Transcript
Transcript for Letter in Newton Tuttle journal, 1854 April-July
De[a]r Sister, I supose you have been impatience [impatient] to hear from me: But my Circumstances have been such that I thought it would be best to get my journeys end before I wrote to you[.] We had had a verry pleasant Journey. Lucinda’s [Lucinda Susanna Mix Tuttle's] health seamed to improve after we left home. When we got to Pittsburgh we stop[p]ed 3 days, and then we went on to Cincinnati and Stoped 4 days and Lucinda's health was so good that she and some other Ladies took a walk all round the City. But when we got almost to St. Louis her health began to fail. We intended to of wrote home to you but she did not feel able and so we did not write. So we went on to Fort Leavenworth, we got their [there] the second Day of May. After we got ashore she seamed [seemed] to be better for 2 or 3 days and then her health began to fail quite fast[.] she seamed to be veery much as Elisa was when she died. Lucinda lived till the morning of 14th of May and she was no more here below. She Died verry easey and happy[.] she never had any desire to come back, she had always said that if she had the consumption[,] she did not wish to live and linger (or live on or linger) a long as many do to have her desires granted unto her. My health abought [about] the same as it was when I left home till about 2 weeks after Lucinda Died[.] then I was stricken with the Bilious fever, I was sick a bought [about] 5 weeks. Clara’s health apeared to be as good as it ever was till the 15th of June when she was taken sick and died the 23. We started out the 19th of June to cross the plains with 44 waggons 250 head of cattle and about 2 hundred persons, the next day after Clara [Tuttle] died a man Died with the cholera and the next a man and child died with the same; and since then there has not been a days (sickness?) in our camp. We arrived in Great Salt Lake the 19th of Sept. My health was good. I do not know as it ever was any better[.] I seem abought [about] 10 lbs heavier than I ever was before[.] it is a fine place; when I got in I went to the post of[f]ice in hopes to find a letter from you or some of the Folks but I could not find any for me. This is the healthyiest place that I ever was in and the puriest [purest] air[.] one can see to discern an object 20 miles here plainer than you can (1? 2? or 3?[)] miles at home. If you was here you would not be limping around as you are now. I supose you think that it is a verry hard task to cross the plains but I think it is the easeyiest part of the Journey. I never had as easey a time in my Life as I have had this summer in crossing the plains. You and Byron had better start and come out here if you want to get where it is healthy and where you could gain your health; you must write and let me know all a bought [about] the (Goths?) and what there is a going on. I have heard that Farther [Father] Mix was dead[.] Tell farther [father], mother and Caroline that I intend to write to them by the next Mail. I have scribbled of[f] these few lines in a hurry in order to get them in this Mail so I must close
Newton Tuttle