68-08-20 August 20 1868  Vacaville Solano County Cal  to A & E Damarell 
from LF & R Canterbury

Dear Father and Mother  Once more I seat myself to write you a few lines to 
let you know of our health etc etc in the first place your Letter containing 
Grand Pa Picture came to hand yesterday. Vary glad indeed.  much Obliged. it 
Looks vary natural, please send yours, they will be a great comfort to us in 
this Far off Land.  Now Grand Ma I don't know that I have anything new to 
write to you.  Amor's health is about Like it has been here to fore.  She sits 
up and sews awhile, and then goes to bed awhile.  The ballance of our health 
has been vary good.  I have made 150 dollars at work away from home this 
summer.  I get 3 dollars per day and boarded.  I now work in Vacaville 3 miles 
but come home every night.  Andrew has work out in harvest with a span of 
horses until he has made about 80 dollars.  gets 3 dollars per day.  Augustus 
worked for John Norton in harvest.  5 weekes.  got 2 dollars per day.  John 
Norton & J Hodge bought a ??headder and made nine hundred dollars with it this 
harvest.  John Norton had made about 2500 bushels of wheat and about 800 
bushels of Barley this year which is worth 90 cts per bushel.  Barley two 
cents per pound.  My Land that I had sow'd was wet Land.  Consequently my crop 
is Light.  4 or 500 bushels is all I will make.  if I can I will get better 
Land for next year but good places is hard to Rent.  wheat crops here is vary 
fine in most parts of this Country this year.  some places too wet.  Mr. 
Hulett had one small piece of wheat 18 Acres that turned off 59 1/2 bushels 
per acre.  Stock is high in this Country.  good cows with young calves worth 
about 75 dollars, good horses (Large) is worth from 150 to 250 dollars per 
head.  I have 4 head of horses our span of three is worth about 400 dollars 
sheep is worth 3$ per head  chickens is worth 6$ per doz  Eggs 37 1/2 per doz. 
 we have plenty of ripe peaches & grapes in the markert here.  We have 
Methodist Preaching at Vacaville every Sunday and Campbellite preaching about 
the same distance but it seems to me that peopole care less for Preaching or 
Religion here then any Country I was ever in.  The whole absorbing interest is 
to make money.  every energy is broght to bare out this one point, make money 
now I don't think the Creator made man for no such selfish ends, consequently 
I Look for drought or some other calamity to check this pride.  it will 
certainly come.  Tell Mr. Rouse that I have not heard anything of Milt (or 
Mitt)Riggins. Our Love to all the friends there and a Large share for 
yourselves.  All well at preasant but Amor.  no more  Farewell. L.F. 
Canterburty   R Canterbury
(Greencastle written upside down on the bottom of the page.)