A Letter Home

"September 4th, 1887
Dear Aunt,

Yours of the 21 came to hand several days ago but I kept neglecting writing to see whether we were going to stay here or not but we are not going to stay here now. we have concluded to go on through to oregon this fall, though it will be pretty cool on us I expect. for we have had a right smart ice here in the vallies that is the reason we dont like here. it is so cold in the winter it snows here sometimes untill the trains can't run, so you know that it must be pretty deep. if it was not so cold I think we would like here. wages is good here, money is plenty & Game is plenty deer & Elk, Bear. the men are going out on a big Hunt before we start out again I guess. they will bring in a wagon load of game in (which) you never saw the like of fish in your life mostly all Trout, they are right of spoted, I wish you and boys was with us. we have not heard from uncle Jess since we left him. I have writen back but havent got any answer yet. I dont know what is the reason unless the mail has got missplaced, Aunt I hope Lee has got well & stout by this time. I wish I could have been there to gone with Jake, to the picnic & I would like to be thare now to go to ____? meeting with you. I have read a heap about those Noted preachers & I would like to hear them. we dont have any meeting here only the Mormans & I dont care to go to hear them well I will have to stop writing for this time. I will write again before we get through. Lyda said she would write some. Ma has been sick for 2 or 3 days but she is better so I will close hoping this will find you well. from your Neice M Zemmer Sep 10th Aunt I thought I would write a few lines more as we will (leave) this place Tomorrow or next day to go up in the Mountains to Hunt & Fish there we will start on to oregon, we will be there a week you can send your next letter to Boice City Idaho, it will take us 3 weeks to go there. then I wont hear from you any more untill we get through so I will close for this time hopeing to hear from you when I get thare from your loveing Niece Mollie Zemmer Tell Jake we will try to have our pictures struck as soon as we can & send them to him."

Trail ruts near Guernsey, Wyoming - photo courtesy of Chris Light

This is a letter Mollie Zemmer wrote to her aunt Mary Jane Warren Zemmer while living in the Wyoming Territory.