Letter in the possession of LeAnn Shafer Eliason
Transcript courtesy of LeAnn Shafer Eliason

Cerro Gordo, December 30, 1860, Dear Son and Daughter, I have at last taken my pen to write you a few lines, hoping it will find you all well. Yours of the 28th of Nov was received and we were glad to hear that you were all well and in prospering circumstances. You wished to know what all of us are doing. well we live in the Town of Cerro Gordo, Piatt County, Ill. a small town on the Great Western. R.R. I am acting as a Justice of the peace and work some at my trade. and I am happy to say that my health has been better the past year than for several years previous. I weigh now 173 pounds. Crawfords live about 4 miles from town. They are all well at present. They have 3 children living, their youngest childs name is Mary Miriam. Fanny and her husband lives about three miles and a half from town on a farm and doing very well. Fanny is sick at this time and has been about a week. we heard from her this morning. she is much better. she has a Son. They call him Thomas William. Mary Ann was Married on the 5th of December to a young man by the name of Oliver Heath. They live about 3 miles from town. her husband is a farmer. they live about a half mile from Fanny and about one mile from Crawfords. Matilda is at Fanny's at this time. Crawfords was here on Christmas day and Tila went out with them and is staying with Fanny at present. Your son, William (Deen, age 16) is still at Crawfords. he is well, he was here at Christmas. I think they get along better with him than they did. I advised with him myself and told him if he did not do better than he had done that I had the authority from you to bind him out which done him some good. he did not like the idea of being bound out. he is a stout boy for his sise and age and can and does do a good deal of work when he has the mind to do it. but at times his very Contrary and when he has those spells it is almost impossible to get along with him. I have told Pat. to give him a good whipping when he gets those spells. but he says he will not whip him. I think they get along very well with him now. I would have taken him about a year ago myself but I had nothing for him to do. and I can hardly make both ends meet myself. I have not made enough last summer and fall to get myself decent and comfortable clothes for this winter. I must tell you some thing about my boy. he will be one year old on the 2nd day of January. his name is George Washington, can stand alone at nine months and two weeks old. He can speak several words. Every time he hears the cars rumble or the whistle, he will say there's the cars. we got a letter from England last spring which brought the sad iteligence of the Death of my Father. he died on the 28th day of January 1860. my Mother was very sick and not expected to live when the letter was written. but we have not heard from them since. they sent a beautiful card with the following inscription

Sacred To the Memory of William Saunders, Born December 7, 1779, Died January 28, 1860. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace. Psalms 37---37

I must conclude for the present with our love to you all from your affectionate Father. W. Saunders.”