Philip Burlingham to his wife Charity, 4-5 November 1870

[This letter briefly describes his work; his plans for the upcoming winter; and some financial issues back home in Michigan, including payment of taxes, and potential suits for repayment of debts owed him.]

Soapweed Friday night on[?] Nov 4th 1870

Dear Charity1

Your kind and affectionate letter came to hand tonight and I never was so glad to get a letter as I was to get one this time. I could not imagine what could be the reason that I got no letters. I thought of a thousand and one things but I now know don't send to any other than Placerville unless I write you to do so. I will send over to George Town and get that letter the first chance I have.

I am tired tonight and it is getting late. Please excuse the long string of complaints in the former part of my letter and I will try and not complain in the future. I am hewing timber for the mine. My arms get so lame every day that it bother me to wash my face but they are as good as new in the morning.

If it was not for what I owe Phil2 I would have enough money by the first of December to bring me home or nearly enough. That is if I have good luck and continue to work here. I don't know but they will suspend operations here till spring. Things look that way now. But if they suspend and keep any hands they will keep me, so one of the hands told me today. I dislike the idea of wintering up here in the mountains but better so than to doo worse. If I don't get work here through the winter I shal go over to Placerville and go to mining with a man that is here at work. He says he has a claim there that will pay from a dollar and a half to two dolars a day to the hand and I may go in and help him work it and have half we can take out. That will be better than nothing for if I should be idle through the winter I think I should go crazy.

But I must stop for this time. Good night.

Nov 5th. Again it night and Saturday night at that and I resume my pen. Monday we shall have a new boss. McCarty3 leaves on Monday for London but he told me today that he told the new boss that I was to stay til the first of April. And he said that he was going to start work on his other mine three miles from here and if things do not suit me here to go there and go to work at the same wages.

I am sorry to hear that you have had such a time with sickness while I am enjoying perfect health, it seems to rob me of half the enjoyment. My health continues as good is it ever was at any time in my life and you would be astonished to see the amount of food that consume 3 times a day.

I can truly say with one of old that as cool waters to the thirsty soul so is good news from a far country.

If you should lack money to pay taxes you can write me and I can send it but I should have to send it in gold and you can act accordingly. I can just as well bring the gold when I come home as to send it. That is if you can pick up small change to make out the tax money. I am glad to hear that you have good hogs and calves. But sorry that you have such bad luck with your geese. But don't let that worry you dear wife. Keep up good courage and hope for the best and I think it will all turn out for the best. I hope it may.

I thank you for your long and affectionate letter but would rather have received a much shorter one than you should have robed yourself of needed rest and sleep to write so long a one. Tel Inez4 and Billy5 that I will try and write to them the next time I write if I can find the time and if I can't they must be satisfied with reading what I have written to the others. For it don't matter who it is written to it is meant for all. I should be glad to hear from them often and I hope they will write. O how I doo want to see the little children. Tell Stephen6 folks that I am sorry to hear of the accident that befel their little boy and hope no lasting bad consequences result from it.

Well I have spun this out to a great length. There is not news enough to pay for the trouble of reding it. But I wanted to show my good will and in the absence of news I write trash.

I think I have done hewing timber for a while. What they will set me at next I don't know and I don't care.

Tell Mr Carne7 if don't pay the balance of that note that my orders are that it be sued immediately and tell Mr. Inman8 that he must pay what he owes before time to pay taxes if he don't pay it before I come home I shall sue it immediately and there are 2 or three others that I shal probably make cort for as son as I get back.

Tell Justin9 I thank him for his letter he improves in writing spelling and composition.

Well dear wife I must bid you good bye for this time. Please write as often as convenient and try to get the rest of them to write as often as you can. From your affectionate husband

Philip Burlingham

To his beloved wife Charity M Burlingham

  1. Charity Mandana Phelps (1830-1914), Philip's third wife
  2. Philip M. Farnsworth (1824-1908), Philip's nephew
  3. Unidentified, but there are three possible candidates, from the 1870 census for El Dorado Co., California: in Placerville, Henry F. McCarty, miner, age 39, born in Pennsylvania; in White Oak, Daniel McCarty, miner, age 40, born in Canada; in Coloma, Alfred McCarty, miner, age 35, born in Missouri.
  4. Inez Isabella Burlingham (1849-1877), Philip's daughter
  5. William Pinney (1839-1922), Philip's son-in-law
  6. Unidentified
  7. Unidentified
  8. Possibly James Inman (abt 1809-1889). He was listed near Philip Burlingham in Allegan Co., Michigan, in the 1870 census.
  9. Justin Moss Burlingham (1855-1931), Philip's son