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                                                                                                                          Isaac June 1851
                                                                        Chester Illinois June 29 1851 Sabbath

Dear Mother It is a very rainy Sabbath day, in a very strange place. It rains so hard this forenoon that I do not undertake to go a long way for the uncertain prospect of very poor preaching, from an Old School {which I do not like} Presbyterian from Kentucky. So here I sit in this little old "Chester House" with the Mighty Missippi (it is certainly mighty now) washing to doorstep and porch; and thinking, thinking of you all Down East. How I do want to hear from you. I seems as if it had been several ages since I left Bangor, and I have not heard one word from any of you since I started. I have been writing to some of you about every week. A fortnight ago from Chicago I sent off quite a package of letters. I wrote some at Springfield a week since but thought I need not send until I get to some fixed point. I mailed a letter to Bangor on the Steamboat Thursday I think, and one to Milo, since I reached Chester.

I am detained here at Chester some three days. My destination is out East of here in Perry Co. some 50 miles or more perhaps from here on the Prairies. I believe I wrote to Eliab and to Milo to direct letters to Locust Hill. Letters so directed will doubtless reach there. It is the name of the place where our head quarters are to be probably; But the name of the Post Office I find is
                                                                Mt. Hawkins, Perry Co. Ill.

The safest direction will probably be to Care of B.G. Roots Esq. Mt. Hawkins, Perry Co. Ill. The name of the County you know is a essential requisite in the direction here. Whether I shall stay there more than a Month or so is very uncertain. I cannot tell how I shall like, or what kind of a situation I shall have. I have to begin with only the promise of $65.00 per Month & expenses. If I stay shall probably have up to 100. If I find the Climate does not agree with me I shall not stay at any rate. Southern Illinois has sometimes been considered unhealthy, but it is probably only from the character of its population. The section where I am going is considered one of the healthiest in the State in all respects.

 I came around here from Caledonia on Thursday last. The Steamer,a very splendid Kentucky Boat, Louisville & St. Louis Packet, "Fawn", broke a shaft about 20 miles below here, and after much delay, creeping along with one wheel, unable from disabled condition to make a landing, put me ashore in a small boat at Midnight, half a mile below the City or Village, every Village is an organized City here. Moreover the flood was over the Highway so as to make it extremely difficult reaching the Village any how. But Mr. N. Cole owner of a steam Flour Mill there