to his daughter and son-in-law, dated 1853.
I have chosen to transcribe the letter as closely as possible to the way it appears, rather than update it too much for spelling and grammer. Please be advised that spelling was not standardized at the time, and phrasing was commonly used with which we are not so familiar.
Reuben was living in Howard County in north central Missouri, where he had homesteaded some years before. He was writing to his daughter Nancy Jane and her husband Zachariah William Elkin. Zachariah's family had homesteaded in the same area. But at the time of this letter, he and Nancy Jane were residing in Linneas, Linn County, just a few counties to the northeast of Howard. They had two children, Annie b. 1858 and John b. 1854. Between 1859 and 1863 all left with a wagon train for the fertile plains of the West. Nancy Jane and Zachariah settled in Pueblo County, Colorado and lived there until their deaths.
The letter mentions several family members and neighbors. One other interesting note is that Reuben mentions daughter Parthana being very ill and bedridden. We know that she did not marry and died at age 33, three and one half years after this letter. She was their eldest child. Reuben himself lived only another ten years, and died in Howard County. Wife Ann Frances Peacher lived until 1896 and died in Audrain County MO.
Outside of letter. The letter was written on a large piece of paper and folded in half, making four pages, front and back. To mail, it was folded in half once again, so that the only blank page functions as an outside. It appears to have then been sealed with a wax seal.
It is addressed:
Linnaes ( sic ) Linn
It bears a stamped postal mark:
Fayette
June the 12th 1853
Dear Son and Daught
I hope when these few lines come to hand may find you well and doing well. The health ( ? ) are generally good. There was a case of information on the country it was Mr. John Flemeng ( sic ) he died yesterday morning and buryed in the evening you rite come and see us. We heard frome Mr. Hendrick and they were all well and Sarah Ann has joined the Methidiths ( Methodists - The Peachers were probably Baptists. Reuben's daughter Sarah Ann had married James C. Hendrick in 1847. John Brown, below, married Reuben's daughter Elizabeth in 1843. ).
We heard from Mr. John Browne and they wer all well and they have another fine son and that his names Reuben.
I saw your father at cort and they are all well. Crops are generally good. So no more only remembrance untill Death.
( Signed with a flourish ) Reuben Peacher
The letter continues . . .
Dear Brother and Sister I set down this morning to informe you that we are all well and I hope when these few lines come to hand may find you well.
You must come down and see us and our find son. We call his name William Jasper. He was born March the 3, 1853.
Sir you say we made the trip tolable ( tolerably ? ) quick and we did. Sir do you ever think you will ever make the trip. I think it doubtful. You must rite when you get these few lines.
( Signed ) James J. Peacher END
The end of the letter is a note from Nancy Jane's brother James and his wife Elizabeth Amick Peacher. James had married Elizabeth the year before. He died in 1861, eight years after this, at the age of 31.
County MO to
Mr. Z. W. Elkin
Jul 3
Howard County MO
Elizabeth Peacher
Reuben and family tree
More and a photo on Nancy Jane
Land patent records search
Put in your zip and ancestor name and click "Search Land Patents "
Land patent records search
Put in your zip and ancestor name and click "Search Land Patents"
Genealogy Society of Central Missouri
Howard County MO genealogy resources Linn County MO genealogy resources
| Email us. |
| Other useful links for the genealogist. |
| A little history. |
| Peacher Family Connection home page. |