A Collection of Burtcher Letters

Dear Brother I Take this opportunity To inform you that We are Well at preasant. Hoping this few Lines Come To Hand theay May find you in Jaying the Same Blessing. yore father and yore Mother is well at preast (present). Jashua & Lavina is All well But doing no good for them Selves Now not Much for enny won elz. they are Both Single yet and I think they will Remain. yore Aunt Meary Ann Pryor is Living Washing Griffee. they All are well. July Ann Pryor Marid Man By the Name of R. Ware. He left her July 4th 1859 and has Never Returned yet. She has fin Sun. he wus 4 Month old 14th of June. She is in vernon Ct. James Ricketts and his wife has no Schildren. it is fine thing for them. they Live Hell pon earth. I living on my Sam old place. I have 70 Aple Trees out in orSchard look fine. Bare in 2 years. from New Yorke they say the Best fruit in the World. Hard Times Here. Money Skers. there has bin 2 men drouned in Griffees Slew Just Be Low whire the Old Mill Stood. Theire is A kind of Bare wust up 8 steps Below where the old Mill Stood. won wus Droned yesterday 10**oclock fore Noon. Gen man By the name Bigger. the other one 20th of June 1859. he was Hawkins Ben Simpson 18 years old. Both got of their horse by Sam means the Dutch man the first discoverry was his hors was going up the Slew Banke west from the Mill. Simpson Ris to the top of the watter 3 times Raisd No More. No Body attemted to go in after him tell he was droned. we have 5 Schildren they are growning fine Now for the Schooling thern. Robert F. Pryor is living with yor Uncle G. W. Griffee is single yet he has 20 Acres in corn. looks fine. Sends Best ResSpectz to you and famly. corn is worth 50 ct. Wheat 1.15 ctz. Bacon 10 ct. Dry cows 14 dollars. cows Tany colves 20 Dollars. Herley And famley is well. No More at presant. Re Main yors un Tell Death.

B.A. Burtcher
Mary E. Burtcher
Direct yore Letters To Baleys Creek post office osage Ct Mo. you pleas Rit To Me Soon offen if you How you getting Alon in this World. if there is enny gold ther or Not. Excuse Me for thes feue Lines the next tim I will Trie and Rite you few lines. I See in won of My letters from you that you wisht Me To let you no the Reson that James Ricketts woldent Rit To you. the Resaon why is that his wife wures the Breeches. Evry won that nos him Says that he is Just Like old Yelem you no he is fine fellow ef he is Just Like Him he dont like to pay his Debtz.

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To Edward Ricketts from his father Benjamin and sisters Levina and Amanda Ricketts

Osage County Mo November the 11 1860
My dear sun and a dopted daughter
It is threw the murses of god I have Tride to write again to you. I would sent you a leter a for this time but butcher Cep writen to you. butcher receive a letter From you in this moth. I was glad to hear from you all. you sead in the letter you sent butcher you Wonted me and your mother to live with you. I wont to com vary bad but I have plenty to Live on. but hear was a powerfull falter of Wheat crops here this yeare. Corn crops is good. In plases this has be uncommon dry sesaon. I wont you to write to me all about that part of the world. I wont to know what for chance There is to get land. here is heape of people Talk of moving thare. know I must hive you a ?bustter? of our health as for my health Is bad I had a hard spel of the feveors this faul. Myself and family are all Well at this time. my age is fiftey five the 17 of last October. your mother age is fiftey nine last September 17. Markets here Wheat on dollar pr bushel. Corn fiftey c pr bushel. poark five dollars pr hundred. a gwod horse fetch one hundred dol. A Gwod cow fetch twenty dollars. I wont you to write to me swon as this com To hand. My eyesite fale me vary much. My hand trimble. I can't write good no mor. So i ad no more but remain your father tel death.
Benjamin Ricketts

Dear Brother I take my pen in hand To let you now that Josua has had someth Like the brest complaint. I have had a bad sore leg this fall. We are all about as well as usual. hopen thse few lines will find you all Well. B A Burtcher tells me he would like to no Where you are a living in your new house or not. Father and Mother and all the balance of us would like to cum out thare if they thougt could get thare fore the Indians. they want you to wright and tell them now whitch would Bee the safetist way to cum out thare. You wanted to no ages. Mary Ellen was born September the 27, 1828. Joshua was born August 14, 1830. Edward was born June the 24 1833. James was born August 14 1835. Leavina was born June 9th 1842. you say that you raised 2 hundred and fifty bushel of Onions. I don't believe that you could find that many in this state. For I don't know of any body that raised any onions. Coffee here is 5 pounds to the dollar. Father wants to know the price of store goods Out thare. the people here has got like Hetherens. they don't care for any body but Them selves and we would like to get away from Here. What do you think a small farm could be got at out thare. wright and let us know All about it. so no more at present but remain your affectionate Sister untill death.

Leavina Ricketts and Amanda Ricketts To Edward Ricketts
You must excuse me for my bad wrighting
Answer soon

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July the 24th 1865
Dear Brother and Sister, it with great pleasure that I tak my pen in hand to in form you that I still living. I recieved a letter from you 1860 September which gave me great satistfaction to here that you was Well & doing Well. We are all well at preasant. Hoping is thez Lines carry Safe to hand they may find you in the Best of health. The ?cannescion? is well. As fare as I no your father moved To illinois Last October 1864. Moved To Scharlston illinois. Jashua & Melvina went with him. Melvina Marid A man By the Name of Samuel Jarvis. he is in the Army and has served three years & has Went in Again for three years Longer. his time will be out in 2 years from this September. the last that here from him Was in tennessee. We have had hard times here With the Rebels but we have got them subdued at last. We have had A heap of distress in coutry with the Rebels. they have Robed houses Stole Horses and Murdered our Neighbors. Last faul my house was Robed by them. My Michael B. Burtcher Went in To St. Louis the 6th of March 1864 and was received then by the head officers and the Bounty Was three Hundred and toue dollars re one Hundred out of Ossage County. he was Taking Sick with the Measles and Went to the Hopittle on the 24th day of March and then Sent for me to com and See him and I Went to See him and found him in Hapless Condition When I reached then I ?saw? no scchance for Recoverry at tall but he told that he thought he Wold be Able to go hom With Me in three or four days but I Saw no Schance at the Same time but didn't let on to himEnnything To the contrary but I then was no Schance for him. He died the 4th day of April 1864. Left us to lament his case. he went in under David A. Waters Captain of the 5th Ioway Cavelry in the union Army. I have bin a Union Man from the begining and expect To die A union Man. your Brother James Rickettz Went in the 33 rugement of Missouri voluntury and died at Hughston With the measels on the 24th day of December 1863 and his Wife is alsoe dead. She died with the Milk Leage August 29th 1863. John E. Ward died Memphis Tennessee 1863. Methias M Ward Still in the Army has bin in forty Battles and has never bin touched with A Bullet yet. John E Wards Wife Maried Jackson jenkins his Wife died in Saint louis About one year agoe. old ? Jack and they Lived two weeks To gether and parted I don't think the Devel him Self cold Live With hur. She is Living With your uncle Washington griffee he is in good Health But doing no good he Keeps nothing but trash A Bout him he has old Sherif John Pryors family to maintain and the trifling ...... you must not harbor thieves nor robbers if you want to thrive. We have had runny Wet Spells and i am Afraid wil Spile all our Wheat and outz i have fine crop of Wheat, corn, outs I out of Debt and have 130 Acres of Land 10 head of cattle 4 head Hores 12 head Hogs 6 Schildren Living Edward Washington Burtcher, Liddy Ann, Ellen, Lotty, Bolemus Augustus, Amanda after yore Wife name Sake. i wish you and Amandy Was here to take Diner With us Edward I Wold be the gladest in this Word To see you. Edward Ricketts I never heared nothing of Robert Duncan I Suppose he is in Californy if he is A Living I want you to Rite as Soon as you get this and let Me no how you are getting A Long in this Troubles Som World and How Menny Schildren have and What their names are When you Rite Direct your Letters To Lin Wood post office osage county Mo. if this Should Reach you I Want you to Rite the nam of your couty and post office and if you have had enny War out there if you Want to Rite to your Father Direct yor Letters to illinois Scharleston illinois cole county Scharelston illinois
No Mor at preasant I Remain youre until Death
B A Burtcher
To Edward Ricketts
and Amanday Ricketts
Mary Ellen Burtcher Sends hur best Respects
To you and Schildren

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May the 24 1873

Der unchel I seat my self to drop you A few lins let you knough that we are well at this tim and hope when thies few lins
comes to hand that they will find you aul well and doing well. timmes is hard here.
unchel you havent herd the deth of My pore mother yet. she died last spring with the palsy. so I will close Bi saing wright soon. Direct your letter to Bolger store osage County Mo.
E. W. Burtcher
Mary A. Burtcher

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August the 3 1874
Der Unchel it with pleshure that I Seat my Self to drop you a few linns to let you no that we air well at this tim and hope when these few lines comes to hand they will find you awe well And doing well. uncle I want to tel you that you have one more name sake in the world. I have A finne son at my house and I named him after you and uncle William haynes. I cawl him William Edward. he is going on ten months old nad can climb up to a chair or stand aloan. So I Bring my leter to A close By Saing Wright Soon and I will anser. Direct to Bolgers Store Osage Co. Mo
E. W. Burtcher
Mary A Burtcher
to Edward J. Ricketts

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December the 10 1877
Bolers Store Osage Co Mo
Der unchel its with plesher that I Seat my Self to drop you A few lines to let you no that we air well at this time and hope when this few lines come to hand they will find you aul well and doing well. unchel you route to me to let you no wher ant melvinia was. She is ded. She died last December. She died with the Child Bed feaver and the children is scatrd over the country and Sam is maired A gain. ?Cabe? Duncan wife is ded. She died last April. Sister Ellon is maired. She has bin maired A bout two yer. She maired a man By the name of Samyel Boyse. They air gitting A long furist Striat. unchel I recieved your leter and picture and was glad to see them. unchel I want you to come and see us. I want you to tel me Wat kind of chance is thare for A for man
(maybe there is another page to this letter that we don't have because he continued on another page page to his Aunt Amanda~~FMB)

Der Ant I send you a few lines. I wish I cold se you. I send my best respects to you and want you aul to wright to me and I will ancer your leter.

M. A. Burtcher
to Ant Manda ricketts
So i will close my leter by saying wright soon and often yours truly
E. W. Burtcher
to E. J. ricketts

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May the 3 1879
Bolgers Store Osage County Mo.
der Unchel aunt its with plesher that I Seat my Self to drop you A few linns to let you no that we air toBle well at this tim and hope thes few linns will find you aul well. people is just Beginning to plant corn her. Uncle you rote to me that you wanted two of Sam Jarvis children and he Ses you can have them if you will come after them. So I will close for this tim. Wright Soon and often.
E. W. Burtcher
M. A. Burtcher to
E. J. Ricketts
and famley

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october the 28 1892
Bolgers store
osage county Mo
der unchal i recieved your leter and was glad to her from you and to her that you was aul well. unchel you wroght that times was hard out their. times is good her theuir is plenty A money her and lots of wheat and corn raised her. i her lots people taulking A Bout herd times But i never hav seen eny herd times yet and i have lived in severl parts of the world. as to politicks i am A democrat But politicks nevers Bothers me. we are having fair wether her now. you tel my cosins to wrigt to me and i will ancer their leters. ant you must wright to me. Wrigt soon.
E. W. Burtcher
To E. J. Ricketts
unchel pleas tel me wher James is and his postofos Adress

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