Scranton Pa Mar 27th 1882

​

Dear Brother

​

It is two or three years now since any of us have heard from you. I think it is about that long since I received a letter and as far as I know that is the last to any of us. Perhaps we have been neglectful in writing to you, for we have so much to occupy the time that important duties are often overlooked. But be that as it may I have written twice at least, since getting your last letter to me.

We are all interested in your welfare and desirous to hear from you as often as possible, to know if you still are alive and well. We are all now getting well advanced in years, and in the natural course of nature death will soon, at the farthest, make a breach in our family circle. If you are still living, the circle of Brothers and Sisters is still unbroken. It is probably some of us will never again meet on earth, perhaps none of us who are now separated. But God grant that we may all meet face to face an unbroken family on the right hand, when standing before the Judge of all the earth on that day when the Books shall be opened.

So far as I know all the Brothers and Sisters are in usual health, except myself. Up to last summer so far as the infirmities of age are concerned, there were years of bodily vigor in prospect before me, but since July 1st I have been a constant sufferer from Sciatica. Not so badly but that I have attended to my daily work but still severe enough to cause a good deal of suffering at times. It is not as bad as for the first two or three months, but there is now so far as I can see, no farther progress towards a cure. I almost despair of ever being well again, as all remedies used seem of no avail to perfect the cure. Whether it is Rheumatic in its nature or from other cause is uncertain.

All my physical organs have been remarkably free from the infirmities of age till now, I am writing this without glasses and have used none till the past year and but little during day light at all.

Ada is at present in Chicago, Mr. Waterbury is at Leadville a good part of the time, being interested in several mining enterprises there, and may perhaps move his family out there also. 

Scranton has now a population of nearly 50,000. When I came here it was scarcely more than a hamlet.

Write as soon as you get this.

Your Brother George