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Osawatomie May 21 1855. Dear Father and Mother and Mary

 We got the May Cenhadwr the 11th of this month. The Cenhadwr was never so welcome before. We had not a word from home by mail since we had been in the territory. A Mr Knox from Knox Corners, Oneida Co had brought us a letter from Jane. When we got the Cen. we had seen almost no newspapers since we had been in the territory. No Tribune later than March 27. So the news we got in the Cen. was very acceptable. We had a chance to send to Lawrence next day to have our letters forwarded from there. Have not yet got them. Got your letter, dated April 30, last Thursday evening. Were very glad to hear from you. I presume you will have seen the letter we wrote to Robert by Mr Knox. I have not much news to send. Emigrants continue to crowd into the country. The man who assumes the chief management in this settlement, Mr Brown, is not at all truthful. So most of those who come here now go away again. In fact the wood about here is all taken about, or covered by claims in some way. There are many false claims however, when one man tries to hold more than his share. Those who get on to such claims, although their legal right is perfect, generally have some trouble with them. We are having a little trouble with ours. The Justice of the Peace here assures us that our right under the preemption law is indisputable, and that we shall be protected in our rights. Still we may be defrauded. If we are, the world is wide? to choose again. The weather here is very different from yours. For example, April 30, the thermometer rose to 97 in the shade. But there was such a? breeze that I was perfectly astonished to see where it stood. It has been excessively dry, however, so that vegetation is not as forward as one would expect from the dry weather we have had. We have had a few showers within the last fortnight. Previously we had no rain. The prospect has seemed rather discouraging on account of this drouth, but it looks better now. I am proposing all the time to write you long letters home & to Elizabeth and Robert & Jane. But these few lines must do now or I shall have