| Madison County Letters©
- 26Aug1849 Copyright 2000 Fredi Perry In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data and images may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or for other presentation without express permission by the contributor(s) (written to Caroline's husband, John A. Bingham, Esqr., Monroe, Wisconsin) August 26, 1849 Dear Sir, We are well as usual through the blessing of God although the cholera has made fearful havick all around us. St. Louis with a population of sixty thousand have had six thousand deaths in a little more than 3 months. Collinsville about 40. Bethville a great many and all the country towns have suffered more or less but it has now ceased. I hope you will not think strange that I have not written oftener. Some times it is for want to paper and forgetfulness. We expected you last fall. Perhaps is was for the best you did not come as we had the small pox in the family in Sept. but I should be glad to see you this fall. Fruit is now getting ripe. The summer has been very wet. Crop rather poor on wet ground. Please write to me where is Norman and George. Tell them to write to me. I shall soon resume the coal business for the fall and winter. The old banks fell in this summer and I have had a new one to open. The business is not done with expense an difficulty. You have undoubtedly heard of the big fires in St. Louis. 29 steam boats and cargoes. This year has been repleat in the destruction of human life from every source. Is it not wisdom to be prepared to die. Wesley Kingston, my step son, died 2 years least. Aged 20 years -------- a railroad is a bout to be made from the Bluff (half a mile distant) to St. Louis and a little town built up called Caseybille. Give my love to all ?? W. B. Churchill. |