April 6, 1863--Stephen Sherwood to his Family (Page 2 of 4)

tho it has ben a Dark and Dismal nite all things shall work to gether for  good to them that love you and O Henry & Sarah I send you my Special Love for the spirit of love kindness and integrity that you manifested in your letter  i can't rite my feeling but i hope to see you by and by and i can talk better than i rite you ___ it is much a gave? as is in the letter for it wont  __ half what i want to rite i am a going in to the mines as soon as the boys come back and I Don't know but i Shall take a pack trane load of ____ the horse? we traded?  with last summer take?  me to Day  i could have all i wanted if i worked? ya in to it   i think if the boys are willing to Do it  i think i will  William and i in the mines and Elizabeth can make a hundred Dollar per month baking pies and one of us can take our chances in the mines we have 25 gear pack animals and __ i am a going to win? the horse an loos? the Saddle

 i have? let the (sharpens?) play it and we ___ a ____ i am a going to play (sharp?)  to after this    it is know time?? to look for___ in the business world  i am a going to quit work and a going to (sharp?) it often  this from i can beat  half of the (sharpens?)  if i only work?     but them c______    is one of so they.  Don't hit much if they

( I have no clue what this part of the letter is talking about)  What is shapens??????.  If anybody reading this has any idea, please let  me know

A Spelling Dilemma-- "Carpuss" (Page 3 of 4)

In this part of the letter, I want to show an interesting side of Stephen Sherwood even if he isn't around to defend himself.  Let me explain.

Stephen Sherwood, my gg grandfather,  was a very talented blacksmith and miner.  Actually I believe he was more of an engineer though not formally trained in that field, and had business skills as well.  The reader of this blog will later find that he was the Recorder for a mining district in Nevada, and owned a mine in California.

 If you have read from the actual letters I have been posting on this blog,  it soon became evident, the one thing Stephen didn't do well was spell. Our ancestors weren't perfect and we can certainly overlook some of their faults.

I came across the following sentence in the letter below, "WE WILL GO TO CARPUSS IN TEXAS WHERE THE WINTERS IS NO WINTER A TOLL AND A BETTER COUNTRY THAN ILLINOIS EVER WAS." (sometimes his grammar was a little shaky as well).

Does  anybody know where "Carpuss inTexas" is?  I didn't either.  I had to sleep on that one.  The next morning I realized where it was.   I'm just grateful I have these letters of Stephen so I can get to know him better, and even tease him a little.  After all, in  addition to his grammar and spelling, he makes me work to understand his writing.  AFTER you read the rest of this blog scroll down to see the answer, if you haven't already figured out where "Carpuss in Texas" is.


"We will go to Carpuss in Texas where the winters is no winters a toll and a better country than Illinois ever was." (Start with the fourth line from the bottom of the actual letter if you want to read this sentence).

(continuing with the letter from the top)
__i will greese?? them with a little of the filthy lucre?? and they will go clean??  i am a going to try to get Eaven??  i shall have to quit this part     Tell Mother Francis & the girls my love   Dont go a beging if they Don't want it  they__ar ?? not have it  Elizabeth and i have written more than a half a dazen letters and  have had none   but give my love to Sophia for i think she will re turn it  and tell her to be a good and A noble girl and William may come by and by and tell Ruth if she Dont blow a way when Garry comes he will see her?  You mentioned?? of riting?? the boys (in trust those) that is my ___  i will have Oren and William send you a Deed of (those in trust)  when i can get them to make a deal? and you will have to have a  De __ of the cort and same one appointed guardian but Don't have any one un less  it is you on use  you can instruct the boys a bout that that will be  their rite of choice to choose for them selfs and tell mother Francis that she had better sell? too and when the war is over

Corpus, Christi, Texas

WE WILL ALL GO TO CARRPUSS (CORPUS CHRISTI) IN TEXAS WHERE THE WINTERS IS NO WINTER A TOLL AND A BETTER COUNTRY THAN ILLINOIS EVER WAS     not be in a hurry (page 3 of 4)

Note:

Ruth and Sophia were Ruth (Denick born 1839) and Sophia (Denick born 1844).  They were the daughters of Laura Denick Francis,    from  Laura's first marriage to Valentine Denick.  Stephen's wife Elizabeth Denick was their older sister.  Their other sister, Sarah, had married, Stephen's son, Henry Sherwood who had received this letter from his father Stephen Sherwood.  It appears Stephen was hinting that his son William might "come by and by" for Sophia Denick.  Sophia was born the same year as William  If that had been the case two of Stephen Sherwoods' sons would have married Denicks, as well as their father who was married to their sister Elizabeth.  

Please post in comments below where you think Stephen Sherwood will be February 18, 1864 when he writes his next letter to his family. Take a wild guess. You may be right.

Geneabloggers

April 6, 1863--Stephen Sherwood to his Family (Page 4 of 4)

it may take me a year or two where i am before i can get a way that is the gratest back country that there is over  i want to take a ___ ____ of brood mares  and some? mules    i can take ___ __ __ and crops? the plows but i Don't want to go till the war is over and There __ is over ___  __   don't suffer for any thing that you need if you can get it for it want pay   Elizabeth rote me that she had  a little flower spring  up the 5 of December  she is much delited with it being a Daughter   i have felt a good while that i had no Daughter but on a Da___ter ____   but i suppose? i have one now which will do me   my love Elizabeth is a good woman you would not now her by her actions and? I love  been more and more  Give ____  little ones a kiss? for me  i should like to return? and  Do it myself   till Wellington  i thank him for  his letter   i will rite him and Dan and  and our? Johnny soon  i send them my love and the hurt?? to? be good boys  i hope to see them by and by  you had better get a hand? full or two of cat tole ploy meat?and add it to the mognaba? ____ ___ and i think it will cure it if it the _____of bones was all got out  your___the____in the____and to get the strength and then or the _______ material? __ of  the

(he is writing, I believe, some things to do to help Wellington)

Excuse all mistakes for my  hart and mind is fuller than pen can Express and my pen can rite from your most Effectionate father

                                                          Stephen Sherwood

H S Sherwood
S M Sherwood
W T Sherwood
D Sherwood
Henry? Sherwood

Notes:

The "little flower" that Elizabeth had "spring up the 5 of December was Hattie Sherwood.  This was the first daughter for Stephen and Elizabeth.  Stephen had a daughter, Maria, from his first wife, Mariah Hubbell.  He had a second daughter, Elizabeth, from Sophia Parker.  Elizabeth died in 1843.
                                                                                   
Stephen Sherwood had high hopes to make some money here, but his next letter is not written from Canyon City or even The Dalles.  This statement will explain why Stephen and Elizabeth were not there the next year.  The Oregon Guide stated:  "By 1863 the number of miners digging gold at Canyon City had been reduced from 10,000 the previous year to 700...... the discovery of gold in others fields practically depopulated Canyon City that Winter."   (Quote under "The 28 Hour Pony Express Run from Canyon City to the Dalles.")  Stephen Sherwood would be part of that depopulation.  Once again it was time for Stephen Sherwood who was called by The Trinity Journal (Jan. 10, 1885) "A 49er frontiersman and inveterate prospector, who, like the Wandering Jew, drifted from place to place in search of new discoveries, fresher fields and fairer flowers"  to move on. 

 If you are reading this, please tell me in a comment, where you think Stephen Sherwood will be in February of 1864 when he writes his next letter.

Tuesday's Tip --- Stephen Sherwood/Census Records. (Tip #3)

This section was included to illustrate the importance of census records.  Ancestry.com is a major sources for census records, and is often available in Local Libraries or Family History Centers for free.  You might want to try looking up one of your ancestors.  You can click the orange link in the next paragraph to find my ancestor, Stephen Sherwood, in my family tree in ancestry.com.

Stephen Sherwood is listed in Hoboken in the 1880 Census, but probably living in the New River area  (which is crossed out), in household #44 in Trinity County, California.  ANCESTRY.COM census records show Stephen Sherwood in 1840 (Plainfield, Will,  Illinois), 1850  (South Fork of American River, El Dorado,  California), 1860 (York (Oregon House), Yuba,  California) , 1870 (Antioch, Lake, Illinois, and 1880 Hoboken (New River), Trinity,  California).  Yes, he was an adventurer.  Check out these census records in ancestry.com by clicking the orange prompt (then click on "source citations" to view the actual census records).  I just learned how to use the "link" so you'll see more material referenced online in future posts.  This blog is a work in progress if you hadn't noticed.  :-).  Stephen Sherwood was also involved in mining and business dealings in Pioche, Lincoln, Nevada from 1863 to about 1876, but was not there in 1870 to be listed in the census.

"Eureka"

Hoboken,  Trinity, California

Although the census listed Stephen in Hoboken, he likely lived in New River which is crossed out in the census record.  He is listed on the voting records (view "original image") in New River in 1879.

He (Stephen Sherwood) "While in the vicinity of Shasta this mineral belt attracted his attention.  He followed it until he camped in what is known as the New River District, exclaiming, "Eureka."

Trinity Journal, Jan. 10, 1885

This  well written book (above)  by Valerie Budig-Markin which includes photographs by Ellen "Nellie" Elizabeth Ladd and Valerie Budig-Markin tells the story of life in this area.  Stephen Sherwood lived here until his death in 1894.  Valeria Markin says:  "A legend was born, with Stephen Sherwood as its hero.  News of the gold rush picked up from local newspapers had been taken up by the San Francisco Evening Post on Jan. 2, 1885."  Valerie says the discoveries by Stephen Sherwood and Clement/Clemens (his partner F. J. Ladd would be there shortly), set "off the upper New River district mining boom."  (See Trinity Journal Sept. 30, 1882 and Dec. 9, 1882) 

December 14, 1862--Stephen to His Children (Page 1 of 4)

Dalles
December 14, 1862

Dear Children it has ben a long time since i rote you a letter and i am a shamed of it but i have ben so irritated (?) that i could (?)  not ___ you ___Excuse me i have ben gon_ _____ are from any post office 270 (240?) miles  we are all well  Hiram (Parker) and Oren (Sherwood) myself is at the Dalles on the Columbia river in Oregon  we have a pack __orse of 30 horses and mules that we have Earned(?) this summer but we have not made any money but we think we can make money next summer  my wife and W (William Sherwood) & little children is in Cal ___ i had a letter (?) from _____

Notes:

The children mentioned here are Wellington (13), Dan (11), and John (7).  They are living with their older half brother Henry Stephen Sherwood and his wife in Antioch, Lake, Illinois

Hiram (38) referred to here is likely Hiram Parker (born 1824), the brother of Sophia Parker Sherwood (2nd wife of Stephen Sherwood).  Hiram has not been found in the 1860 Census with his wife and children (he may have been in California) but was with his wife, Sylvia (from Ireland) in the 1850 and 1870 Census in Lake County, Illinois.  Hiram would also be the Uncle of Oren and William, Stephen's children.

Oren (22) and William (18) are children of Stephen Sherwood and Sophia Parker Sherwood (who died in 1853).  His wife Elizabeth Denick Sherwood was in California with their their two children, Lewis (8) and George (2).  George was born in California.

The Dalles, Oregon, 1867

Map with the Dalles and Columbia River

December 14, 1862--Stephen to His Children (Page 2 of 4)

Day(?) thay ware all well   i Expect to get them up here in the spring  mr Walker is in the mines and is well when we left the mines 3 weeks a go it is a bout the same winter weather that it in Illinois  i want you to rite me all the news (?) in general  it is Different with your riting from what it is with us  u are (?) acquainted with the country and people and you ___and you never rite us but very little news  rite a grate long letter and rite me the full perticulars of Wellingtons bone  ___ i have had (?) it only he was____  i never heard (?) whether you (?) got my letters (?) ___ or not

Notes: 

Wellington (born 1846) was a brother of Oren and William Sherwood and son of Stephen and Sophia.

December 14, 1862--Stephen to His Children (Page 3 of 4)

we heard of Mother Parker Death by the way of mr walker's letter   tell Hirams folks that he is well and a doing the best he can and will remember them as soon as possible   he is in company with us in packing  it takes some time to get a _____here  if we have good luck this winter  i think we can make a ___lot of money next summer   i Expect you have had very hard times and my hart has bled for you a many a time but that cant help you   i hope you have not had to under go the real hard ships that we have   i have not had my close of for 7 months to sleepe   slep on the ground roled up in a blanket

 Notes: 
 Mother Parker was probably Lavina Farnsworth Parker, the wife of Oren Parker (died 1852).  She would have been Hiram's mother as well as the mother of Stephen's 2nd wife, Sophia Parker Sherwood.  Stephen says "Hirams folks" but both his parents would have been deceased.  Is this another Hiram?or is Stephen talking about other family members and referring to them as folks?  (see more on Hiram on page 1 of this letter).