Yes I even begin to look forth for the day when I hope and trust that I
shall behold and embrace him whom I now feal to dedicate to the Lord know
ing his calling although it I think it the greatest sacrafice that I could
make to be deprived of the society and company of my nearest friend on earth
but I think that the grace of God is sufficient for all things even to raise
me from a bed of sickness and preserve me ^and Sarah^ untill thy return which is
my sincere desire. Oh! Willford do not forget ^us^ when at the throne of grace
for we need as much grace to stand at this time of trial there are not
enough well people in Montrose to take care of the sick therefore
they suffer for want of attention—much the same in Commerce
although some have died there—and none in Montrose save a
number of children brother Pratts was one of the number— well
when you left. There have about 53 of the brethren died in Quincy
and it continues verry sickly there yet— brother Lane has lost both
of his children. brother Warren Smithswife is dead some of your
Southern acquaintance—brother Jeremiah Murphy has been here from Tennessee and wishes to be rem^e^mbered to you. I suppose that you
have learned the fate of our Island friends as I heared that you went
through Rochester was glad that you had an oppertunity of seeing
them. I received a book of brother Taylor’s writing from Springfield
with your marke or my name on it. was glad even to see that
I received a letter from home the day that you left home. the^i^r heath
was generally good accept sister Foss who was quite feeble and had been
for 2 months in consequence of lifting the old gentleman who lived with her
in his last illness he died last April. they sent much love to you and
the letter was d^i^rected to you. they much wished you ^to^ called and see
brother Ilus in N. Y. they feared that you would not know that he was
there. did not know that we had a paper from him. they wanted me
to come home and stay with them while you was gone. they wanted
you to call there on your return from England— Sister Foss would be
much pleased with a letter from you. do write me once a month for
they will seam long. I found the last page in your journal and read
it with interest. hope that you found a lock of my hair with some lines
in your trunk. Sarah sends a lock of her hair to you with a kiss by kissing
the letter. Shshe often calls pa-pa-pa- verry loud—dont you hear her. If
you have an oppertunity to get some wooling undershirts they would be much
better for you. I have been weighting to receive a a letter from you before I wrote
but feared if I weighted longer you would not get it before you left N. Y.
Yes I even begin to look forth for the day when I hope and trust that I
shall behold and embrace him whom I now feal to dedicate to the Lord know
ing his calling although I think it the greatest sacrafice that I could
make to be deprived of the society and company of my nearest friend on earth
but I think that the grace of God is sufficient for all things even to raise
me from a bed of sickness and preserve me and Sarah untill thy return which is
my sincere desire. Oh! Willford do not forget us when at the throne of grace
for we need much grace to stand at this time of trial there are not
enough well people in Montrose to take care of the sick therefore
they suffer for want of attention—much the same in Commerce
although some have died there—and none in Montrose save a
number of children brother Pratts was one of the number— well
when you left. There have about 53 of the brethren died in Quincy
and it continues verry sickly there yet— brother Lane has lost both
of his children. brother Warren Smiths wife is dead some of your
Southern acquaintance—brother Jeremiah Murphy has been here from
Tennessee and wishes to be remembered to you. I suppose that you
have learned the fate of our Island friends as I heared that you went
through Rochester was glad that you had an oppertunity of seeing
them. I received a book of brother Taylor’s writing from Springfield
with your marke or my name on it. was glad even to see that
I received a letter from home the day that you left home. their heath
was generally good accept sister Foss who was quite feeble and had been
for 2 months in consequence of lifting the old gentleman who lived with her
in his last illness he died last April. they sent much love to you and
the letter was directed to you. they much wished you to call and see
brother Ilus in N.Y. they feared that you would not know that he was
there. did not know that we had a paper from him. they wanted me
to come home and stay with them while you was gone. they wanted
you to call there on your return from England— Sister Foss would be
much pleased with a letter from you. do write me once a month for
they will seam long. I found the last page in your journal and read
it with interest. hope that you found a lock of my hair with some lines
in your trunk. Sarah sends a lock of her hair to you with a kiss by kissing
the letter.she often calls pa-pa-pa- verry loud—dont you hear her. If
you have an oppertunity to get some wooling undershirts they would be much
better for you. I have been weighting to receive a letter from you before I wrote
but feared if I weighted longer you would not get it before you left N.Y.
"Letter from Phebe Whittemore Carter Woodruff, 19 September 1839," p. 2, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed March 28, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/WGX