G. S. L. City, May the 30th/54.
My Dear Husband,
We received your letter by Bro. Reece. We were glad to hear from you and that things were as well with you as they were, the family are all well Malona is quite recovered from her sickness, Moroni has had the whooping cough and chicken pox but is now pretty well grows every day has four teeth and pulls himself up by a chair. Phebe has weaned her baby. The weather has been very cold since you left. The garden looks as well as you could expect the peas are in bloom. Parly and Bro. Darger have been hauling wood from the Kanyon. The mare is turned over Jordon where Phebe’s sister lives it is in good feed. The pasture gave out for the cows so the boys are herding them over Jordon the calves are in the pasture and two of the pigs that are too heavy to get out. The weather is as cold as January we had quite a snow storm; father Smith is dead. the Presinency have not yet returned; there came a letter from Orson by last mail but I have not seen it. I have been to see about plastering the house. I think Bro. Romell will do it but I shall have to pay for the lath and time now for they are in great demand. I have got 15 hundred lath, price 16 dollars I gave the man an order on Goddard for ten dollars, the six I have promised when Livingstons goods come in. it will take about thirty five bushels of lime, for which I will have to pay for on Goddard if I can.
My father started a week after you. I heard from him from Green River all well in health and spirits. My brother-in-law is in poor health Mary is well wish to be remembered to you. I have been verry busy with bonnet work since you left and am now. I don’t know wether any of the rest of the family will write you by this mail or not, but I thought you would be anxious to hear how Malona was as you left her quite sick. Perhaps you will think me verry communacative in things you did not expect me to write about. Well I sat down in a hurry didn’t know what I should say when I sat down, but
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May the 30th/54 – 2 –
perhaps it will not be verry unwelcome. Sarah and her children are well, Hannah and her children send their love to you, tell Elizabeth that I forgot to mention in my letter to her about some narrow ribbon for bonnet curtains. I will send her some patterns. I have not time to write more now, good bye love dinna forget Agatha. Do please write me a good long letter as soon as you can.
I am yours as ever and forever
Agatha Pratt.
I will be glad if you will send me something definite about the pay for the house plastering, but I know you will do the best you can.
If Elizabeth can send some fancy braid to make bonnets of it would be a verry good thing.
The Governor has just got in.
[Transcribed by Cheryl Brawn, Mauri Pratt and Suzanne Taysom, Feb. 2014]
Agatha Pratt to her Husand [Parley P. Pratt], transcribed letter, 30 May 1854; MS 278, online images, Church History Catalog, Ann Agatha W. Pratt Reminiscences and Letters, 1847-1907 (https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE2090355&usedforsort=MS_278_f0001 : January 2014), p. 20; Church History Library, Salt Lake City.