Clarkesburgh Apriel the 6 1856

Dear and beloved Children and grand Children I under take to write a few lines to you I can informe you that we are as well as we can expect to bee in our olde age I am some aflicted with the rheumetism and Mother is also otherwise we are well Eliza is as well as comon Julius & Children was well when he was hear a few days ago he is lefte alone to bring up his little girles he has a woman that helps house for him it is about three months since I got a letter from Luster Johnson and fameley thay was all well then I have not receved inney letter from Seymour nor Hurlbert all moste four years since I got a letter I have wrote a number I got a letter from Robrt Orton wen he firste got to Californa but he had not ben who[?] Hurlbert was but wrote that was going thare to see him and his Sister Robrt Orton wrote that thay was not Settled and when thay was he woulde write agane but I have not a worde from him since if you know what parte he is in I wante you to write him and Peerponte Ortn adn have them write to me and you write to me whare I can send a letter to him so that thay can getit I want you inquire and try to find out sunthing abut Siymour and Hurlbrt Seymour cared the male at San Jose and Hurlbut got my lettter thare I receved three lettr from my grand children informing us [p.2] that you was all well thare letters was dated December the first I got them thefirst of March thay wrote that you had sente me the nuse paper from thare I have not got a single copey since Brother Rickenson deth I woulde like to have the nuse from thare if you maled them thay muste ben stoped at some poste office for thare has not ben one came here the winter has ben very colde and sevear Snow fell the first weak of Cristmas and good Sleighing till march and thare is Snow to in Some Spots yet the month of march has ben colde the Snow has not ben more than twelve inches in deapth but it has ben [Hidey? stikey?] colde wather all the oldest inhabnt Say that thay naver had Such colde winter in Ohio I have reiceved a letter from nephew James Bicknell my Brother James oldest Sone my brother is living and well for a man of his age he is all moste ninety two years olde he writes that has ben the coldest winter ever known in New York State So it is published in the nuse paper both north and south thare is apenty of all kindes provesion hear in Ohio but it has ben very hye prise it has bn for this parte of the State wheat has ben $1.60 a bushel corn twenty five cents pork four to five Dollars but it is loer  now whete is owrth more then one Doller I have to laber harde in my olde age to live and provide for my selfe and fameley  but I feel thankfull to my Hevenley Father that I am able to laber more then most [p.3] men of my age it is all the capital that I have in store to provide for my self and it the beste caipal is the worlde all capital comes from laber we should like to see you all and bee with you if it ben our forten but if we cante bee with we can write our thoghts and sende by male but it takes some time before thay come but we are glad to have them when thay come do fail to sende your in writeng by the firste male I am caled an old Mormon but I had as lives the people would call me an olde mormon as to call me eney other secks [sects] of the day I think that I shall live and die without joining eney of the Chriten Secks of the day we was glad to get letter from our grand children I hope thay will agane to thare grandparents I want to hear from you often you are rather neglectfull in writing to us our children are gone from us we have none but Eliza that we can call upon Julius is sevrel miles from us we see him once in a while the reste are to a far cuntrey if liveing I exspect that I shall nave see them agane in this worlde Sorrow but I hope that we Shall meat in that world whare Sin and Sorow nave come Mother and Eliza Sende thare love you all and all the Children and espesheley Adaline wishing her much joy in her mered life with her ___ Husbon

Calvin Bicknell

to Joseph and Jane Young and Children