64-10-30 Benton County Oregon  Oct 30th 1864 to A & E Damrell from EENorton

Dear grand Father and grand Mother,   After a long time I will try to write 
you a few lines to let you know how we are geting a long.  Well we are doing 
the best we can after comeing so far.  We have been in here about Six weeks.  
John has rented a place with a good orcheard on it. over two hundred bearing 
appeal trees on it  we have bought a stove and paid thirty two dollars and 
half for it .  A cow and calf and some chickens.  We live about six miles from 
Fathers.  We were there last Sunday and read a letter that Pa had just 
received from you.  we ware all so glad to hear from you.  It had bin a long 
time since they got a letter from you.  I like this country much better than 
Cal.  It remine me of home where I once lived.  The people here spin and weave 
as they do there.  We have had some rain and the grass is nice and green.  We 
live a mile and a half from town.  Pa is boarding with us and still at work in 
town.  He got a letter from Lizzie D yesterday and she told of the death of 
Aunt Nancy.  Oh, how sorry I was to hear of those poor little children being 
left and mourn their mother's loss.  Oh, what will they do.
We have all got to die soon as later & I hope we will all meet when parting 
will be no more.
Oh what would I give if I could see you once more & have a good long talk & 
when I think of it grieves my heart but when I think of what you to Pa about 
coming here oh what joy there will be if you come.  Now Grand Ma if you come I 
want you to take all the care of yourselves you can and not fret about 
anything but make easy easy & when it is dusty travel before so you will not 
get any of the dust for that is the worst thing of all.  If you will get a 
wagon with half springs under the bed you could ride much easier for the road 
is vary rockey in places.  we started from CAL the 22 of August made the trip 
21 days 570 miles & the road was worse then any we had crossing the plains.  
we have no corn bread.   hear meal is to dear.  I bake light bread for my 
little chickens and feed the big ones wheat.  Julia is most as big as any body 
she is going to school  & Andrew & Ony & Aley.  Ma & Milton stays at home.  
bud is plowing.   John is away from home at Wash & I am by myself all day.   I 
am spining some stocking yarn for Ma. ______    is 50 cent per pound.
I wish you had some of the big apples that grows here.  I have got such a nice 
yard.  It is full of flowers and little trees and rose bushes run all over the 
wind. & come in where there was a pane of glass out & run over the looking 
glass & pret and green as midsummer.  We have beautiful weather and the birds 
are mery as spring.  I want you to tell Lizzie D I am sorry she has forsaken 
me for I thought so much of her.  I write to her twice & received no answer 
but she said in a letter to Pa last spring that she did not file like writing 
to me as I had talked about her.  for I said nothing out of the way nor ment 
any harm by what I said. 
I believe I have told you the news so no more.  This leaves us all hoping you 
the same when this comes to hand.     Elizabeth Norton 
 written on the back of the letter:  I will send you some pieces of my dresses 
excet the prints that is in piece of my shakers triming. 

I think the Bud is referring to Augustus