Brooke County, WV   William Griffith Letter
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Letter from Nathan and Rebecca Stafford
Tyler County, West Virginia 
May 13, 1849

To William Griffith 
Holidays Cove
Brooke County, West Virginia

Dear friends I take this opportunity to informe you that nether of us are 
well nor have ben for some time  [Reaster?] has not ben able to do much for 
two mounth with the pain in her sid Michal is not very will nor has ben for 
some time the rest of the Children is in middling health Thomas had the 
misfortune to get in A scrap with Isaac Riggs boys A bout some Eggs and got 
his leg broke the threw him off the Stable be case he said he would tell me 
that the Stold the Eggs but he has recoverd in A grate masure Again he has 
got So that he can walk middling well Again we recevd an apistal from Ann 
dated April 19 she stated that the ware well at that time and ware well 
pleased with thare situation and country she like wise stated that the 
would not be up this summer you wished to know whare we moved to we now 
live on G.B. Riggs place whare David H. Riddler formly lived I am farming 
his place on the hill and on the River I have 30 Acres to at tend tis 
summer I am getting along prty will I would ben dun planting again the 10 
if it had not ben for so much wet whether thare is severl Acres that I have 
planted that [I had to] plant over Again on the account of be overd flowed 
with Water the water came with in two feet of sweping over the hole Islan I 
have 10 Acres redy to plant for [?] and still raining the health is ganerly 
good except fewe cases of the Cholory and few cases of Calaforny Michal you 
complained that the boys all had left for California if you come down her I 
think we can find you A [bean?] we wold be glad if Some of you would come 
dow to see us I have not time to go up this sommer if eny of you comes get 
off at the foot of Grape Island [some words scratched out] I wish you to 
make some inquiry abot Andrew as I have never had eny word from him Since 
[illegible] eny thing about him writ and let me know ware he is and what he 
is Aboat     [Nan?]  I would [?] I send my love to Granpap and Grand mother 
aunt michal
[A signature here. Look like it may be "Nathan" Stafford]
i send my to love unkel john and William
Margaret C. Stafford
Michal G. Stafford is a learning her leater Ann   Laura wotts me to Send 
her that money that you collected of Mort  Michal we have no school here 
this sommer in our neghbourhood on the account of having no teachers its 
likely you Could get A School if you was here if you can come down we will 
try to make you A school tell Joseph Atkinson I would be glad if him and 
his wife would come down to see us it is not worth while to look for eny of 
the rest of you Give our respects to Aunt Rebecca an folks one and all to 
Joseph an famley and all inquiring friends
Hariet Riggs wished me to give her respects to mother an Margaret Ann 
Atkinson an Michal no more at present but remain yours till Death
Nathan an Rebecca Stafford 		May 13, 1849
excuse my miss speling an bad writing
In the 1850 Tyler County Census:
#637
Stafford, Nathan    35   mw   OH
Rebecca    34  fw   Va
Nancy    12  fw  Va
Margaret   10   fw   Va 
Thomas    8  mw   Va
Bazill   6   mw  Va
Michael   3   mw  Va