Yakima County WA Archives History - Letters .....Letter From Joel Franklin Powell, Settler In The Nachez Valley December 5, 1880
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Terri Suzuki suzki33@gmail.com January 2, 2006, 2:48 am

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Natchee Valley W. T.  	Dec. 5, 1880
Dr Children,
	I have been wanting to write you a line for a longtime but my arm has 
been lame.  I could scarcely write.  I have been troubled all summer more or 
less with rheumatism in my arms and shoulders.  My arms are better now but my 
right leg is quite lame as the foot and ankle.  Some days I can walk tolerably 
well a part of the time I can scarcely walk at all. My general health is good.  
I worked very hard all summer in order to get a crop.  The last was a very 
unfavorable crop season.  We have had no rain since the last of April.  Now we 
have about six inches of snow., but the dust under it is as dry as ever. George 
has written but twice since he left here in March last was work when we last 
heard from him.  I am expecting him here now, but don’t know as he will come at 
all this winter.  Ezeke has been here with me all summer.  We had about a half 
crop of wheat and barley. Thrashed 258 Bu. Barley and 360 Bu. Wheat.  Had a 
good garden raised about 100 bu. Potatoes some turnips pumpkins and squashes.  
Have slaughtered one hog and am feeding six more that we intend to salt soon.  
So we think we are about as well healed for grub as any body. We have one cow 
giving milk now one that is dry and I bought another a few days ago that will 
be fresh about Christmas.  We have four horses and well winter our ten head of 
hogs.  Three are brood sows. We have plenty of feed for all and am feeding some 
stock at one dollar per month for our neighbors. 

Francis has been away all Summer working at carpt work at $2.00 per day.  We 
made a trip with the teams to the Dalles, Oregon, on the Columbia river the 
fore part of last month for our salt boots, clothing and groceries.  The Dalles 
is about 100 miles from here over the rough mountain road but we think we can 
make money by going there at least once a year to do our trading.  Francis has 
finished one house since he came from the Dalles and is now gone to make and 
put in the sash and doors in other. The family being in it. Rather a cold birth 
for both family and workman.  But all newcomers camp till they can build. No 
houses to rent in this Country, every man provides his own shanty.

I have finally concluded to stay a while and have taken a claim adjoining 
Francis.  First bottom land that will ned no irrigating.  I will have on one 
forty acre lot about ten or fifteen acres of the Natchee river. 

I pre-empt, so I can pay out in six months and get a title.  Then should I want 
to leave can sell.

Report says the N.P.R.R. will be constructed from the Columbia river across the 
Cascade Mountains with in the next two years.  One survey of which is only 
about a half mile from here, on the other side of the river.  And if make at 
all whether on this survey or not will suit us just as well.

The boys will write soon.

J. F. Powell


Additional Comments:
Joel Franklin Powell is my gggrandfather. He brough all his unmarried sons out 
to the Yakima Valley after his wife died. He is writing to Wilber Powell and 
his wife Margaret Wilson Powell back in Iowa. 

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