Frome  March 19 1843

     My
       Dear Brother

       I have taken an oppertunity of riteing a few lines to you hoping it will find you and your wife and familey in good health not that it is your good will that we know that you have a wife and familey for you have not riten to us since you left us  But M^r and M^rs Pingnell was coming back to America again and they was so kind as to say he would take a letter back to you  so we thought we would rite to you if you would not to us    Dr Bro^r we have had a great maney up and downs since we saw each other and i supose you hve had your dificults as well as we  but thank God we have got a plenty of trade and we are doing better than we was when you was with us.    the boy that was born the month after you left is blind    he had the inflamation come in his eyes about 4 days after his birth.     he did not open his eyes for 6 weeks and than the sight of his eyes was affected and the docters and phishcins could do him no good    they said that he may see a little side ways as he grew up
   (page 2)
he his 11 years old the 29 of May and there is but very little prospect of his ever seeing and a greadeal of trouble     We have had and expence to bring him to this age   he is troubled with the fits     We have had 2 children born since we been living in Frome   a boy and a girl our youngest name Mary Elizabeth she was 5 years old the 15 of Jan^y     John went to Cheltnam as Shop man in a very respectable familey in 1834   was respected very much he turned out very steady he staid in the familey till about 2 years ago and than he engaged as a Commerstall traveller     he gets 1/6 out of a pound he sells upon an average 8 or 9 pounds a day     he has been married about 15 mounths     We have never seen (??) yet but they are comeing to see us this summer     he has married very well and she is a religous woman     they live in Stourbridge in Worstershire it is nearly 79 mils from us     but William was aprentised to a brush maker in Trowbridge    took up with bad companey and enlisted in the 62 Regment Wiltshire Millisha foot and when to Chattam and from there to Bengal in the East Indies     We have received 2 letters from him and we do expect another every day     he do like it very well and said he wish we was as happy as he but i am affraid they have been sent to China or we should have had a letter before now     Dr Br^r you must think we had trouble than to think he could get his bread at 2 or 3 different trades and yet he must go a Soldier    it was almost death of me
   (page 3)
We have got all the rest at ome with us    Sarah is almost as big as your sister was     She have left Henery behind and James have over took him.     henery is very small of his age but very steady.     Your Mother is steel aliving but gets very feeble     She is in the Isle of Weight     your Brother is going to see her this sumer but he whants to hear from you first     your aunt Betty died 2 years before aunt Mary     She has been dead this 5 years   M^rs Dedman look after her till she died and then she claimed every thing there was in the house  close and good     we never had the tide of (??) nor she did not send to us     When she died and after her death she made away with every thing out of the house all most     What 2 or 3 things was there she (??) 2 witnesses to prove that aunt gave it her.     (??) and her 2 witnesses was (??) the time (??) laid dead in the house so the neighbors told us     My father is still aliving (??) all my brothers are married and doing very well     Jeoseph has married a woman with 3 hundred pound and got a child about 8 months old     he had opened a shop in Malbrough near Devizes     Samuel is in business for himself and keeps on 2 or 3 hands in War^r     George has got 4 children and works at M^r Vardys still     Richard has 3 children and 2 fat pigs in the sty     Sister Harriott and Holten and all desire to be remembered to y   They have 7 children     so must conclude with each of our love to you and to your wife children and hope the Lord will prosper you in all your undertakings     Please to rite asoon as tis convenient     We should be happy to hear from you
   (Outer page folded for mailing)
Please to direct to Tho^s Shore Cabinet Mak^r   Frome
Somesetshire     God bless you dr Brother  Goodby

M^r John Shore
Frankins Grove
Starke County
Illinois by New
York
     America

Forwarded
from New York
Mail 3^d
of May