March 27 1853
North Norwich Huron Co Ohio
Dear Brother Orson it is with pleasure that I set down to address a few lines to you. I received your kind letter yesterday and it caused a thrill of joy through my soul even to know that I have a Brother in the United States. I acknowledge I have aut to have written before but I have not written a letter before in ten years and it comes very awkward for me to write and I feel that I cannot write one thousandth part of what I have to say to you. I was in hopes that you come here this spring and make a long visit. I have not received a letter from any of my Brothers for many years and heard nothing from any of them only flying reports through the papers on which I could not rely — Now dear Brother as traveling is to be a part of your business can you not come this way and see us I feel it wood be a great blessing to see you and refresh our minds with the scenes of our childhood O how pleasant it would be to live where we could take sweet councel together where when sickness and death visits our abode we could enjoy the kind presence of a Brother
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your letter gave me much information of which I was ignorant I had not heard of the death of mother nor Anson but did not expect that mother was living it was about five years after father died before I herd of it so you see it is but little that I know of our family I have received and read with interest the seer althoug its doctrines are new and novel to me I feel very thankful to you for sending it I supose you would like to know something about what kind of a man I am what kind of a caricter I sustain it is a harde matter for a man to discribe himself but I will try to tell you something about it Farming is my occupation I have but little to do with world drink nothing stronger than tea and coffe I have a kind companion and find the greatest sorce of enjoyment at home in the society of my family my farm consists of 65 acres within about ¾ of a mile from the Sandukey and Mansfield Rail Road Havana is the station where you must stop when you come here [page break]
I will send you the record of my family
Nelson Pratt born Hurtford, Conn May 26, 1815 Tinette Delano born Jun 10, 1818 Edwin Pratt born Feb 25, 1836 Azubah Spalding born Sep 24, 1820 Hellen Pratt born Sep 5 1842 Aurilla Pratt born May 21, 1844Marietta Ensign born June 7, 1824 Nelson Pratt married to Tinette Delano Dec 26, 1836 Nelson Pratt Married to Azubah Spalding Dec 18, 1841 Nelson Pratt Married to Marrietta Ensign Nov 18, 1849
Deaths Tinette Pratt died Sep 5 1839
Azubah Pratt died Dec 30 1847
I see that I must soon close this letter please write as soon as you get this; and tell me the object of publishing this genealogy and all the particulars of Ansons, Parleys, and Williams families their health number of children and every thing you think will be interesting to us
Marietta and the children all send their love to you I must now bid you adieu for the present
Nelson Pratt
To Orson Pratt
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[Transcribed by Shannon Devenport and Erin McAllister; Oct. 2010]