Cynthia Briggs to Captain Walter Briggs, July 27th, 1848

Dear Husband

with pleasure I take my pen in hand to address a few lines to you to inform you that through the goodness of god my health is quite good. I received a letter from you in May written about 3 weeks before and was very glad to hear from you and hear you was well. You wrote you had been very unfortunate. I am sorry but it does not worry me at all as long as I can hear you are alive and well. That is the most I think off. Georg Walter is well. He is in the kitchen taking care of baby while I write. I had to take my writing materials and go into the front room for he pulls and handels me so I cant do nothing where he is. You have a fine son here nearly ten months old. I think he is a none such and grand man. Georg thinks their never was such a child before. He has been the best child I ever saw. He has been rather tousy lately. He is getting teeth and he is so fleshy he suffers a sight with the heat. He appears to be a very well child and I want his farther to see him while he is so cunning. Georgy tells him to say how de do and bows his head and he tells him to say no no and he shakes his head back and forth and he calls his dad dad half the time when he is awake. Content Davis has got a daughter three weeks younger than my babe. Mary Devoll has lost a daughter. I have had to stop to get baby to sleep and it is so dark I have to write by guess and what you cant read you must guess at. Nancy is up on a visit. They are well. Rebecca has been up and made a visit and gone home. She has a Walter B. added to her family. Abner Tucker has not got home yet. I think you will be home before him now. Henry Tucker has been home and has gone out master of the Bark America. Capt. Stephen Devoll has gone. Edward Sherman’s mate Amos Baker has been at home, made a first rate voyage and gone again in the George Washington. Maria’s Husband has gone away and she stays with her mother now. Charles Gidley’s wife died one week ago and left a babe about one week old. Mrs. Staples died last winter and they say the Deacon is courting again. Sammy was married a few weeks after his mother died to Ruth Sherman. Mary Macomber an Elwood Studley is married. My babe is so fussy I shall to give up writing for he creeps to me as fast as George carrys him away. I did not have time to write last night so I must finish in a hurry this morning. When you come I will tell you the rest. I shall begin to look for you in October and look till you come. The Janet arrived at Westport about a month ago with 160 barrels out two years and the Gov. Hopkins a year and half out 40 of sperm and 15 blackfish. So the(re) is others unfortunate as well as you and never grieve about it. So good bye for the present. Excuse all imperfections. From your affectionate wife Cynthia Briggs

George wants to write a little so I will give it up to him. I hope you will be to home in three months to see our baby. He creeps now. I drag him in his little waggon sometimes. He loves to ride. He has got a stamingstool and he hollors dad. You must come home as soon as you can to see the baby. He is cunning. I go to school …