This letter was copied from the original. The original was received from Bessie Leona Tiffany, a granddaughter of Arthur Tyrrell and a sister of my grandfather, Ray Winthrop Justus.



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Santacruz No the 19 AD 1852

Dear friend i presume you are loockeing for a letter from m every mail so i will write you a few lines to let you kow a little about our journey and our health at presant we are all well excepting jane and she has had the fevor and ague ever Since we arrive hear we landed hear the 7 of Sept we had no Sickness worth mentioning on the Road we broke down 2 wagons we had 2 Cows and 3 oxen give out but thare was so many trading posts that we sold them for a bout the Saim as we give for them we got to hang town withe 7 yoke of oxen 2 Cows 1 wagon we got 100 dollars for our wagon 100 dollars a yoke for our oxen 60 apeice for our Cows we got to hang town the last day of aug we had but just sold out when uncle Charles Imus met us and he wanted to go to Carsan valley to buy Stock and so father went withe him and we took the stage from hangtown to sacramento City we went on th steam boat Sanfransisco and from thare we toock Sail vessel to santacruz the rainy season has setin it has rained a bout a week and it makes every thing loock verry dull this is a great countr to make a living in any body Can mak a

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living that will try Clothing is as Cheap hear as in the states and wages a great deal higher shugar tea and Coffy and molasses in as Cheap hear as in the states flour is 30 dollars a barrel pork 25 Cents a pound butter 1 dollar per pound Eggs 1 dollar per dozen Chickens 2 dollar apiece farmers rais more potatoes and barley than any thing else they ship thair produce to sanfransisco potatoes are from 3 to 6 Cents i never would advise any body to Come hear to live that had a home in the states i think mos folk would be glad to get back on the old farm for my part i would be willing to travail our journey al over to get back if we Could get back i would be will ing to stay thare the rest of my days i am detirmined to Come back some tim a homesicker person never was in santacruz than i be all the amusement that thare is for young folks is to ride a horse back i have not seen nor herd any thing of arther since we got hear this is a small place on the sia Coast grandfathers folks own a large house a bout the middle of town we Can loock out of the Chamber window and see the vessels when they Come in this place is in Creasing verry fast thare has been two stores and 43 or 4 dwelling houses built since we Come hear it is a getting dark and i shall

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be obliged to quit riting i have not heear a word from any of you since we left Julia ann if you or Eliz thinks this letter worth answering i shall be very glad for i want to hear from you all if i Cant see you give my respects to all Charlotte Rice to Miss J A Patrage and Mrs E Terril i forgot to tell Julia that i seen that young man that left his hart with her he asked a great many questions a bout her pleas direct your letters to santacruz Cal



Compliments of:
Ray W. Justus
1331 West Folley Street
Chandler, AZ 85224-7511
(602) 963-4811