Transcript

Saint Louis January 19th 1850

Dear Sister Webster,

     You will doubt less be surprized to receive a letter from me, but I wanted to let you know that I had not forgotten you, or Sister Everatt {.} I should have written to Sister Everatt, but did not know where she was, or how to direct a letter to her, tell her therefore, if you please, she dont know what she has lost by neglicting to write to me, for I always answer my friends letters{.} Alas, my friend, you do not know how I have been afflicated seince I left New England, I have been called to part with two of the dearest ones I had upon this Earth. Anna and mother, Mother was taken sick on the 24th of September last and died the 26th of December. She suffered very much. I presume her sickness was what is termed in common phraseology. 'The Turn of Life' she was perfectly happy and resigned to the will of God. I wish you could have seen her, for in her case death was realy stripped of his terrors, every one that saw and heard her said they never saw one whose mind seemed in such a blissful state, as her’s was. She was in reality a child, You see it was not to be, that she should reach the Vally, In her sickness she spoke very often of Aunt Polly Vase.

     Emily left us last spring, and and long ere this has reached the Valley. I have heard from some Brotheren that passed them on the way that they were all well, they were in Appleby's Company, Also, was Br Farnhas family. I suppose Emily has two little ones by this time. {Ah} how she will feel when she hears of mothers death. She will be expecting to see her in the first company that goes on in the spring, We should probably go on then. I want to get out of St Louis, and yet I should prefer living here to going back east, But I was so sick last summer and the Cholera raged so bad, that I dread a repitition of the same scenes again this Summer. In all probability there will be a large company start from here in the Spring. There are nearly three thousand Saints here now, and many more comeing on from England. Then there are those at the Bluffs{.} So you see the valley will be inundated} next year, but they are ready to receive us and send word for all to come as son as possible{.} By the way, Applebys company had a terrible time from beginning to end. They were on the ill fated Monroe where the Cholera raged so bad and Aunt Sabra} Granger died. She and some other of the sisters crawled up under {a} fence and died. The authorities at Jefferson City made all leave the boat. The weather was rainy and windy, some were sick and some dying. Br Farnham got a house and took E and his wife to where she was delevired of a girl. Br Felt conciled them before they started not to go on that boat, for the cholera broke out on her before she started from St Louis, but Farnham and Appleby would go.

     I guess Ruth Sayers had a time of it, Some of the company came back, some fell out. That is, first Sayers fell out with every body and Appleby fell out with Farnham. Nobody here was surprised at any thing we heard, for reasons which I have no time to write and after all tis best not to expose too much, the fault of our Brethern. They started very late from the Bluffs as late as July-and were overtaken in the mountains with a severe snow storm which lasted three days. The women and children had to keep shut up in the waggons all the time with what they could get to eat, and they lost sixty head of cattle, but they arrived safe at last, for which I suppose they were heartily glad.

     We have had lots of Brethern here lately from the Vally with glorious news. They have established a perpetual fund to help the poor saints to gather there{.} Bishop Hunter has been here with 15,000 dollars raased there for that purpose. {He is now on his way east}. Last Sunday Jedidiah Grant preached. I wish you could have heard him. Twas the smartest serman I ever heard. Such lots of Gold as they have got in the vally.

     By the way one of the Brethren told me that WW Phelps had got gold spoons. I suppose he is not the only one. 4 of the twelve are expected here everyday. Brothers Erastus and Willard and Lorenzo Snow, John Taylor and Franklin D Richards, they with many others have been sent out for the last time. (more are to be sent soon) to the differant nations of the Earth. Some to Sweedan and Norway, some to Italy, some to France and England. Some to the society {illegible} you will see the Guardian I suppose and will hear all about it.

     I have almost used up my paper-and can tell you but little more. Br Felt and wife are well, she has been quite sick all summer has got a daughter Ruth Wellington is living in Alton keeping home for a lawyer. I heard she was quite sick, but suppose she is better by this time-I heard there was a story afloat in B{--}ter that Ruth Sayers lost all her things. Well tis no such thing I saw them all here, and saw them taken on board the {illegible} tis a shame for her to impose on Aunt Polly so, but tis just like her. Remember me to Aunt Polly and to Sister Everett how much I should {like too} see you both. I do sincerely trust you will get here, you don't know what you lose. Tell Sis Everett to write to me, it would give me so much pleasure, and do write to me yourself. Pray excuse my wreched scrawling. I fear you cannot make it out.

     With much love, I subcribe myself. Your very affectinate sister, in the Gospel,

Anne E Wilson.