The Gladwyns, William, Priscilla and Minnie were still in Lowville, N. Y. when they wrote the next letter to Theodore and Laurentine Conklin. The letter’s date appears as November 14, 1870, but it isn’t clear exactly where they are living. One can assume that William had been working for the cabinetry shop in Lowville, but was laid off at that time. The stationery was different from the previous letters - it was a single sheet, unfolded; however, the bottom part of the sheet was torn off as were parts of the right edges, but here is what remained:
Dear Brother and Sister,
I now sit down to write to you a few lines and let you know that we are all well as usual. Hope this will find you all the same. The weather is remarkably fine for the time of year. About a week ago we had enough snow so that the ground was white for a little while. We have had enough rain to fill the wells.
My work has about stopped for this Fall. I have a few jobs to do yet if the men get ready (sounds like he was a finish carpenter - he also made furniture pieces of which are now owned by family members) I did not succeed in buying us a place this Fall -- such a one as we would like to call home for good, so I have rented a house until I can do better.
I am going to chop tomorrow (rest of sentence was torn off) I think and hope that I won’t be troubled (torn off) was at Dexter. (probably referred to a physical problem caused by working in the woods) I think of going (torn off) and sap buckets (remainder of sentence and letter torn off) (It was possibly a referral to helping Theodore, to whom the letter was written. Might have been reminiscing the frolic of maple sugaring on the Conklin farm.)
Note: The back of the letter was written in Lettie’s handwriting, thusly:
Dear Sister,
This pleasant evening finds me seated to write a few lines (classic first sentence) to you. We have moved once more, but not for the last time I suppose. (was this an expression of disparagment?) Will could not get the place that he talked of when we were down there, (she may have meant in the Dexter, N. Y. area near where she was born) so we thought we would not buy a place this Fall. It is a very pleasant place here. There are apples and other fruit on the place. It is, after all, rather lonesome for me, as I have to be alone most of the time. I live farther from neighbors than you do, and all strangers at that. (apparently, their abode was in a very rural setting)
Do you hear anything from Mahala? (an older sister, Mahala Ackerman, who was living in Michigan) I haven’t heard from her since I saw you. I can’t see the reason why they don’t write to us. How are Ma and Harriet (her mother and sister, Harriet Rounds) getting along? Do Ma’s arms trouble her yet? It hardly seems as though I had been down there this summer. Minnie often speaks about you and the children (Herbert and William Conklin). She asks me every day if Uncle Theodore (torn off) well yet. My love to all and write as s---(torn off.)
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