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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Wards Grove - Jan the 30th 1852
Dear Husband
once more I would in dever to commune with you by the way of writing in hopes that it will not be in vain. yet I have writen a great meny letters it seems you have not got them and you may not get this if you start home in march. I will continue to write until I hear from you again I know it would be a greate satisfaction to you to read a letter home for it is a greate consulation to hear from friends most dear that are at a distance these fiew lines leaves us all well at present and hope tha will find you in good health good sirites and good fortune and satisfied of California I recieved aletter from you the 10th of Jan. was written Nov the 3rd and 5th and was maled at N.Y. there was a draft within it to the amount of $500 for which I was thankful to recieve but for my part would rather you would have used a part of it in coming home I -as looking for you home and on seeing your letter maled -t N.Y I thought you was on your way home but on reading the letter I found I was sadly mistaking I hope you will not prolong the day of your return again and if you was a going to California again I think I should go with you for all staying behind again most every one thinks you will not come be fore next winter tha think if you stay throw the wet season you will throw the dry I hope that will not be the case for why should we be thus sepperated for the sake of gold in california when we could have a comfortable living here and enjoy each others company in our family circle which would be spent far happyer then at the present. but dureing your abcence I have past the time as wull as I cold and borrowd as little truble as posable and trusted in the providence of god for your safe return and should you stay another year I hope you will start for home as son as the season of the year will admit and be healthy there are grate danger in emigrating in warm wether on the acount of colery and other diseases there are a grate mey that die on there way in the winter some get as far as st louis and some to N.Y and die
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Our friends are wull as far as I know except Henson Foster his health was rather poor wen I was there I heard from him a fiew days after and he was no better he had taken cauld but was not dangerously sick Thomases health has not been so good as common but is gaining he was as smart the first part of the winter as he has been since he has been sick we had very cold time he stured out to much and caught could the wether is very changeable we have had some very cold wether but is now warm and cloudy I went to galena the 19th of this month it was called the coldest day that has been for five years I went in to draw the money on the draft that you sent and had no truble in drawing. got ¾ of acent premium I had Samuel Tyrrell to go with me and assist in drawing the bisness and see that I got hold of no bad money I thought he would be as good a hand as I would get Lucy and Lige and George wen in with us Samuel wanted Lige and Lucy should get the papers and have there bisness dun up but tha did not I expect tha are waiting for you to come home I do not know what else Lige and George is at the timber boarding at Hensons and choping Lucy is teaching school in the Edwards district her school will be out next week Mary Bixby teache our school you still in quire about Mary Dows boys and girls tha have a fine boy will be a year old the 27th of next May I have writen this a number of times and a great many other things that has happend since you left that is no news now Roxy Lion and Samuel Johnson was maried the day you left the timber uncle bixby and the widow millet was maried the fall after you left M. Tyrrell and N Gunsolly was maried last June the 21st had a fine girl the 27th of december tha prosper well in the family line when that is said all is said tha are at Aldens yet tha moved from here las apr I have not yet metioned Abigail she is a prity girl concidering he chance she says her pa is in california and will come home and see abby and mother again and bring her a gold chain and mony and candy
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Lepper has got home and has don very well he bought home two thousand dol sure and how much more I do not know he was 47en days from the time he left his cabbin until he got here he said he see Rolins the day or be fore he left he left the 7th of dec and rolens a said he saw you and arther and george ashort time be fore at nevada we have not had a letter from arther since he wrote in your letter book I must draw my letter to a close give my respects to george and arther keep a good portion yourself write of ten once amonth if no oftener you said in you last letter that you felt as though you was sepperated from everything that was sacred but remember that god is every whare present and if you call upon him with a pure heart he will hear and hearken unto you and supply your many wants may kind heaven smile upon you and bless you with asafe return home is the prayrs of your affectionate wife good by
Elizabeth J Tyrrell
Hiram Tyrrell
Esqr Samuel Tyrrell has written one put it in the last mail he said he would see if he could get a letter to reach you Mr Grays folks write to Orren evry month he gets their letters and they his Osburn has got some from California brought news that Pickering was dead but his Wife does not believe it Mrs P. is well and the rest of our Neighbors it is a very healthy time here Levi Bixby was here last fall he lives at Niles in Michigan he said he was going back East and meant to get that money in England they have got awakened about it in trying to get it I dont know how they will prosper but I think the prospect is rather dull at present
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your Father has got his Land warrent has not laid it yet any where I think if you come home this spring he will wait until you come would like some of your advice about it I expect that Alden and Ardain have lost theirs they say the railroad takes it. Silas Pross has got out here he says that his brother Arad and some others are coming out in the spring he likes the western Country much Stephen K Blanchard has got home from California poor health no money I feel very thankful to hear that you enjoy good health it is a great blessing we have all been blest with good health since you left home we all pray for your safe return in the spring
Abigail Tyrrell
A fiew lines more as there is yet room I forgt to tell you in the firts part of my letter that I had paid James Blair his mony I gave him $140 in cluding the note and let Samuell Tyrrell have 225 for one year at 15 per cent and 5 percent paid back and he gave his timberland in securety I let Thomas and Father have a small amount I think I shal buy two cows if I can get hold of good ones at a fare price I think that would a better plan to use the prophets of the cows then to pend money for nesessaries I want to keep some by me in case of sicness
Elizabeth J Tyrrell
Compliments of:
Ray W. Justus
1331 West Folley Street
Chandler, AZ 85224-7511
(602) 963-4811