In great Haste we
sit down to drop a few lines to you We would have
been glad to have written a long letter to you
at this time but being overwhelmed in business
you must take the will for the deed. We are all
enjoying a comfortable degree of health, My health is about
as usual Mrs Woodruff has had some vary Ill days
since her confinement but is doing well at present Susan Cornelia is well smart & vary bright she talks
vary plain & is vary intelligent our Little Joseph
about 7 weeks old is the largest fatest child for one
of his age we have ever had & a prospect of his doing well
The work of the Lord is prospering thoughout this country
I have not yet visited Herefordshire since I arived I
have not yet had time to do it. Many judgments
are in this Eastern world as well as in America
A Ship is about starting with a load of Saints for
America viaNew Orleans We have sent up some
cloth to make little Wilford a suit of cloths we have
sent that by Br John Armstrong Tailor He will make them will
call & see you & measure him & will make the cloths
We also send as a present to Br & Sister Benbow
a peace of fine linen for your own use which
we send by Elder James Houston from Scotland
Page 2
We hear from you occasionally & little Willy by
the letters of our friends in Nauvoo We should
be glad to get a letter from you & hope you
will answer this & inform us if you received
the Bondle we sent by Elder Carns last spring
& also if you recieve the things we send by this
ship the [Linning] for your self & the cloths for willy
& give me ^us^ all the News with you & you will much
oblige us. We thought you would like a peace
of Linen so we bought a whole peace of 27 yards it
met [acrsen] that some you will find 3 yards of
flannel to make Wilford some drawers in the same
Bundle with your linen, abo another small Bundle
tied onto the large one containing some articles for
Wilford viz 3 [bososoms] , a [cofferter], a pocket handkerchief,
& SusanCornelia sends her Broth her Lion & Joseph sends
her a Box & Sister Armstrong sends him a watch
to wear with his clothes, Mrs Woodruff sent his
a Bundle with some of the Saints in the spring containing
cloth for two suits of Summer cloths & the Bundle
we sent by Elder Carnes contaned a cap, 5 pair of
Stockings 3 handkerchiefs, & a toy of horses. when you write please
inform me us if you have recieved the packages we
spoken of. We have sent wiSon Wilford a Book in his packge
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we hope he has learned to read it by this time We hope he
will have a mind to learn to read as it is an importat
thing with a child. please recieve our Love & kind respects
towards youselves & remember us to Sister Ells if she is with
you & all of your houshold & Neighborhood this enquire
after us esspecially Br & Sistr Oakey,
please write as soon as you get this & tell us all
the news with you & you will much oblige
us
aAs ever we remain your Friends & Broth
& Sister in the Kingdom of God
W. Woodruff
P. W. Woodruff
Mr Wilford Woodruff jr
Dear Son
Your Father & Mother wishes
to say a few words to you. As Uncle & Aunt Benbow
is taking good care of you while your Father & Mother are abrod
preaching the gospel we wish you to mind Uncle & Aunt Benbow
& be a good Boy learn to read well, say your prayers &
the day you are eight years old we want you to be
Baptized for the remission of yours Sins we want you to
learn & understand the gospel so that you can begin to preach
Page 4
in your early youth, kneel down before you go to bed & pray for
your Father & Mother, & Sisters & Brother that we may all live to come
home to see our Dear Wilford do not forget your Pa & Ma
if we live we will come & see you again some timee write
us a few lines in Uncle & aunt Benbow's letter & you will
much oblige your Dear Fathr & Mother
Wilford Woodruff
Phebe W. Woodruff
[written in sideways text] Copy of a Letter
To John & Jane
Benbow Sept 4th 1845 at Nauvoo