Letter from Elisha Wilcox, 22 March 1855
nd 1855.
My Dear Brother
I received your letter last night and
I am now going to tell you what I have been about
The first year I bought that Ox I raized bread
enough to do me and very little to spare but wheat
fell from $5.00 to 50 cts a bushell and at the
time I came to see you you told me you could
not turn the wheat to advantage and you had
enough to serve you. It would have taken 70 bush
of wheat to have paid for that Ox besides the
hauling it to Salt Lake City My son lost
the best Ox we ever had a short time after
which left me without a team again. The
Saleratus has eaten up my crops for 3 suceeding
Summer and having to purchase my bread stuff
it has brought me to the lowest to get my
family 11 in number bread to sustain life
My prayers have ascended to heaven for the
lord to soften your heart ever since I bought
the Ox, and I should have raized you the money
last fall but my bishop called on me
