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Auburn Placer County California April 13th 1852

Dear Parrents & Relations

I now one time more seat myself to write you all a few lines. To inform you all that I am well at present And all of 
our friends and connection that are here are enjoying the same like blessings[.] And I hope when these few lines comes 
to your hands they will find you all enjoying the same like blessings[.] I received a letter from you a few days ago 
that was written Feb 9th W[h]ich afforded me no small degree of pleasure to heare of you all being well and doing 
well[.] As I write very often I will not endeavor to write much at present[.] I will let you [k]no[w] something about 
the mines[.] as I have written to you before I will not say much about them[.] ther[e] is but one thing lacking here 
at Auburn that is water[.] I think the mines is good enough if we had water[.] I think we will have water in two or 
three months from the Bear River ditch[.] I suppose you [k]no[w] what that means if not I will tel[l] you[.] it is a 
ditch cut from Bear River to the dry diggings so that we can have water all summer[.] This is the beautifulest Country 
I ever was in[.] every thing is green at present and nice Blossoms all over the mountains[.] I wish you could see it 
but I tell you we are along ways apart and this is the only way we can here[hear] from one another is by writing[.] I 
would like to enjoy the pleasure of being with you all once more[.] 


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Dear Father and Mother 

I do not want you to be uneasy about us for we can take care of our selves very well now[.] But I tell you it went very 
hard with us at first[.] I [k]no[w] what a father and mother is now[.] Tell Borther[brother] John and the boys never to 
leave home while they are boys for I have wished myself back amany time but I have got used to it now[.] every thing I 
get I [k]no[w] how it comes so if ever I get home again I will stay there if I can[.] Dear father the next letter you 
write I want you to write me all the news[.] I want you to write to me where Uncle Thomas Biswell is liveing & Uncle 
Jonathan H is getting along and wehther he has them spell or not[.] we all want to [k]no[w] what has become of Cousin 
Durlin Wright And I would like to [k]no[w] what is the reason you don't write all about them[.] there is a good many 
little things that we would like to to[sic] [k]no[w] that you don't write[.] When you write do not be in such a hurry to 
get through with it[.] Write to us w[h]ether any of our friends are comeing a cross the plains or not and a great many 
other things to[o] tedious to mention[.] that is all I have to write on that subject[.] You said in your letter that if 
we did not come home this spring that you would like to have some money[.] I and Brother Norville is agoing to send you 
a note on Doctor John Howard of 75 dollars for you to Collect for us[.] it is drawing six per cent[.] And a Check of 
four hundred and Twenty five Dollars for you to take care of for us[.]


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The not[e] and Check will be 500 Dollars[.] And if you have use for it use it and if not lend it out to good men for us 
for if we ever do get home we will have use for it[.] We will pay you for our outfit when we come home[.] we are going 
to try and send one thousand Dollars home for you to take care of for us And loan it out at interest[.] write to me 
w[h]ether thi[e]r is any good farms around there for sale or not[.] if I ever get home I will either settle in Randolph 
or come back to California[.] If you were all in Cal I would never come back to Mo[.] that is all I have to say[.] I 
will start that c[h]eck the first of May[.] I want you to sent the Children to school all you can for education is worth 
more than Gold[.] suppose I could not write what would I do[.] I would have to get some body else to write for me[.] I 
and William Belsh is working together[.] we have be[e]n doing very well[.] He sends his best Respects to you all[.] Tell 
Uncle James & Uncle Robbert to write to him for he never has got but 3 letters since he left home[.] Tell them to Direct 
them to me for there is so many William Be[l]she here that that he never gets none[.] tell them to write them [to] him 
and Direct them Jonathan H. Biswell and I will be sure to get them for ther[e] is not but three Biswell in California[.] 
That is all I have to write at present[.] Give my best res[p]ects to all enquireing Friends[.] I Remain you[r] 
affectionate son until death[.]
 
Jonathan H Biswell and Brother

[P.S.] To you all Write long letter[s] for I love to read them[.] Please excuse all the mistakes[.]


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Dear Sisters

I will now write you afew lines to let you no I am not deat[dead.] I would like to see you all very well at present[.] 
I cannot write very good on this side[.] I want Both of you to write me all about the Girls[.] Give them my[sic] all my 
best Respects and tell them that I would like to see them[.] I was supprised to hear of James Wright being Married[.] 
tell them I wish the[m] great Joy[.] Give my best respects to his wife[.] tell them that John says for him to have a hog 
troft[trough] dug out for him to walk in when agants[again?] he gets home[.] give Miss Mary Patton my best respects[.] 
tell her that I have not forgotten her yet[.] Miss Mary G Gray the same and all of the Girls[.] Ask miss Nancy McKinney 
if she recol[l]e[c]ts the time that I was at her hous[e] when her and Miss Mary G. Gray cut a lock of my hair out of my 
head[.] tel[l] her I have a lock of her hair yet[.] tell her I am going to hold [on] too it until I get back[.] Mary Gusaw 
also[.] Dear Sisters I want you to write all the news and write often[.] tell the Girls I am comeing home to get me a wife 
and then I am comeing back to Cali again[.] that is all I have to write at present[.]

Yours Respecfully

J H Biswell

[P. S.] Sisters Tell the Children that Jonna has got a fiddle yet[.]