Dearest Aunt,

After delaying to write a long time, expecting every week to hear from you, I now attempt to give you in as few words as possible our present welfare. We are all in a comfortable state of health but Grandmother. She has been very much out of health ever since last June. However, we think her health is now improving. Permelia or myself have been with her the most of the time since she had been sick. Grandmother want's would [sic] be very glad of you could come and live with her and take care of her in her old age. Dear Aunt, I think you will be surprised to hear that we are now cheered with the smiles of lovely sister and daughter six months old. She is a healthy child. We call her Harriet. Grandfather has been to Fabires to see his sisters, Aunt Baker was to Uncle Cross? He found them all well. Uncle Noah is dead. Melissa and family are well. Roswell was married last July to Miss Elizabeth Philips. Timothy has left here and works out by the month. The past season has been quite cold and some very hard frosts. But it has been so ordered by Divine providence that crops were not materially injures. We have plenty of fruit this year. We all feel very anxious to hear from you. We have not heard any ... from you since last winter. Father has written to ... then and have been waiting very impatient for ... from you. Please to write immediately after you ... this. Mother sends her love to her dear sister and all ... friends. Please give my love to all &c. I must now ... to a close, hopeing and praying that the Lord ... be with you and support you and bring us all ... ise him through one eternal day for his Son's sake.

. . . . nah Philips

You cannot consistently tax me with neglect because I have written last, but that so long time should elapse without improving the advantages of communication at the cheap rate at which we can enjoy it, is a matter of surprise and calculated to elicit the inquiry, why is it that Hannah has so long neglected to write but to censure without knowing the reason ... be unkind and when we hear from you again the cause will probably be all explained. Eliza has written the most of the news, but I would add that the Chenango canall commencing at Utica and ending at Binghamton is in rapid making progress this summer and is to be completed a year from next Nov. And you can than, if I am not mistaken in the routes of canals, take passage by water at Marriette in Ohio and come within three miles of us. But alas, this connot be done in ordinary ... without incurring expense and to defray which we have neither of us the means and we can ... anticipate any immediate facilities for seeing each other ... from the internal improvements that are making ... business to attend to before I go to bed and ... excuse my brevity once more and let us ....... ou often.

On the blank page of the sheet is written in still another hand writing

On the 26th Day of Auguest
office of Wm M. Thomas Esquire
of the people was plaintiff
[the above may have been a residual notation on paper saved for use in letter-writing by the frugal Osborns, and theregore would have no bearing on family matters....RCS]

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