Lennox, Feb. 14th 1852. Dear Brother + Sister It is a long time since I have written to you, but a much longer time since I have received from you a letter. [?] a fortnight ago, we had not heard a word from you for 7 or 8 months (the [?] you sent excepted). The last letter any of us had seen was the one you wrote to James giving an account of your almost fatal sickness a year ago. I took a copy of that, as I do of nearly all your letters I can get hold of. About a fortnight ago I received your two letters to Lauren + Charlotte dated Oct 22nd + Nov. 7th which I assure you do not forget your [?]wanted + I believe I may say afflicted brother or his family. I know it would afford you high pleasure to write to us once a month, if your health + more than multiplied labors will allow. But I cannot doubt some of your letters during the last six months have been lost. I am sure you must have answered my last if you have received it, but [?] that may have been lost. We are not particular to which of us you write, but when there is so long an [?] our anxiety becomes painful anxiety I mean about you + your loved family. We felt worse this time because your last letter spoke of you as having just come up from the side of the [grace?]. But over the [miscarriage?] of letters we can have no control; then see us not leave to our kind Heavenly Father as well as health + life. May I just add before I leave my introduction that if in your next you will tell us all about dear sister Mary + that little [creep]. Sarah, it will greatly gratify us. I have a great deal to write + I fear that time will not allow me to write all that would interest you. And first let me say that a week ago yesterday I took a letter dated 2 days before from the office saying that sister Rhoda [?] just [arrive]. (she had been searching a year, still the news was very sudden) Even hours after we were all on our way to Vermont. We arrived in 14 hours at Middlebury + [?] who was at the Depot, told us that she had died about two days before. The next day (Sabbath) she was buried. I remained till Wednesday morning took the cars at Middlebury at X A.M. spent the night at East Hampton + Thursday came to Lennox. So now I am here [come?] + my dear Mary + the children are in [Barnwell?] to remain 2 or 3 weeks longer. Rhoda became deeply afflicted in her loss. [?] yet lives but is gradually wearing away with her unparalleled sufferings; she cannot long survive. In spirit she is an angel now, what will she be in heaven? The friends at East Hampton are all in usual health. Mother was dangerously sick in Sept. last, but is now able to be about the house, + in pleasant weather, to ride out. Addison we have not heard from for many weeks, he was well the last we heard. Let me just say while I think of it that there is in town a young man, a farmer pupil of mine, a pious, very promising young man by the name of Mack, who some months ago intimated to me that he might go to Oregon as a farmer, but with the main purpose of doing good. He asked me a number of questions + my opinion of the experience of going. I spoke very favorably of the plan, but referred him to you for further particulars, + said I would write to you about the case. Whether he has sent you a letter or not I do not know. He would be a most valuable addition to your church. John W. Mack is his address. You want to know of course about my telescope. It proves to be a very superior instrument, fully equal so far as I am able to see by the closest tests to the best Refractors. No real value is twice as much as I anticipated. I meant it should be worth a thousand dollars, but I suppose it is worth in reality $2000. It has been thoroughly tested + details of its construction + performance have appeared in the “American Journal of Science,” + short extracts, in many of the city + country papers. My name on a telescope make is beginning to be favorably known among the scientific in different parts of the country; though I have yet received no substantial order for this or another instrument but fr. Luther says, “don’t be discouraged, you must succeed in the end.” We are evidently more + more respected in Lennox. This winter the people took it into their heads to make us a donation. It came like a thunder clap in a clear sky, though with a very different effect. It consisted of beef, pork fresh + salt, cheese, flour (a whole barrel from our lady) tea, coffee, sugar, a load of wood, &c, &c, &c. to the amount of more than $40, in value. I have earned in the last 3 or 4 months $50 in surveying, $15 preaching, $3 for giving a [temp?] address at Lee. + have been invited to spend 2 hours a day hearing recitations of the Academy at $50 per term. Thus you see that though the good providence of God things are meaning a brighter aspect. But there is one more thing I must not omit. About a fortnight since Mary received a letter from Luther containing a certificate of good [?] stock in Indiana for the amount of $1000!!! As a present to her!!! All these things my dear brother + sister I must believe had an intimate connection with over our poor prayers + what should we render to the Lord for all his benefits towards us?

Lennox, Feb. 14th 1852.

Dear Brother + Sister

It is a long time since I have written to you, but a much longer time since I have received from you a letter. [?] a fortnight ago, we had not heard a word from you for 7 or 8 months (the [?] you sent excepted). The last letter any of us had seen was the one you wrote to James giving an account of your almost fatal sickness a year ago. I took a copy of that, as I do of nearly all your letters I can get hold of. About a fortnight ago I received your two letters to Lauren + Charlotte dated Oct 22nd + Nov. 7th which I assure you do not forget your [?]wanted + I believe I may say afflicted brother or his family. I know it would afford you high pleasure to write to us once a month, if your health + more than multiplied labors will allow. But I cannot doubt some of your letters during the last six months have been lost. I am sure you must have answered my last if you have received it, but [?] that may have been lost. We are not particular to which of us you write, but when there is so long an [?] our anxiety becomes painful anxiety I mean about you + your loved family. We felt worse this time because your last letter spoke of you as having just come up from the side of the [grace?]. But over the [miscarriage?] of letters we can have no control; then see us not leave to our kind Heavenly Father as well as health + life. May I just add before I leave my introduction that if in your next you will tell us all about dear sister Mary + that little [creep]. Sarah, it will greatly gratify us.

I have a great deal to write + I fear that time will not allow me to write all that would interest you. And first let me say that a week ago yesterday I took a letter dated 2 days before from the office saying that sister Rhoda [?] just [arrive]. (she had been searching a year, still the news was very sudden) Even hours after we were all on our way to Vermont. We arrived in 14 hours at Middlebury + [?] who was at the Depot, told us that she had died about two days before. The next day (Sabbath) she was buried. I remained till Wednesday morning took the cars at Middlebury at X A.M. spent the night at East Hampton + Thursday came to Lennox. So now I am here [come?] + my dear Mary + the children are in [Barnwell?] to remain 2 or 3 weeks longer. Rhoda became deeply afflicted in her loss. [?] yet lives but is gradually wearing away with her unparalleled sufferings; she cannot long survive. In spirit she is an angel now, what will she be in heaven?

The friends at East Hampton are all in usual health. Mother was dangerously sick in Sept. last, but is now able to be about the house, + in pleasant weather, to ride out. Addison we have not heard from for many weeks, he was well the last we heard.

Let me just say while I think of it that there is in town a young man, a farmer pupil of mine, a pious, very promising young man by the name of Mack, who some months ago intimated to me that he might go to Oregon as a farmer, but with the main purpose of doing good. He asked me a number of questions + my opinion of the experience of going. I spoke very favorably of the plan, but referred him to you for further particulars, + said I would write to you about the case. Whether he has sent you a letter or not I do not know. He would be a most valuable addition to your church. John W. Mack is his address.

You want to know of course about my telescope. It proves to be a very superior instrument, fully equal so far as I am able to see by the closest tests to the best Refractors. No real value is twice as much as I anticipated. I meant it should be worth a thousand dollars, but I suppose it is worth in reality $2000. It has been thoroughly tested + details of its construction + performance have appeared in the “American Journal of Science,” + short extracts, in many of the city + country papers. My name on a telescope make is beginning to be favorably known among the scientific in different parts of the country; though I have yet received no substantial order for this or another instrument but fr. Luther says, “don’t be discouraged, you must succeed in the end.”

We are evidently more + more respected in Lennox. This winter the people took it into their heads to make us a donation. It came like a thunder clap in a clear sky, though with a very different effect. It consisted of beef, pork fresh + salt, cheese, flour (a whole barrel from our lady) tea, coffee, sugar, a load of wood, &c, &c, &c. to the amount of more than $40, in value. I have earned in the last 3 or 4 months $50 in surveying, $15 preaching, $3 for giving a [temp?] address at Lee. + have been invited to spend 2 hours a day hearing recitations of the Academy at $50 per term. Thus you see that though the good providence of God things are meaning a brighter aspect.

But there is one more thing I must not omit. About a fortnight since Mary received a letter from Luther containing a certificate of good [?] stock in Indiana for the amount of $1000!!! As a present to her!!! All these things my dear brother + sister I must believe had an intimate connection with over our poor prayers + what should we render to the Lord for all his benefits towards us?

Part of Letter from Josiah Lyman on family health, John W. Mack, his telescope, and income