77-06-24  Winters Yolo Co, Cal  June 24th 1877  partial letter EE Norton to E 
Damrell

Dear Grand Ma                
I received your letter two weeks ago and thought I would wait untill we was 
done harvesting and tell you how much wheat we had.  I concluded that would be 
two long to wait for to answer your every welcome letter that I had so long 
looked for.  I felt as though you was sick or something had happened you, I 
intended to write again in a few days If I had not received your letter.  
every letter I get from you I think more about you.  Oh if could see you once 
more in this life.  I still live in hopes that I will get to see you while we 
both live.  Well to tell you of our family that is left.  We are some what 
scattered.  the boys is all in humbolt County, Cal started the first of May.  
Andrew came home in Dec and stayed five weeks with Alice and I.  and then 
Milton & Andrew went to Colusa Co to work and started from there to Humbolt 
again will come back the 1st of Sept so they said when they left.  Bud went 
with them.  Alice and her husban lives 2 1/2 miles from us.  they are well.  
We was all togather today at Mother Nortons.  Alice has a big boy.  Will soon 
be 11 months old.  is hevier than my babi and he is 16 months old.  Pa still 
lives in Winters.  I was there last week.  Ma has bin quite sick but is geting 
better.  Pa still talks of going to Texas where he can get land cheap and rais 
sheep but I think that a great undertaking.  Pa in his old day and all of his 
own Children doing for themselves.  
Well Grand Ma I would like to see you I could tell you so many things that is 
to tedious to write.  this has bin a tolerable dry year in places and crops 
vary short.  our crop is vary good have not thrashed yet but will soon.  we 
want to go to the Mountains a while this simmer for a pleasant trip.  how I 
wish you could be with us.  I have had a hired girl for six weeks.  she went 
away today.  I Paid her 20 dollars a month.  I never will hire another 
Chinaman if I can help it.  I am not stout like I used to be.  cannot stand so 
much hard work though I am always busiy.  I have Tizzie Norton yet  will send 
her home this fall.  I rais a great many fowls every year
but did not have very good luck with my Turkeys this year.  I have 40 young 
turkeys some all most grown.  I have raised 20 ganslins this summer and have 
fricked(or picked) them once.  I had but two geese to raise from.  I did not 
raise many ducks as my baby was not well and I had so much to do.  I have a 
good many chickens big enough to fry.  My children thinks it would be a great 
thing to see Grand Ma in Missouri.  they have all bin raised here in the 
valley and never bin in the mountains or any where.  there is thunder storms. 
 This country is so diferent to Mo.
My two oldest is big enough to harnew and hick up team and drive them any 
where I want to go.  Sammi helped some in harvest this summer.  he has better 
health then he had severel years ago.   he was vary weekly when he was small. 
 Ida  is the stoutest child I have got.  looks vary much like her grand Ma 
Norton.  Johns health is better this summer then it was last winter.  He can 
stand some kinds of work better than others.  lifting hurts his side vary 
much.  this climate agrees with him much better then Oregon or Mo. either.  We 
have a good home here and well satisfied and will soon be out of debt if we 
get a good price for our wheat  we will get out this year and then I am coming 
to see you and all of my friends if I live.  
I am going to send our Picture to you this summer but want some better ones 
then I sent last.  I must tell you I have a new rag carpet and I am vary much 
pleased with it.  I cut the rags my self and hiered it wove.  I have got my 
bed rooms all carpeted and front room.  we have a good comfortable house and 
orchard and a nice windyard.  we have had a vary pleasent summer but one hot 
spell which lasted four or five days.  we have such a nice sea breeze in the 
summer season.
the north wind is so hot this time a year in the winter-cold.  This is Tuesday 
and I have bin ironing and have the head ache.  cannot write much more.  I do 
not know Ben D & Cintha H Post offic address.  Pa does but forgot to ask him. 
 will send you word when I find out.  Alice said she would write to you soon. 
 You must excuse bad writing as I have to talk to the children and write too 
and sometimes take the baby.  give my love to all my relation and friend and a 
thousand good wishes for your self,  Uncle Ning & Aunt Theny & family.  Write 
soon from your grandchildren  Eliza E. Norton