Dwight on the bed crying for me to hold him. Chit had a very kind letter from Uncle S, & I one from Aunt Delia. Love to her and tell her pen, ink, and paper have lain here ever since to write to her but sickness prevented. Tell Aunt Ann so too. I will write to both the first chance. If any of us are sick I will write again. You did not mention Tullar. I was disappointed about Mrs Waldens letter. Love to all, a kiss for Willie. Chit will write. 
                                                          Ever yours, 
                                                                                           Ann F. Germain.

[The following is upside down next to the signature.]

Give my love to all the friends.

[The following is right side up underneath the signature.]

20^th P. and Chit are here, all well. Green is quite well except a little weak. Chit is so black & fat you would hardly know him. Parker is very well, so are Guy & Ann. Dwight & Clara are better, all they want is strength. I am going to the camp tomorrow if it is pleasant. Chittenden is too busy to write but will soon if not from this place. Love to all. I am in a great hurry so good bye. Don’t be uneasy, I will write if any of us are sick. 
                                                                                             Ann.                          I got Jane’s letter & thank
                                                                                                                               you for it, write again.

[The following is upside down at the top of the page; Ann avoided writing on some of the ink blots.]
 
                  This has lain here and got so dirty & Guy spilt some ink on it.

[The following is upside down at the top of the first page.]

Particular love to Grandmothers Peck & Fassett & Mother Germain. be sure & have letters in California for us when we get there. (lots of them) 
It seems a long time not hear again till then.