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Sac* City May 1856

My Dear Brother & Sister   I received a letter from you last week, we were very glad to here from you and family  particularly  to find that Sarah's health & strength was so well  I feel ashamed to think that we as a family has treated you so unkind as not to write to you,  I receive the Cenhadwr regular now  I have not received half what you have sent me paper torn  brief? history of our lifes in Calafornia, when My family came here we went all on the ranch, John had returned from the Nothern Mines few weeks before My Wife and Daughter came, Tom was with me since he came here, I had several Men to work for Me choping wood, which was good proffitable business then,  in November/52 the great fire came & burned a large amt of wood for Me in Ded the great flid? came and washed quantity of wood off in the Spring/53  pay was very high $100, pr Ton and the whole vally covered with water from hill to hill in Many places 15 or 20 Miles wide  I went to look where I could get grass to cut, I found some

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