Folks,
I saw this letter for sale at the ebay auction site:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190208099
I thought someone might be interested. i don't own it so don't e-mail me.
Jay
"You are bidding on a 3 1/2 page ink letter from Mrs. I.A. Cary on May 5th at
Plattsmouth, Nebraska Territory to her brother and sister. VG condition with
great content that says in part, "...You will see that we have got quite a ways
on our journey. We are all well and the stock looks very well considering the
mud we have come through. Allen's outfit consists of one wagon, five horses, and
one mule. He has one man with him. My brother's outfit is seven mules, one horse
and one wagon. He has three men besides himself. There is four more boys
traveling in company with us. They have four mules and four horses and one
wagon. The emigration across the plains this season is very large. Some are
going to Oregon, some to California, some to Washington Territory and some to
Pikes Peak. If stock is high in California this year as it was last, the boys
will get as much again for theirs as they gave, that is if they get them all
through. Allen had quite a tedious time with the measles, but is now quite well
but he is not quite as stout yet as before he had them. We like the trip as well
as we expected. We started the 9th of April....Allen would write some if he had
time but he does not. I am sitting on a saddle and writing on the carpet
sack...When you receive this write immediately to Sacramento City, Cal...I can't
think of any more to say and my position is none of the most comfortable...We
expect to arrive in Cal about the 10th of July, no preventing accident..."
Although the year is not given in the letter, Allen Cary and his wife were
living in White Hall, Illinois where Allen operated a store continuously from
1856 until Allen's death in the fall of 1864. Xerox copies of several of those
letters available upon request. Authenticity unconditionally guaranteed. Lucky
winner of this wagon train letter pays shipping and payment must be received
within 10 days of auction close."