Salt Lake City Great Bason
North America
Dear Br & Sister Woodruff
with pleasure I set me down this morning in
great hast to address you a few lines from
which Leaves us all in good health Except myself
I have had a short addttacts of the mountion fevar
cussed by exposier on my Journey to sweet water
& back where I met the companies the 26 day of Sept ^August^
I was also much Exposed to cold in the Salt Lake
Since my returne. Mrs Smoots gener^a^l health
is much the same it was in winter quarters
Father Woodruffs health is some better at this
time than it has been since he has been in the valy
Yet he feels dizcuraged in meny things & often
wishes himself back to the East where he could
have some comforts the remander of his days
BJames Bevin who you Left in charge of your
Buness has actterd Eevery thing but the part of
a Gentleman with the old man. The wolves Eat
the mans corn Last winter by neglect of hurding her
regular which I was unable to have attended to myself
haveing a house to build & other buness that I was
a blessed to attend to. Your oter Bevin had two good
Cows in his charge that he took out on the farme
& milked & Left the father Woodruff perfectly destitute
of milk & Butter only as Iwe furnished him
I repeatedly requestied him to Let the old man have a
a cow but he refused as often. I then complaned of him
before the council & their compelle ^him^ to let the old
man have a cow. With my assistence Father Woodruff
Saved Last fall 3 acres of wheat & 2 1/2 of rye, but
it all didnot Yeald him 12 bushels of grain which
has bredid them up to this time & some 2 or 3 bushels
Left for Seed a po[r]tion of which Bevin clames
he also ^clames^ one half or 2 thirds of the corn crop for which
he has commenced a Suit, if he obtaines it it will Leave
the old man vary Scant of breadstuff. Bevin says he
has nothing more to do with you only to retain posses
ion of one of those roomes you built untill he
gits his pay for the building of them. That deprives
Br Benbow of going into Eather of them. Consequen
tely he refuses to take charge of your goods & they Lye
Just as they did the Last year Exposed to the murcy of
whom soever Bevin is disposed to quarter their in
he however tells brother Benbow that he may come ^the room^ in
with him in according to your request in the Letter
you wrote to him. Br Benbow says their was no such
understandings between you & him. & he willnot submit
to Live in a room with Eny Man I dont know yet what
disposition will be made of your good. Was they intrusted
to my care I would remoove them from that house
but what course Br Benbow will take I know not
Bro Pulsapher Benbow & myself gave them a brief
Examanation & found them in good order & we conclud^ed^
they was all there with the Exception of 1 new we
of which the bill spoke that couldnot be found
father Woodruff wished me to to informe you that
you was incorrectly informed in relation to his se-
lling you tooles he has only sold 3 whipsaw files &
2 handsaw files that he found in a box that he broke
open to Look for his saw, he also wishes me to informe
you that Mary Jackson Doesnot desire Leavening his house
the present year although she sayes she requested
the book of [decorum] ^privlege of leaving the old man^ & you grantidit. If she stops
at your fathers a nother year their will be no other way
than to sell property for her mantainence for Father W.
has not half enough to surstain himself & sister
Edwards the present year. Br Benbow is not situated
to help Surport the family Br P. does not seem to feel
much responcibility notwithstanding he is foreman in the
commity he has setled with Br Hebers ^family^ haveing been [page torn]
ointed in giting the Lot Lake of far him by you
I am Destitute of means & have a Large family to sur-
port by the Labor of my own hands. We are all destitute
of clothes prety much, & dry goods is from 2 to 500 percent
higher than in the states, hence it will be all that I can
do to Keep the old man & sister Edwards in provisions if
they should Lack Evrything. Z You have one yoak of catle
& a goverment ox that Br Benbow drove in Left yet
& one wagon neather of those oxen are fit to beef
this winter, yet your folkes will be under the neces
ity of haveing some meet this winter. I wish you to
wright to me by the spring mail & let the Commity
know what property they had best dispose of in case
Mary Jackson should stay in your family for surport
I will close on this sheet & finish my remarks on the
Second Sheet. Yours with respect, A O Smoot
[sideways text] A. O. Smoot Salt Lake
Oct 9=10=1848
Answerd April 10 1849
sent by W. I. Appleby
no alteration yet
J. B.
[Kane Ioa]
Dec. 20, 1848 10
Mr Willford Woodruff
Boston
Mass [end of sideways text]
[upside-down text] P. S. If you please you may also send me a few quiers of paper
& Som ink as such things cannot be easyly obtained hear
Do not forgit some opium for the old man for he cannot live with
out it that I have saw prooven he becomes raven mad he has never been
out of opium except when he went to Salt Lake with me & forgotit
I think he useas it prudently. [end of upside-down text]