Dated March 9 1850

Letter to her son, Francis L. McKindley, Centerville, St. Josephs County, Michigan.

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Williamstown March the 9 1850

Dear son

I set down to write to you to inform you of our situation here the family is in their usual health except myself I have not been well as [comien?] I was taken like a cold it has left me with a bad caugh but on the whole I am in hopes of am on the gain

I hope that these lines will find you enjoying good health which is one of the greatest blessings you can have in this world our friends and neighbors seems to be well at present

johns folks is well at present but last fall their third daughter was taken sick with the summer complaint on tuesday she died on saturday her name was margret she was fine little girl three years old in sept. last she died while I was gone my journey to Cambridge

I started the 10 of sept. and got home the 21 of October intended to visit Galway but could get no chance to do so without a great difficulty so I give up

I found the folks in cambridge well

Mary Ann was in good health I belief if my memory is write she weighed 1 hundred and sixty and Ebenezars wife 1 hundred and Eighty they have some fat folks their

our sarah talks of going their in the spring perhaps she may fat up too

I heard not long ago that Wms Mary was married to a young man that worked out by the month I heard no particulars I have not been in that place since I came home from the funeral

I should like to see the children and know how they are getting along

john is going to put up a tanery this spring about a half mile below the red mills he has it small place their with the railroad and plank road both running across it he has a tolerable good house he has a room in his wood house where he dresses his leather and works this winter he has a small barn keeps 1 horse 2 cows with a little poultry

we have had a letter from your uncle james in Michigan he has moved to livingston county town of hartland he says direct your letters to hartland Centre he seems to like it much better than where he was before

you must write and give me an account of your house and barn and how much stock you keep how many apple trees you have set peach and plumb pears if you have a garden and what kind of a place it is for a garden onions beets carrots all kinds of garden sauce

we have set out 2 apple trees grafted fruit we have 9 old ones 6 tame cherry trees A old butternut which gives a supply of that kind every year

A little below the root comes out a fine {spring?} which comes in pump logs to the house we’ll have water running in one corner of the house which makes it very handy for us we will have kitchen and wood house the winter is in one corner of the wood house if nothing happens we shall have a comfortable place soon

the plank road runs by the door the rail road runs three quarters of a mile from us they expect it will be from Rome to Williamstown next summer

you must come and see us as soon as you can and write often I'd write no more but remain your affectionate mother

Martha McAuley

P.S. If you want to write to Mary Ann direct your letters to North Cambridge Washington County, N.Y. She will be much pleased to hear from you she thinks she is alone.