Montrose Lee County May 9th 1840 My Dear Willford Think me not negligent in answering your letter when I tell you you that it about 3 weeks since I received your last communication which I was truly glad to get and perused it with much satisfaction— the most of my time since your letter came to hand has been devoted to the care of my babe for the destroyer has tried hard to get him from me but I feell as though I had the best right to him and ...

I do not know as you can find out this letter for I have to write it mostly with my babe in my armes and little Sarah around me – she calls aloud for pa-pa many times in a day but the poor child has no pa to hear her. she is quite lonely like myselfe can you not tell me some thing near when you shall y come home I shall look for you in the fall. I have written you three letters before this since you left this continent and d^i^rected them ...

out the church. Lest you may not get my letters I would just say that brother Ilus is married and sister Shuah expects to be soon. sister Rhoda Scammans has a young daughter 13 days older than my babe. brother Luther wants to come to the west but sister R does not. Did you know of the correspondence between brother Webster and sister Eunice I knew nothing of it untill he came here

Please direct your letters to Montrose as it will be more convenient for me to get them. Brother Webster s^t^arts on his mission monday morn. Good night Willford (May 25 I have just heard that N. Orleans was covered 10 ft. deep with water and it was still rising and that Nathces was entirely destroyed by a a whirlwind) I have the chills and fever yet. There is a general conference appointed in Commerce the 6 of next Oct. I hope you will be ...