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Identifier
jc18741215
Date
12-15-1874
Description
Two separate letters from Will McBride - one was to an unidentified brother in which he asked his brother to take care of the details of selling his part of the estate. The other letter was written to the men's parents and Will tells them about the state of farming in Jewell County in 1874.
Physical Description
Four pieces of paper measuring 5" by 8" and one envelope measuring 5.3" by 3.1"
Rights
This material is in the public domain.
Publisher
Digitized by Forsyth Digital Collections.
Repository
Recommended Citation
McBride, Wilson, "Letters written by Will McBride to his parents and to his brother" (1874). Kansas Territorial Documents. 13.
https://scholars.fhsu.edu/tj_ks_territorial_docs/13
Language
eng
Transcription
Rubens Kansas Dec. 15th 1874 Dear Parents, Having some spare time this morning I thought it might be profitably employed in writing to you, though it has not been very long since I last wrote to you. Times are not improving here any but on the contrary are getting worse, many who thought they would get through all right find that when they are compelled to feed wheat to all their stock that it will take more than they have & more than is in Jewell County. There will not be seed wheat in Jewell County next spring let along bread & feed. Though most of the stock can do well on grass but hogs will require some feed. I have eight head of splendid shoats that I am trying to winter. I want to build a large pasture for them & by that means will greatly reduce the expence of keeping them. The hogs that were killed here for meat this fall were in a miserable condition. Many of them did not contain lard enough to fry themselves in taking the ribs out of one of mine I had to cut to the skin [illegible]. There was not a particle of meat between the ribs and skin, but I think I will have enough to get through an if I Have no misfortune & I think there is not the least doubt but we will get sufficient grain for seed through the patrons of Husbandry, and Grange in this county having already received three car loads (900 bu) of seed wheat, our Grange will make application at its next meeting. So if I have a team of my own I would be in good circumstances. I wrote to Thomas at the same time I wrote to you for that box offering to give him a discount of 13% if he would advance me my share of what was still due from the estate but I can not even hear from him. Wheather he will do it or not, I see by the advertisement in the Shield of the Savings Bank of Mansfield that they buy notes & other good paper. Now I don't think it would be any thing wrong to apply to them. I am willing to give them 12% of the principal and all interest that may accrue after they purchase this will furnish me a team & some cattle & feed my hogs till I can raise feed for them. You advise me to try it another year. This is what I want to do, for I know this is a good country & such failures as this year only happen occasionally & are liable to happen in any country, but unless I can get a team I can not stay. I think if Samuel Barr would spend a little time in my behalf he could make the arrangement so much Desired & of so much benefit to me & another reason why I wish it is this by coming every year in small payments I do not get enough at a time to do anything with, & it is just lined up & I do not derive any practical benefit from it; I will still pay you the interest due you. I have ten & ½ acres of splendid [illegible]. Do what you can for me, & let me know as soon as possible what you can do. The health of all is good at present. I heard from Alvin last week. He was well & doing well. I think he will be Back next spring. Give our best wishes to all Yours Truly Will & Maggie P.S. I did hate to tear up & leave in the spring, & by so doing I will be compelled to sacrifice lots of furniture that I now have & then buy again at a big price, besides I can not for years put any improvement on my farm & if I get a team next spring I can keep right along with the country. Maggie say tell Mother & Sister Sue, she can not thank them enough for the good things they sent us. They tasted so good after being without such things so long (continued to the top of page and upside down) & that she would be most happy to see all of you Rubens Kans Dec 15 / 74 Dear Brother, I have just written to Father, asking him to try & sell my interest in the estate there to the Mansfield Savings Bank, with a request to you to attend to this, if you can do this for me you will confer a favor that I will always remember. I think you can sell it for 10 per ct if not give them 12% & they may have all the interest arising after they purchase it, & I will still pay Father's interest I wish you would see to this for me. I wrote to Thomas some time ago about it but I can not ever hear from him. Barney Burns is the President of the Bank & I think if you would apply to him the sale could be made. The health of all is good I have written all the news to Father. Please reply soon. Yours Truly W P McBride (Written in pencil) Rubens Kansas Jewell Co DPO 1871-1900 Mr. Alex McBride Lucas P O Richland Ohio Cancellation stamp has Rubens Kan. Dec 15
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