8 letter Lawrence Sept 19 [ ]55 Dear Father

It costs something for postage on what letters I send but not much for what I receive for I have been gone from home two months and rec’d one letter from you all except that note Appleton sent with that letter of Mary Bakers that he forwarded. I have dated this letter Lawrence but am writing it in my log cabin on my claim and about this same claim I am in a great quandary. I have got the claim it has cost me first 25 dollars cash last spring and a note of 75, which is now standing against me and I don’t know but I may have to pay it but I dont mean to if I can help it and keep out of law. Then for the improvements now on it I have paid in solid gold $155.00

But before I go any further just let me show how my finances stand. When I arrived here the first part of August I had almost $400.00; it cost me more to come by know, from Mr. Hall for that century sermon that he borrowed and lost .25, from Mr. Alden for a shovel he lost for me 1.50 and from Stearns for what I did in the store beside my board about 20.00 = 426.00 (about). It has cost me for board not reckoned while with Stearns and for an account book and for that notice in the Herald of protest of that note about 5.00 leaving about $420.00 leaves $90.00 all the money I have got. I have a little more than earned my living since I came out and should continue so to do if I staid in the city but now I must live on my claim and all the way is to get a pony and ride from my claim into the city in the morning and do my days work and ride out or else walk the distance, and it seem as though walking 3 ½ miles twice a day was most too much. I can go to work and cut some hay on my farm and I have got a yard all built so as to keep a pony. I can possibly walk if I keep school but not to do any other work. Now I have got to do this or sell my claim but when my claim is preempted it will be worth $1500.00 and I can probably sell it this fall for $600, it has cost me $180 and may cost 75 more and if I sell I don’t know exactly where I can get another one and I want a farm and dont think I had better sell so I think I shall keep my claim and get a pony. Still I may sell.

Then in regard to my city interest I am fixed just in this way. I have built a house on the best lot in the interest and by that means intend to hold the lot and someone it will be worth the two hundred dollars cash that I paid Wood last spring.

I made my contract with my carpenter and had my house begun before I had any idea that I should get my claim even by buying it for if I had expected to have done that I should not have built so expensive a house. It cost me $175, and I have let the lower part for $1.50 per week and intend to have the upper part to keep my things in and to sleep in any odd night that I may stay in the city. Mrs. Wood is very angry with me and says I am trying to cheat them and Mr. Wood is expected back very soon and will try to make some settlement probably for my withholding that money has been the means of the Tribunes not being issued for two weeks so it is of great consequence to them to get it now. If he is willing to settle with me anything like reasonably I shall want to settle and have it done with.

If he gets me the lot that he promised me which was 43 Mass. St. instead of the one that I have built on 44 Vt., I should be satisfied to pay him the whole 300, for that lot is now worth about $400, but the one that I have build on cannot now be sold for $200, but however he settles, (unless he agrees to deed me another lot with this for the two hundred already paid) I shall have to pay him something and where is it to come from? Thats the question? Can you get the money of that man at Sudbury and let me draw on you for any sum less than $300 or can you get of Dr? I should think such an anti-Slavery man as he might help me so[me].

The fact is I shall have to settle with Wood some how or other but if he will not agree to some terms that are advantageous to me I think I shall let him sue on the note and then he may get the whole and may not, But the great question for you to answer is can I draw on you if I must have more money? And this question you must answer immediately you must not wait but set right down and write and have the letter come in this very next mail for when Wood gets here I shall want to know how to meet him. If you say I can draw on you tell me where to make the draft payable? at Hopkinton Bank or where, and you must write immediately. I must know within 20 days of this date. I hate to ask you for more money for you have done all that I think you could do and yet you see how it is. If I sell my claim I don’t know where to get another; if I sell it I believe I shall sell out entirely and come to Mass to live and gain what I shall have lost by coming to Kansas but that I don’t want to do. Now write and answer immediately and then ask Dr if he can’t let you have the money for me. The fall emigration does not begin to arrive here yet much but we expect it will soon; then city lots will rise in value.

Why under the sun don’t the boys or some of the rest write to me? I want to know about the farm – whether you have any apples & Peaches, are you making any cider? And lots of things. We had some very nice peaches brought up from Missouri last week they cost us 1.50 per bush, and we sold them at 30 cts per doz a great many of them. Apples that we had at the same time we sold at .25, per doz they were very large sweet ones. There was a barrel of cider brought into town yesterday and sold for 17 dollars. 50 a gallon. Stearns & I did not make very large profits while we were in business but he has got pretty well started and if he carries on right he will make something. Tell Albert we have knocked the Demmocratic party higher than a kite and we are going to send Reeder to Cong. Tell him to write to me. We had a big meeting last Sat. the day the great Gag law went into force and we spoke our sentiment against the infamous laws and their makers. We all committed a State Prison offence. The Gov. came here on Sat afternoon but refused to speak and when he started away the crowd gave him three groans, he is a Dough face, Dough head & a Fool Knave Rascal and all.

Yours as ever E.P. Fitch

[ ] Don’t forget to answer immediately.