Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Feb 18, 1864--Great Salt Lake City



The blog is ahead of the story.  Ever since the Articles of Agreement were discovered,  December 17, 2012, I have been blogging about them instead of posting the next Stephen Sherwood letter.  "An Early Christmas Gift," "Name Dropping," and "From Rags to Riches," have been posted about finding the Articles of Agreement and summarizing their contents.  But from the last published letter (April 6, 1863) to when the Articles of Agreement were signed (October 26, 1867) over 4 1/2 years need to be covered.  Stephen was far from claiming any reward from his mining ventures in February of 1864 when this letter was sent to his son, Henry, in Illinois from Salt Lake City.  I should have posted this letter yesterday, to celebrate 149 years since it was written.  I did the best I could to "translate" it, but you will get an idea of what is happening in Stephen's life at that time.

Salt Lake City
This letter was possibly written at the home of Thomas Box on the corner of 1st North and 1st West
in Salt Lake City.  Thomas Box had purchased land there in 1860.  Stephen Sherwood
 was boarding at the Box home in February of 1864. (see note below)



Great Salt Lake Citty, Utah Territory
February 18, 1864


Dear Henry i have not received a letter from you since th 17th of last June  i was glad to here you was all a live and still willing to hope  an i rote you  I sent from?? the Dalles by Express to be Delivered to you at Wakegan one hundred Dollars in gold coin and I paid Express charges and i have a receipt for the obey Dated June 8, 1863   i want you to rite me whether you got it or not  as for my self i am well and my hopes and prospets are better than has ever been since i came __ the East??  i have a  ___hundred ___ in 3 Diferent silver bar ___ and _bar? Essay 247 in silver and 16 in gold to the ton which is very good  the other we have sent some rock to San francisco to get Essayed  we ___have re turns the last of this month  it is selling from 10 Dollar___ foot but i want bigger licks than that an ___the fact is if it is worth any thing it is a fortune and a grate many 










sell fortunes for nothing  I am a going to start out in a Day or two a prospecting and shall be gon a month  when i return i will rit you all about it  i have not heard from William Oren and Hiram ___Walker they with Drawen??  from me when there was nothing more for them to get and thank god for it and i intend to keep clene?? and if i am successful a nuff to make a fortune  i intend the Dat ___ ____will st____ a small share? of it as they have done?  Do the best you can and hope and i will make claims for  you all  thare is beter Days a coming, yet the bread that is cast upon the wather shall be gathered through many Days after a night __ a full letter all particulars in full   Direct as a bove???
give my love to Sarah and your little ones  i miss your ___circumstances??   and feel sufficient?  that we will realize a g___competance yet.

from your affectionate Father S. Sherwood

H.S. & S. M.


Notes:

H.S. = Henry Sherwood
S.M.= Sarah Sherwood

Note:

In February of 1864 Stephen Sherwood was boarding at the home of Thomas Box in Salt Lake City, Utah.  At this time he encountered an old mining friend, Jacob N. Vandermark.  Stephen said in the letter:  "I am a going to start out in a Day or two a prospecting."  He must have left about February 20, 1864.  Stephen travelled  with Thomas Box, Thomas Box Jr., Peter Shirts, and Jacob Vandermark.  They arrived in Southern Utah in March.  Source:  Making Space on the Western Frontier, Page 23-24,  by W. Paul Reeve.

According to the blog, "clmroots," The "Salt Lake City Directory" lists Thomas Box living on the corner of 1st North and 1st West in 1869.  He had purchased the property in 1860, and could have been living there in 1864 as well when Stephen Sherwood was boarding with him. 

 In 1860, Thomas Box was in the 13th Ward, but by 1861, he was in the 17th Ward in Salt Lake City.  He probably moved to 1st North and 1st West during that time period.

For more on Thomas Box go to the blog "clmroots"  The information on where he lived was obtained there.  Click here to go there.


Monday, February 18, 2013

Tombstone Tuesday--Where's Waldo


"Tombstone Tuesday" is a daily blogging prompt from Geneabloggers

We Found Waldo


Edgar Allen Poe

Grave of a traveling salesman

So many have this ending to life


Sunday, February 17, 2013

Brickyard at Sherwood Corners

In between posting these letters, it seems there are other parts of Stephen Sherwood's life to include as well.  I never know where this blog is going and admit it is far too easy to be distracted.  Following Stephen Sherwood is like going on an adventure of my own.

There are brick walls to climb over when we do family history, and I highlighted this in a recent post (Friday Funny).  Shortly after that post, I learned Stephen Sherwood actually sold bricks from his brickyard  to build brick walls.  


The old Sherwood house, Lake Villa Ill.

Stephen Sherwood started his brickyard to build his own 
 brick house in about 1850.  There is a school there now.

  Bricks from that brickyard were used in the following structures as well


The original bill of sale dated November 1856 says that Jake Strang purchased a total of 75,000 bricks for $4.50/thousand bricks.  About half of the bricks were used for his brother, Robert Strang's store.  These structures are located in Millburn, Illinois about six miles from "Sherwood Corners" where the brickyard was located.
Robert Strang store (right hand side) built 1856

John "Jake" Strang house built 1856-1857



The top enclosed area is where  the Strang brothers owned property in Millford
The lower enclosed area is "Sherwood Corners" (now in Lake Villa)

Source:  "Mixed Brick Construction:  A Case Study in Millburn, Illinois," by Sarah E. Polster.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Friday Funny--Whiskers



"Funny Friday" is a Prompt Theme from Geneabloggers-a genealogy blogging community


WHISKERS WAS FOUND





This book can help you climb over your own brick walls.

REMEMBER





Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Tech Tuesday--Blogging

If you are interested in reading this article CLICK HERE.  Then, find the pin and click.  Then click again when the larger picture appears.   Please comment if this doesn't work for you.  This blog is a work in progress.  :-)


(Tech Tuesday is part of Geneabloggers Daily Prompts)