June 12, 1873 letter to Frank Tomlinson from Ethan Keith

June 12, 1873

To: Frank Tomlinson

From: Ethan Keith, Galesburg, MI

Another update on Katie’s and Lucy’s health. Also wrote that Henry was going into business in Reed City, Michigan. The old bridge is not safe and they are looking into a new iron one.

Scan of 1873-06-12 Ethan Keith to Frank Tomlinson

Galesburg June 12^th 1873

Cousin Frank

Nancy[1] received a letter from Nellie[2] a few days ago saying that your folks would like to hear from Aunt Katies.[3] So I thought I would write & let you know how they are getting along.[4] Aunt Katies arm has all healed up but is rather tender yet. Lucy[5] is feeling pretty well, she did not have any trouble with the swelling after it broke. She was up here last Sunday. Their hired girl has gone home so they have to do their own work now.

Out folks are all well with the exception of Hank[6] & Nancy. Hank has got the Ague & Nancy is not very well.

Henry[7] started for Chicago yesterday on his way to Reed City. He is agoing in business for Mr Keith. Reed City is 123 miles north of Kalamazoo on the Grand Rapids & Indiana R.R. also on the Flint & Pere Marquette R.R. The Roads cross there. Its a new place the first house was built year ago last September. There is a population of about 500 now. He has gone by the way of Chicago to get his outfit.

We are haveing very dry weather. Wheat is agoing to be a rather poor crop here. Potatoe Bugs seems to be thicker this Spring than ever. Corn looks very well. Most of the farmers had to plant the second time on account of seed not comeing good.

Lucy said when she was here that she was agoing to write to some of your folks before great while. Henry said he would write to you as soon as he got settled.

We are some expecting to have a new Iron Bridge. The old one is not hardly safe so there has got to be one built & it is thought an Iron one would be the cheapest. A Company has agreed to build one for $4,000 with two spans each 85 feet. As I have got to go to the Burg & cant think of anything more to write I will close. Love to all. Write soon.

Your Cousin

E. B. Keith

——-

[1] His sister, Nancy (Keith) Brown

[2] Frank’s sister, Nellie Tomlinson

[3] Catherine (Keith) Bradley Lee

[4] See the April 22 and May 8 letters regarding their health

[5] Aunt Katie’s daughter, Lucy (Lee) Milham

[6] Nancy’s husband, Henry Brown

[7] His half-brother, Henry Keith

*Thanks to Leigh Terrass, great-granddaughter of John Frank Tomlinson, for sharing this letter with me and allowing me to post it. In order to keep the letters chronological in the https://lettersfromthe1860s.wordpress.com/ blog post, it was given a posting date of 05-07-2018 even though it wasn’t until September of 2021 that I received the letters from Leigh