Letter from Hoyan Petersen Lysne to Anders ROE (12 Jan 1876)

Letter. Hoyan Petersen Lysne to Anders RAA (12 Jan 1876). Images courtesy of Verla Williams.

Risland
January 12, 1876

Dear Friend Anders Raa,

I received your dearly awaited letter yesterday and I was so happy to hear from you and yours again and to read what is happening up there this year and I see by your letter that you and yours are now in good health again and that was the best news in the world. And I can report the same to you that we are all healthy and hardy and the same goes for my parents and siblings. We had a good harvest this year; I got 1,300 bushels of wheat, oats 410 an acre. Grain 200 an acre and lots of potatoes. I must tell you that I have bought my brother Peter's forty this fall and will give him 600 and I have sold one of mine for the same that I gave him. Father got so much wood this year 830 bushel and Peter got 820 bushels and Lase did it simple and used the machine that you knew he had bought but he could not pay for at first... they came and took it back but luckily no one had signed for it so he was happy to get it back. And this fall Lase worked and got 55 dollars a month and was there for three months so he did much better this fall. I must tell you that I bought Vods Harvester this summer and like it very much and this summer I will get 100 (can't make out the rest).

I see in your letter that you will have the same problems again next year. I think that it would be best if you moved away and not stay up there any longer. There have been many that have moved down here from grasshopper land and have received wheat and money. The weather has not been good. It is hard for people suffer and have such great need. Now I have to end for this time with a friendly greeting to you, your wife and children from me, my wife, and children.

Hoyan Petersen Lysne

Write back soon at your convenience but I am afraid that you cannot understand my writing. Live well in God, my wish for you, H. P. L.

Translation: Solveig Quinney, Norwegian American Genealogical Center & Naeseth Library