AMOS CONNELL

(Jan 13, 1808 - June 1899)

North Georgetown Ohio  April 7th 1873

Dear Benjamin and Hannah

I will try to write you a few lines this morning, as I feel a little better than I did the last few days, on Saturday the 8th of March I took cold, and the next day (Sunday) I had to keep my bed, and could not be up for a few days, then Asthma commenced with a severe attack, and I began to get weaker every day, and so it has continued on to the time I now write, I am now so weak that I am hardly able to walk to the barn once a day, and not able to set up alday, I began to think I will never get so that I can do any work any more.  Sarah is well, Amos and his wife and babe are well, he has pretty hard times this spring, he has to do all the feeding for me since the 6th of March, and all the shuger making he had to do himself.  I should have said molasses, for he did not make any shuger, but he made fifty two gallons of molasses, he made on shares, he got three gallons out of five, and we got two, or he got thirty out of fifty, and we twenty.  he lives in Georgetown he comes out in the morning, and goes home in the evening, he intends to farm for us this summer.  George Helwigs are well, thay [sic] have a pretty little girl.  I intended to make quite different arrangements in my worldly affairs this spring if my health had remained good, but as my health is now so poor I do not think I will make much of a change till I get better, I had made some calculations to travel some this summer if health would permit me to do so, I intended to go to Connellsville this spring to see my brother David, he is quite poorly, and not expected to live long,  Benjamin moved from Canton back to Connellsville again, because David wanted him to come back, Ben has good property in Canton he rented it away, perhaps he will come back to Canton after awhile.  I would to see you all, if you were not so far away,  I would like to have one of your boys, and one of your girls, to live with us if you could spare them,  We have remarkable fine, warm, and groing [sic] weather, and some heavy thundering last night, but very pleasant today.  I will send you ten Dollars in this letter, five for you and five for Hannah.  Amos takes this letter to Homeworth (Winchester) and get it mailed from there and have it Registered,  please let me know when you get this letter whether it come right, make a marke on one corner like I made above, or say it come all right, so that I may know that you got the money.  tell the children I would to see them.

From your Affectionate Father

Amos Connell