February 5, 1865--Panacker City

View of Pioche, Nevada, from one of its mine buildings.  (lds.org)

Panacker Citty Feb 5 1865

Dear Henry, it is with with greaf i rite you and with pleasure to    it is a pleasure to hear that so many of you are well but a greaf to hear of Dans Death    but it is what i looked for every letter i received till i got the news     you all complane of getting letters so infrequent you dont seem to think that i am a hundred miles from a post office and some of the time out of paper and stamps for i answer all the letters i receive and some i never have received a letter from and i dont complane a bout it for i supose it is thare wish to not rite to me   you was a frade that i would knock

the botom of my half bushel out and i think you are a knocking the botom out of your half bushel pretty successfully by not attending to what i wanted some time a go that was a power of atorney that i could act for you legally  you have had one clame jumped  for i had nothing to show that i had any wright to hold it for you and they have ben offered forty Dollars a foot for it since they prefered it and what dos 200 feete come to at forty dollars per foot and the 18 of March there will be an other one ready to Jump that is worth as much or more and so on through the summer

as they were located they hold good for one year for location and then a man has to be thare or by his legal representative and you have as much as i have and i think you better attend to it soon and wellington too i wish you would take all the panes you can to learn wellington at home to rite and do the best you can for my folkes    my wife rites me she and children are prety destitute but i have no means at present to send them an i would i have not made any thing for 2 years  it has ben all expense and i shant make any thing probably be fore next summer an fall for I shant sell

four ten cts on the Dollar    i want to get my business in shape so i can come home e (arly?)  next fall  if it is possible i am a  going to start to the Colorado River to mor ow morning a prospecting that country there has ben some very rich discoverys made lattty by many of the latter Day saints and i want to come in __ to ___ for i am on it ??     you spoke in your last letter of bying a farm  i want you to investagte the matter well be fore you by at the present prises  when the war closes you will see hard times and more taxes?  than any farm  can pay but Do as you pleas

yours truly    S. Sherwood

Notes:  

Future posts will:

• Discuss the unfortunate death of Stephen Sherwood's fifteen year old son, Dan

Stephen wrote that He was going prospecting at the Colorado River tomorrow (February 6, 1865)   In March 1865, a mixed group did leave for the Colorado River.  Some of the friends of Stephen Sherwood were in the party (Samuel S Shutt, William McCluskey, and David Sanderson), but Stephen Sherwood is not listed with them.  Also listed were Thomas C. W. Sale, Territorial Indian agent, John H Ely, and Ira Hatch, a Mormon, who was the group's Indian interpreter (Making Space on the Western Frontier by W. Paul Reeve, pg. 38)

Wellington--Back to the Future

Salt Lake City C. 1860  "Mormonenstadt am Salzsee"  Published by permission from Prints Old and Rare

This following letter to Wellington T. Sherwood was written the same day Stephen wrote another son, Henry, which was posted recently.  In that post, Stephen Sherwood was boarding on the corner of 1st West and 1st North with the Box family in Salt Lake City, Utah   My gg grandfather had been in California, Oregon, and finally come to Salt Lake.   He was possibly boarding on the opposite end of the  same block where I "boarded" (rented) about 120 years later (2nd West and 2nd North-- 1983-1993).  Even if the streets have changed slighly, we were living close to each other 120 years apart.  I have gone back to the future.   I believe he was writing letters to his two sons in what is  now a parking lot where I sometimes park to visit the Family History Library.  Think about it.  It is very possible I park where he boarded with the Box Family.  From there, I visit the library to find out more about him and his family.  Too bad I can't just bring back the house on that property and go in and visit with Stephen. 

This is the second letter Stephen Sherwood wrote on February 18, 1864.  This time to another son, Wellington.  He was concerned about his sons's health.

Great Salt Lake City

Utah Terriritoty Feb 18, 1864

Dear Wellington I received your letter on the 15 instant and I was glad to hear from you but am verry sorry to hear of your affliction.  I am well and have verry good prospects before me.  I will make you a clame __ a silver which you will get a better idea from the paper i have sent Henry  a few Days a go it was the San francisco B ____ __ I have same clames on Silver Le ____ in this section of  country which essay 247 Dollars in silver and 16 Dollar in gold to the ton which it considered very good   i am a going to start out in a Day or two a prospecting and shall be gon a month  i have not heard from William and i Do not know where Oren is an Hiram an Walker?   you must be a good boy and hope you? the best try to Learn all you can for it will be you full for you ___ by  give my love to Dan & John

i want you to take White Oake Barke and boil it Down verry Strong a considerable quantity of it and bathe your Leg with it as hot as you can bear it and your neck  all so i want yo to take Kiyan Pepper a bout what would lay an a five cent pese 3 times a Day in ___ wetter? to clenes the matter? out of the sistem and inflamation have you tried what  i rote be fore the addition to the salve and the ____ Sublimated and Bandy for a week if you have not you better try it but carefully for if you  ___to much it will _____  a rite me as a bove as soon as you get this and give me full particulars and a good long letter

from you affectionate father

Wellington T Sherwood          Stephen Sherwood

Note:

Wellington T Sherwood was listed in the 1870 Census with his parents, but was not found after that time.  It is not known when he passed away or where he was buried.  This is one of those mysteries genealogist encounter on their journey.