LETTERS OF JOHN D. MOLER, Letter to his sister Hannah (Moler) Anderson, undated Transcribed and submitted by Marysue Eulitz, (c) 1999 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- KSGENWEB INTERNET GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY COPYRIGHT NOTICE: In keeping with the KSGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Mineral Point, Anderson County, Kansas (No date indicated). Sister Hannah, About three weeks since we wrote you in answer to yours then just received. Your letter led us to believe that Mr. Anderson and friend would visit us by this time. Nearly every day about two o'clock when the stage passes we look for them but so far in vain. The winter so far has been unusually pleasant - but few days but what one can ride over the prairies pleasantly. And the verry worst days Mary and your correspondent did ride - one day to Burlington and back which made forty miles, and one day to Otawa and back which was further than to Burlington, but I cannot say it was a comfortable as sitting by a good fire, but still we done it. We have a light two-house spring wagon and two fine black horses that take us over the Prairies in a gallop. We have been taking care of said horses in order that they would be ready when Tom Came. I believe I wrote you that there might be a covering of snow on the ground a part of the time this winter. But on account of your writing, or perhaps some other cause there has been no snow, and now I believe I will promise that there will be no snow this winter. But then I will not make a positive agreement. I merely want a chance to back out if it should be necessary. For the past few months business is going on in Kansas as if there was a contract to finish up the towns and Railroad and country within a limited time, and parties were afraid they could not get it done in time and had doubled and thribled their energies. One tract of country 20 miles square commencing four miles north of where I write, one year had hardly a house, and now there are houses and farms and people by the thousand, churches and schoolhouses, stores and factorys, including one verry extensive silk factory carried on exclusively by the French who it is sad have unlimited capital. It is about six miles north of where we live. They are at present making silk velvet and procure there material in a raw state from California and China - as soon as practicable they will grow their own material. - The towns that had laid dormant for years have taken a new lease of life and doing what the old hen had to do when they gave her too many eggs to hatch, namely - they are spreading themselves. - The little village of Garnett that was dead for the last ten years, is now growing more rapidly than any place I know of - houses springing up, as if by magic, large stores as those in Washington City being established frequently and failing nearly every week. - And so things go all over Southern Kansas. Our neighbors, the Indians have all gone and we will see the dirty creatures no more perhaps. Society is rapidly regulating itself which it did not do when people were so scarce. Every week we are invited out to dinner with people that would be a credit to any country. I do not wish to say one word to induce any one to come to this country, I merely wish to show things as they are, and then I do wish them to exercise there own judgment. - I am sure any one with a few thousand dollars capital can do far better here than they can in the part of Maryland that I saw. - it is far easier in my opinion to produce and sell one or two thousand dollars worth of cattle than the same amount of tobacco, and then this country will produce far better tobacco xxxxxxxxxxxxx than Maryland. There is nothing this country will not excell your country in but little pine trees and negroes. - For young men wishing to start in business they always succeed if they use proper industry and judgment. I believe the professions and Merchandising are being over done. Attention to business and sweat pay here. There is five hundred wild chickens in our cornfield that ought to be shot for they are verry fat, but I have not time to attend to them. And there is an unlimited number of quails running around in the bushes that need eating but the they ought to be caught first. Albert thinks he can write nearly good enough to write letters now. John is busy feeding the cattle and horses. The girls are busy fixing their dresses which takes a large portion of their time. - Last night was the regular meeting of the farmers club - having a cold I did not go, but I sent the boys. I saw Henry last Monday. He was then a clerking in a grocery store. A few days since he sold one of his store houses for 1900 hundred dollars which all went to pay a debt contracted last summer for lumber. Henry recently bought another store house and two lots in Garnett for 2 thousand dollars - 1 thousand paid down and the balance in a year. I understand all the above named property is in his wifes name, he says bought with property his wife saved from her fathers estate. I did not know her father was dead. I am truly yours, John Moler. write soon and let us known) when Tom will be here. )