1871-01-20_Letter-A_Alvord-to-DearBrother

OFFICE OF THE EMPIRE KNIFE COMPANY, Beardsley & Alvord, West Winsted, Conn., Jany 20^ 1871

Dear Brother

I received yours from New Orleans, was [glad?] to hear from you. I should think you age would dear you from such long trips looking after your [dank?] children. [Is?] [this?] no younger men [than?] know as much & can do as well to go in your place! Our Mr. Beardsley died yesterday, he has been confined to his house for 3 or 4 years & life was no pleasure to him or his family he having lost the use of limbs & mind. He leaves a large property to be

distrubuted to those who will spend it with out thinking of the many plodding days it took for him to make it. We an all will, very well. The return of the month during which our Dear Louise died has been a sad one, living over her sickness & death as we have. Clara is no better, a strange case it is, knows every thing & still insane. It wears on Kate & Susan I can [see?] although it is not hard work to take care of her most of the time. [Jib?] boards there. I do not know what he does do is Post Master dowen East but does not take care of it himself, rides & loafs about, helps George some, knows every thing that is going on & is to take place

OFFICE OF THE EMPIRE KNIFE COMPANY, Beardsley & Alvord, West Winsted, Conn., 187

I called a [clean?] fellow by his [oath?]. What the end will be I dont know but dont expect any thing from his will if he should die first he is a failure in my estimation & it is no credit to our family to have that in it [Geo?] is doing well very well always complaining however that every thing goes wrong, is making money & could make more if he would take the responsibility Charles & family are all well. We have had a long dry time here & our Lake is nearly dry—lower than it

was [ever?] known before at least 20 ft lower than high water mark. Our new R Roads is nearly graded [we?] expected to have it ready to [gun?] next summer. [Winsted?] is growing fast & every thing is prosperous. Do you read the articles in our paper written by "A Graduate of Sucker Brook School House"—on "Winchester 60 years ago"—Alvord of N. York [it?] is said writes them.. [Those?] I [have?] written you a letter. If you want another write again—

We are going to N York next week to the golden wedding of Mr London [have?] thought we might go down & see you but dont believe we shall—Julia I should have written before this but thinking I might

OFFICE OF THE EMPIRE KNIFE COMPANY, Beardsley & Alvord, West Winsted, Conn., 187

see her "face to face" have delayed doing so. We had a good time last summer when she visited us an [hopeing?] to see her [here?] again next season here.

Love to all, when you get home

Truly Yours

J. R. Alvord

I dont think you write much worse than I do.