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Auburn Cal May 9th 1852

Dear Parrents and Relation

I now seat myself to write you all afew lines to inform you all that we are all well at present And I hope when 
these few lines comes to your hands they will find you all enjoying the same like blessings[.] I have not much to 
write at present as times are dull at present[.] I would like to see you all very well[.] I have not received any 
letters from you for about one month[.] I have done answered the last one I received from you[.] I am looking for 
one every day from you[.] I want you to write to me once or twist[twice] amonth without fail[.] all the boys are 
well as far as I [k]no[w] that come from Randolph[.] William D Malone started for home yesterday[.] I sent four 
hundred and forty seven Dollars in gold by him to pay to you for me and I sent a note on Dr J. H. Howard of 75 
Dollars[.] I want you to collect that for me[.] I want you to take care of all that money for me[.] Three hundred 
and sixty three Dollars and 70 c[en]ts belongs to me and one hundred $58.70 cts b[e]longs to Norville[.] the 
[w]hole amount note and all is $522.40 cts[.] 


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Mr. Malone will pay it over to you as soon as he gets home[.] Dear Father I want you to use it if you want to[.] 
if not loan it out at interest to good men for I tel[l] you I worked hard for it and I do not want to lose it[.] 
The reason I sent this money to you is that I thought you might need some and Tobacco was cheap and money is hard 
to get in Mo[.] I want you to take good care of it for us[.] I [would] rather you I have written in the last letter 
I sent you what to do with it[.] I wrote to you that I was going to send you a cheque but I give that out and as 
Mr Malone was going home I thought that I would send it by him[.] he paid me 17 Dollars per ounce for it[.] that 
is all I have to say about money as my mind is bothered so that I can hardly write[.] I think this the 
awkerest[awkwardest] letter I have every written to you yet but I will try and do better the next time[.] so I 
want you to excuse all mistakes and I want you to write me nice letters for every one I get the boys all have to 
see it for I am all the one that gets letters regular[.] I want you to b[u]y the children all a present for me[.] 
tell them that I said you must b[u]y them a pocket knife 


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or something else[.] Dear Mother you need not to be saveing but[t]er and eggs for to make us [pound?] cake yet but 
the first thing you know Jona will be at home[.] So I dont want you to be uneasy about us for we are fat and saucy 
yet so I hope to see you all again in this world[.] that is all I have to write at present[.] I hope you will not 
show this letter to any stranger for it is badley written[.] I want you to write on the reception of this fail not[.] 
Write all the news[.]

Yours Respecfuly

Jonathan H Biswell
N. B. Biswell

[P.S.] To John Biswell

Please excuse all the Mistakes and Write

To Mary and Dilly

I expect you both will be married before I get home[.] if you do get married get a good man[.] when I come home I am 
going to bring you bothe avery fine ring[.] I am going to have them made out of pure Gold and I am going to have one 
made for my dina[.] Give the girls all my best respect[s.] tell them that I would like to see them[.]

J H Biswell