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Notice: all or parts of this letter appears in a copyrighted source (Emmanuels 2002) and it is presented here with his kind permission.
(Justin to Niles)
Kingston 12
Sept. 1, 1860
Mr. Niles Esrey
Dear Brother, Having occassion I address you a few lines in answer to yours of June 29th, which came to hand two days ago. It stated that you were well at the time of writing. You letter reached us in common health. We are fine in our usual way.
Jonathan talks as though he would like to sell out and return to Missouri. I haven't any idea that he can sell before next spring, for cash, if then.
I had a letter from Mr. Daniel Rhoads a few days ago. They were all well as common. Times are very hard in this country. There are so many humbugs about gold and silver in various places, that the people who are doing well leave their occupations and go in search of wealth, until many of them spend all they have. There are people prospecting on the east slope of the Siera Nevada for gold and silver from one end of the state to the other. Some have gone to Arizona. Many others are prospecting in the coast ranges of mountains. All are in eager persuit of rich silver leads or gold bearing quartz. In short, they don't work for small pay. But they have to live some how or somehow else. One out of a hundred of those men don't make anything. But the consequence is they have to be fed and have clothed on time, and two-thirds of them never pay their debts. This kind of operations drags heavily in this country.
Isaac Rhoads went to Mona Lake this spring -returned without a dollar. That place is east of the Siera Nevada Mountains, -about an east direction from where we live. We payed Dan this spring for the money that he got in Missouri. A few years ago we let Dan have cattle at $15.00 per head, taking from calves up at the same price. I don't know what we shall do yet as we are geting a fine stock of cattle on hand that will make us a good living if we are content to stay here. But it is a disagreeable country to live in, -that is, for anybody to think of remaining for life. It is a healthy country and requires but little labor to make a living, but after all I would rather live in a little better regulated state of society. We can't close out our stock and ranch without sacrificing much, so that I make no calculations effecting (a move) away from here in less than two years. But we will sell it all together or not at all. I am geting tired of this country and the stock business and am determined to sell out, the first favorable opportunity, and return to Missouri.
I would like for you to write more often. I am going to the town of Visalia tomorrow to try to collect $772.00 that ought to have been payed last January. It is almost impossible to get money in this country any- more, if you sell anything on time. I am going to vote the Bell and Everett ticket for president. There are but few black republicans in our county. but any amount of locoes.
Give my respects to the boys, and write when you get this.
Yours Respectfully,
Justin Esrey