State Senator writes to Father mentioning Railroad through Wabash Indiana
Author
Recipient
Date Written
Sept. 8, 1852
Edward Robert Cassatt was 13 years old when this was written.
The recipient, Jacob Cassett, was 40 when it was received.
Edward Robert Cassatt died 54 years, 9 months, 19 days after writing this.
It was written 171 years, 3 months, ago.
It was a Wednesday.
Wabash, Ind.
Sept. 8, 1852
Dear Father,
I presume that my last letters with Ann’s have reached you and this is the last that I will write hoping it may reach you before you leave California. In the last we mentioned the flux had been mortal in Wabash. This disease has nearly subsided, however not without having taken of some of your old friends in the country, to wit, James Kelly & William Spalding, two of our most respectable [?] and some five or six deaths in Wabash since we wrote and after all thank God in town and country are all living and getting well. Grandma had the flux and some of Uncle John’s children had the flux, the babe in particular rather bad, but Grandma & all are now near well.
Court is now in session and we get all the news from all the different parts of the county and pretty good health is a gain restored. The season has been dry and warm. Crops of wheat good & corn crops in general rather light. I think we have some as good [?] in your bottom land as grows anywhere in this county, particularly on the Halcroft Fields. I have continued with Grandpa in the office during this summer. All the time but expects to strait to school in a week or two. Ann has likewise been employed for the last three months helping her Grandma. She will also start to school with us. Grandpa was out at Mr. Townsends with Ann on Last Sunday & Ann & Catherine had a fine play. Know one another well and Grandpap says he can hardly tell which is getting to be the prettiest girl.
But I can truly say we have all growed. I am afraid almost out of the knowledge of our Father. I weigh 100 lbs. and Ann 63 lbs. & I don’t know what Catherine weighs, but she is really fat, full faced little girl & weighs as much in proportion to her age as either of us. I[‘m] inclined to think that I have now given you the particulars & again write you & my friend Wm. Townsend to return to the town of Wabash as soon as possible and venture to say that our town has improved beyond all your expectations & now to further its improvements has in progress a Railroad leading from St. Louis to the city of New York & runs directly through our town and this road will be completed in less than three years as certain as you have dug gold in California.
Our best respects to you & Mr. Townsend, William Sleite, Sr.
By your son,
E. R. Cassatt
Jacob Cassatt & Wm. Townsend
Scans of Letter
