Transcription

   My Dear Brother       Petersburg Feb. 3d '47

           Your favour of the 17th was

recieved by me yesterday.  I will return the complement

forthwith, and at the same time thank for writing to

me for I began to think you had all forgotten me

I am very glad indeed to learn that you are well,  you

write that you have lately been in Newark and found

all our folks well, and say something about Brother

Wm and George.  you say that Wm is married and

has had a pair of twins, that is the first that I

have heard of Wm's being married and you dont say

to whom he is married, neither has he had the maners

to let me know that himself as I did him, but

I suppose you may perhaps think that he had writen to me

But one thing I dont like John, that is you say

nothing about Mary our Sister, not even mention her

name that you should have done I think of

her as often as of any of you, and would like

to hear at least that she is well, the next

time you write dont neglect it. I did not know

that you were living in Bridgeport.  I hope you

you will do well there, if the times are not very brisk

that makes no very great difference since you have

no one but yourself to take care of, only take

care of all you can save, and you will do well

enough. But dont get married if you do you will

find nothing but hard times. Business here is very

bad with us coachmakers and expenses high