1849 USA letter from Urbana OH to Lee County IA

Letter from farmer in Urbana Ohio to his brother and sister, inviting his family to move back home from Lee County Iowa to Urbana.

Mention of cooper business, land prices, cholera raging in Springfield... local deaths including a negro and railway engineer, crop prices...

Written phonetically, needs further decoding.

August 3^rd 1849                 Urbana

My deare Brother and Sister

Take this offer to inform you we are all well as --- hoping these lines may find you enjoying the same blessing . you wrot to us that you comeing back on account of your health. We would be very glad to see you in old Champaign again. I know you could make some mony here than you could make there and could make it with more satesfaction you can get the same business here that you ---before you left or you can rent land plenty or you can buy land and that whene you will have your health. The cooper stip business is beter here than it ever was. Gwynner has built a long Steam Cooper Shaft to the Depot which consumes a great quantity of stuff. It is from six to seven dollars per thousand. There is a track of land by Gansons. The Readin land all timber can be bought – 79 acres – ofered for 8 dollars per acre. The old man Ronion is very sick with spels of the Cholic and old age. It is thought he will not live long Otis was well the last we hered of him. The Cholera has been all through the County  it has been in Urbana But not rageing there was 3 deaths by it Bill Crothers and a negro at the ///

Eating house and on last Saturday a Engrner on the Rail Road. He took sick going down towards Springfield in the morning and got back to Urbana at noon and died in a few minutes. His clothes and the --hangs on -- yet. The Chief Engineer tuck it in Springfield and was just – as they – here. his name was Williams . it rages in Springfield and all of the town mostly now.

When it gets heatheny you can start you can get a house here any time. We received your letter soon but did not write. Our crops look well we are going to put in a large crop of wheat. The wheat crops faled here very much still there is plenty to do wheat one dollar corn 25 cents oats 25 & &

Mother and Elizabeth still remembers there love to you all and hopes for the day when they may see you coming home. --- this is fast day and we are all keeping it. there is but few working here today.

Andrew, --- Joseph & Aaron sends there well wishes to you all and live in hopes to see you all safely settled in your old native land.  nowing  knowing that it would restore to you good health. Your old friend all look anctously for your retorns. We seede Jim Ingle the other day and he asked  -- if we thought you was coming back//

--- is delighted to think that you are coming back and want to know the time you will get here. Vince and his family is all well and you may dipend they would like to see you coming home.  – would fly around like a lamp liter we have not heared from Mase Jim or Levi yet altho we sent them a letter when we sent you one.

Bills wife is sick with dirhea and fever.

Please write soon and keep good  --age you can get grane cheaf here 

Andrew Craig

My respects to you all and I cannot complain of my health although I can not --- But you will find none this time that does not complain.

We have been out in the country some time but still go. back and foward to the plase to work. My corn is first rate 22 acres and all the vegetation of mine is good thanks God. When you come in you must stop here and stay with us awhile. Indian is sick. You must know when you start to come. Please write soon for we will be anctous to here from you again

Remane --- your friend and lover &c

August 3 1849 Wm B Craig to S. MIlledy   

Mailed to “Sidny Milledg Lee County String Porra PO Iowa’

Postmarked ‘URBANA AUG – O’. Cover has '5' and '10' postal rate stamps

3 pages of text, folded into envelope