uderwl.html

Underwood Family Letters
submitted by Robin
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Robin's notes: Edward must be going through Nebraska on his way to Washington

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june 9th(?) 1864

Dear father, I this eavning take my pen in hand to let you know that I am
Well at presant and hope these few lines Will find you all Well. Well pop Wea are
15 miles below ft laremy camped on the plat River botom the folks are all
giting some grub this is the helthist spring that evr was a on the plaines We
have not seen but five or 6 graves since Wea crost the River Well pop I had a
shot at a Bufalw I I shot him through the kidnies but he got away There Was 13 in
the gang and that is all I hav saw I must stop and go to super Well I feal
some beter I put a pot of greanes a Way and one half agalon of milk Well pop We
have had one stampeed it was on the night of the (n?) 25 of may Wea found our
stock the next Day about 12 oclock Wea have had very nice Weather so fare
We(ll) I Did not stand gard til Wea got a few (from?) fort carney it is Raning
know
give my best Respecs to all old friends Sonomor at presant
from Edward Underwood to John Underwood

Well Mom I thought I would Right you afew lines to let you know that I have
not forgot you yet Well Mom I thought you Would forgitme but if you dojust look
up on the Wall
well John you must looke out I hope you I hope you Will have A good time this
summer you must keep a {(these next few words I'm not really sure of!!!)lite
ass and aslif prick} there is anuf girls in that place to Run you and Riley to
Death

Right to Salt lake
Right to Ame and tell him that I am coming to that land

I amon gard to night

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Robin's notes: This letter is hard to read in some places because of tears in the letter from the folds. There is also a very strange message at the end of the letter that I can't figure out. Apparently Edward was not sure John and Mary would know either. When did Jeremiah die? Who might Jery be?

And alls Well
Febuary the 21 1866

I hope this Will find you all Well pop I have nothing to right to you Jery
and I is here a lone we started in last fall to chop wood but the snow fel so
Deep that we had to stop it fel five(?) feet and three inches it has settled
down to 3 feet I think it Wil go of now it is the pretest weather you ever seene
Well we got a leter from ben he said that they hade bin up ther he said you
all hade a good time I hope you did Jery wonts to now if you folks has for got
how to right I should like to now sadyes(?) first ?????????????????
(unreadable line)
I have not hade a leter from g. w. D since I left home I got a leter from
Wigans saying(?) em(?) nate and buck em(?) if you can you must buck fight (?) or
hold the candel while the right (unreadable word) good By I shal not right a
gain til I hav something to write a bout

From Edward to Underwood
&
John Underwood

We Would like to have som potografes from that cuntry Wel I wil tell you how
big I am I am 6 feet and 3 inches and 3/4 hi and way 187 lB and a gusty felow
on wheals

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Robin's notes: (This is the part I can't figure out. It is circled. Might it be a native language?)

cubit alta
cliken six
clonas mika
Wak comtiex

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Robin's notes: Do you underatand that note? I have only pages 5, 6, 7 and 8 of this letter, so I don't know when it was written or for sure by whom?

No 5 When the River began to Freeze I left 5 min with the trains I tuck the
Rest of the out fit With me & struck out for wrangle wehad a big Knoo with us
to 11 of us got in I (ink spot) the Boys good By the ice was a Runing like hell
all way we Wint a mong it you just bet your life mishe there wase some Pail
faces in the Knoo once in a while she went down among that ice like hell we was
Running a bout 10 oclock at night our Knoo struck a big peace of ice & split
her self open at the Bow for about 10 feet
No 6 then there was damd told scrambling mishe I am not very scarry But just
then I would like to have bin som old farmers Barking dog But we got to shore
by baling like hell all right & cold & no fire I (could?) not make the green
wood Burn so we Dansed a Round all the Rest of the Knight the snow was a bout
18 inches deep & as cold as hell the next morning we fixed our Knoo & maid
wrangle that day all right Butt the hungriest Boys mi father Ever Raised then i
staid at wrangle 2 months
While Lear was (can't read word to faint)
No 7
I had a good time While the old man was gon to maik up for mi hard trip not
mutch to do and lots to eat and drink we had bin at wrangle a bout (ink spot)
days when the Boys got down with the trains all wel and harty But looking Prety
Rufh we had to get them over the River to Wrangle Whitch is a bout 6 miles
Wrangle you know is an
Island so we took 2 Big Knoos put them a bout 12 feet a Part and laid a good
Flore over both I got Them over on them) to be continued in our next Thoes wil
be published once a month until the story is finished
No 8
A Litel a bout Home we have had a very nice spring cropps is doing nicely in
this Part if the cuntry our ball grain is in Bloom Isablla & the (ink spot)
has gon down (to the?) (valley? ink spot) to dig som indian Waptoes whitch means
indian Potaoes or some other kind of a rute a tube Amos is down at Wind River
Building a Helat Baad (Hotel ????)
Jefferson & mi self is halfing out wood Jeb has taken mi henry and gon out to
Kill a Bare i think i wil have some Bread & Butter half past 12 oclock old
Eck

That is the end of page 8

No 1

White Salmon W. T.
December the 26 th 1875

and all is well nd the goose was(?) bige
well Mish it has bin some time since I rote you aletter so I that I would
drop you afew
lines for it is crismas time and all foks is free we are all well and hope
this will find you all well & doing well this is Crysmas came along uesterday
and brot snow with it sunday to day & snowing like hell6 inches deep we had
alittle cold snapp about the 8th & 15th of November & then the snow was 12 inches
deep it all went off the weather verry warm till now the grass has growed 6
inches the hills is green as summer I fed the cattel this morning the weather is
till warm I fer you can't say the same of Iowa now Mishal I want you to rite
me aleter as soon as you get this and give me the news in general I have not
herd from pop & mom since they left Sanfransico only the Advertiser said unkel
Johney Underwood had got home on the 13th the paper came in 10 days we was
glad to here they landed safe the night they got to frisco the old ship pasiffic
struck another ship she sank immediatedly & lost all except one man was picked
up 200 drowned 200 passengers going from victory to frisco the other crew
said both ships lost

I was verry fraid they had done as lots of others did go to victoria & there
get on Board the pacific but I got a card from pop at fricsosaying they went
on the A??? then we was all in good spirits so I came from the Dalles friday P.
S. had my old keg filled with No 1 whiskey & I make this mark (this next
sentence is upside down with a line to it) as I lay the pen down to drink happy
crysmas to you all and will tak another snort newsyears day wishing you all good
luck

Amos Underwood to Myshal Underwood

well pop the little fellows all wants you & mom to come back again they want
you to send them some Song ballets they are always humming the old songs that
you sang the is hardly a night but they wonder what gran pop & gran maw is
doing
Isabelle had a Baby the 14 December it wayed 9 1/2 pounds agirl it is
I got aletter from Edward Crismas eave it was Rote the 7th Dec & all well he
was lamenting to think he but so few days with you folks after you coming so
fare to see him he thinks of trying the gold Mines in the spring he sais they
are verry rich mining(?) down the Delure or Ma cinary(?) River away beyond the
Stickean Mines so we will not see him for one yeare he said the old man Lear
would bee down to fortland in January & would come up and see us so will write

well pop you wanted me to tel you what was going on well you no them two
fellows that i was showing the Salmon River the same fellows that we helped eat
the Mellon on the Rock well they had at that verry time maid up ther minds to
settl the coloney at Hood River they went tp Salem & got all the vacant Lands on
dog River flat went to
T(P)ensynainy(?) & ill(?) and 100 soels started for Hood Riv parkerst the
largest man was ther president he tuck sick started at omahaw the other Mr. Allen
he came on with the crowd they landed heare on the 10 Novem in a storm came
on the a gall(?) as you(?) get off parkerst died his family & relatives came on
last week the frst ones that com in the storm died not like the cuntry But as
the snow went off & the weather got so fine they likeit very well they is
some coming ever day or so lots to come in the spring the main capitals comes
next fall as they cant sell so quick Big property they are some Bying some
Renting and they have butt a Barrall(?) in the Branch jist below Watsons orchard
allen has bilt astore jist ut side ruotsons(?) gate goods verry cheap bell is
(ringi)ng papa yes take adrink Supper is Ready

the coloney has elected Watson president and he is also acting Real estate
agent gets 5 percint for seling peoples land to the colny & he was elected
president of the oregon state fare and gets paid to go to the Sentinial Fare next
year pasage and exspences all paid so I think all he has to do to get to bee
president of the united states is to jist say the word & in he goes he will sale
hour places as soon as we can get the titels the survey does not make the
returns in the offic til next spring
and then 6 month later we can enter and get titel so I think I will send for
edward to come home in the spring and not go to the Mins they will be lots
doing heare next summer they are going to bild Locks on the cascades next summer
and they talk of putting on a line of steam Boats next summer the Walwalla
gives 60 thousand Dollars to the william & company and Binds them to run
oposition Boats 5 years at half the price is at present they maid a trial trip the
other day they came up to the cascades falls stuck the Boat rite up to the main
falls in 200 feet of the upper side
wheare Boats can go and meet them so that will bee averry shart portageand by
fall they can hav that much Locked and canaled then they can run from
portland to the
Dalles I had my trial put off til next term of cort Al????y was my main
witness and he was gon in the upper cuntry I have not heard from va(?) ever since
you left we have not hunted any sence bin verry busay plowing & sowing we are
going to kill Hoggs to morrow we killed 9 head some time a go they were verry
nice now I cant rite half wat I want to in one letter but some of you must rite
every little while and I will do the same tel Mame the Big hill is jist the
same & the old Mare has not had the colt as yet give my respects to all the
folks & enquiriing friends 8 oclock snow 10 inches

Amos Underwood

to John Underwood + all well the weather warm the snow going off so as I go
across the River this morning to take the old man J(?)arison a Hogg I will put
this in the office this 30th Dec 75 so good Bye for this time I was 180 lbs
and feel bully good Amos Underwood

I am so surprised that the families seemed to visit so much back and forth. I
guess I thought they never saw each other again, till the early 1900s. John
though, does seemed to have made the trip at least twice.
This letter is a fun one. It mentions several tibits of info that is
interesting. It took two days for him to write this one. I thoguht it was funny that
Big Bare is capitalized and amos is not.

Samanis county WA
April 15th 1882

Dear Father we recieved your welcom leter a few days a go and was glad to
here from you once more. we began to fere something was rong it had Bin so long
since we hearde from you the advertiser has not come into hand for some time so
we had no means of knowing enneything about the old folks at home
Now father and Mother you spoke a bout coming out here again Now if you think
you can stand the trip come right a' long Now i dont want to advise you to
take the long trip against your wil But if you think you would Enjoy your selves
out here beter that you Would there y just come alonge you said it cost
somutch money to make the long Journey out here Now I should like to know hoom has
a beter right to spend that money than old Johney underwood so long as he
enjoys him self Now thoes are the sentiments of the Rub Boys a long ways from
home.
Wel father we have bin pretty Busey this spring we have in about 30 achers of
grain got considerble garden maid cleared up a bout seven achers New land we
have fenced in most all of the flat we have built about 1 1/2 mile of fence
this spring Just got through this eavning at 3 oclock
The litle gun lies up in the rack Durty and Rusty haven't taken it down but
Buisiness be fore pleasure But i think i wil be able to give you some hunting
Exploits this fall supper is reddy good night

May 28 1882

Sunday morning and all is well
Isabella and the Chidren all went ou(t) to gather strawberries and bing a
Lone and lonsum i thought i would Finish mi leter
now father you wanted to kow Where our ditch was coming from We bring it
friom a creek 3 mile bac(k) of our place we call it Buck creek Be cause the old
Bucks colect there in the Fall We have a charter for the ditch obget of the
dithc is to get the right to the watter the ditch comes Rite through the thick
timber all the Way. it comes Rite close where the Big Bare had amos up the tree.
so you se that timber has to come o(out?) Be fore long and that water has got
to bring it. we wil just sell the privlage to use the water ti enney one that
wants to Bring o(out?) timber.
you wanted to know
Wel father if that chunk that you set on and waited for amos and the dog was
on the
bauld point yet yes it is there Every time i pass it i stop and think about
it and wonder if we will ever se that site a gain.
Oyes the Rail Rode is completed from the Dalles to the cascades and the
trains just
going whiping.
Amos is at the dalles with the flat boat

Ed Underwood
to his Father + Mother

Virginia was the only daughter of Amos Underwood. She was born 1864.

White Salmon
Jan 5th 1882 W T

Mr Myshel Underwood

Dear Uncle

I seat my Self with Pleashure to write you afew lines. I never wrote you
aletter before nor eny one of your Family how many Children have you.
We are all well at the Presenting time hope when these few lines comes to
hand they may find you and your family all enjoying good health It has bin
raining all day very hard. we have bin haveing a nice winter warm weather nearly all
the thine (time?)
alittle snow wonce in awhile the most we had was between Christmas and New
Years. it It was about 12 inches It is all gone now. Father Is at home the boat
is tied up this winter.
I will send you my Picture I had it taken last fall. you never seen me but
you can look at my Pict It Is just my Picture. I am tall and Slim am 5 feet 5 in
highth. weigh one hundred and thirty dark brown hare and eyes. I yousto be
very unhealthy but have bin quite healthy now for ayeat I never knoew what
healthy was before I yousto think I was very well at times but have known the great
differnce. Well I will bring my letter to aclose. I send my love to all for
the time first
hopeing to hear from you soon
I remane yours very Respect
from Virginia Mary Underwood

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Robin's notes: I do not know what he is talking about in the very first part or even if it is a part of the letter or really what??/ Any guesses

April the 16 AD 1864
White salmon river
Washington territory

Wild and untaimable And the rider is not found now days Six feet three inches
and one fourths high And way 196 lb huraw(?) for bluff crick I hope you all
Wil be(?) preachers when We get back there.
Wel young buley for you to in keep up With the galls, if you can. Wel I have
Just bin down to the river and got in to a knoo (can you all guess this one?
It took me a bit!)
and took a ride. Shot a grouse and com home.
Wel mysh we got your leter and was glad too here that you Was all well and a
Dooing well + we are all well at this time and hope this will find you all
enjoying the same blesing + I have nothing to right eny more that we are all fat
raged(?) and sausy
Elvey thing is up in the high reaches(?) Bacon is 37 cents a pound and every
thing a bout the saim
good by for this tim + tell John E(usks)(?Ecks) sister to hold on
Just tell her that I am the l(h?)usty cus on wheals give my Best respec to
all of my friends if I have enney and if I Don't tell them to go to hell + and
tell vince MC Dowel to rigt to Mee. Right Soon

from E+ Underwood
to M and E Underwood

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Robin's notes: I do not know what he is talking about in the very first part or even if it is a part of the letter or really what??/ Any guesses?

April the 16 AD 1864
White salmon river
Washington territory

from E+ Underwood
to M and E Underwood

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Robin's notes: Okay here I go again , as close as I can get it. Edward is Myshale's brother in Washington, though I'm not sure where Elkhary is. It sounds like he might have been on the wagon train going out to Washington. When did Edward leave Iowa? Also not sure John is refering to his father or if it is another John. I guess Isac and Nate are friends of his, though am not sure if Isac has sin or a son????

Envelope
Elkhory(?) City
May 7/64

Myshale Underwood
Edyville
Iowa

body

May the 6 1864

Dear Brother I this raney evning take my pen ind(to?) my hand to let you kow
that I am Well and hope this ma find you in the same fix Well myshal I have
Nothing to right We are camped on elk horn river 25 miles from the beuts that is
the council bluf
We crost the river the 4 day of may there was
red skin come to our camp this eavning there W is a bout 650 teams here We
have past 500 on the Road Well I must go to super Dave said com it is Redy Well
I feel some beter tell the gals to look out old stick in the mud Will be back
there some time
you must show John how to hug the gals tell
isac to look out our melny Will take his sin(son?) in
If him and John fits(fix?) the stone gulion(?) you must hav have them to lift
at the corner if the Barn
Well I Way 177 lb
I have gaind 7 lbs sice(since) I left home I shot a chickens head of 100 yard
and one throug the neck 125 y off hand
So no at presant

Edward underwood
to Myshale underwood

Nate was as bat(?) as a hog he Wais 100 155.