This short letter is authored by Josiah Johnson III (1806-1881), Emily’s brother. He doesn’t use many words but tells the headlines of what is happening to the family as he knows it. He also refers to a disease of cancer rash that took the lives of two children in Lockport. This could be a reference to Mycosis fungoides. A type of cutaneous T cell lymphoma, mycosis fungoides occurs when certain white blood cells (lymphocytes) undergo cancerous changes that cause them to attack the skin. The early signs include itchy, rash-like skin patches, which may form sores and tumors as the cancer progresses. This disease was first identified in 1806.
Brother and Sister – Roderick Dwight (1802-1863) and Emily Johnson Dwight (1808-1886), Josiah’s brother-in-law and Josiah’s sister.
Betsey – Betsey Johnson Wood (1812-1889), sister of Josiah and Emily
Sylvia – Sylvia Johnson Buell (1810-1857, sister of Josiah and Emily. Unknown to Josiah, Sylvia died the day before he wrote this letter.
Marcus taylor – Marcus Taylor (1824-1857), brother of Hooker Taylor who was married to Clarissa Johnson (1818-1885), sister of Josiah and Emily
Sylvia Johnson – Sylvia Johnson (1789-1870), sister of their father and aunt of Josiah and Emily
Ebinezer Woodward – Ebenezer Woodward (1787-1874), Sylvia Johnson’s (1789-1870) husband
Susanna Johnson – Susanna Johnson (1793-1872), sister of their father and aunt of Josiah and Emily
Henry woodward – Henry Woodard (1789-1868), Susanna Johnson’s husband
Lydia Johnson – Lydia Johnson (1798-1874), sister of their father and aunt of Josiah and Emily
Billdad woodward – Bildad Woodard (1793-1877), Lydia Johnson’s husband
David – unknown
Oswin – unknown
LeRay March 12, 1857
Respected Brother and Sister
I receiv your letter the seccont day after It was mail but did not find out what you Wanted to know till now we are injoying Comfortable helth except bad colds our Uncle and aunts are as well as useual I have Seen them all since i receiv your letter It a jeneral time for colds ans thair is some Cases of cancer rash about lockport two Children have died with it I had a letter From Belsey (Betsey) Dated the first of march Our friends ware all well in ohio sylvia Is quite low Marcus taylor died that day She wrote bin sick since the first of november Sylvia Johnson was married September 17, 1812 to Ebinezer Woodward Susanna Johnson was Married Febuary 21, 1815 to henry woodward Lydia Johnson was married December 27 , 1818 to Bill dad woodward
I do not know when uncle was married or When he died but supose I can find out By wrighting to one or his sons and shall As soon as i can find out whare to Direct a Letter but you need not wait for it but Send on what you have got We have had a verr singular winter It commence the first of December was very Cold till the last of january the snow has not bin over a foot deep at one time this. Winter febuary was warm and mild the snow All went off the ground thaw out and settle I tapt my shuger bush the 24 made 91 pounds Of shuger this month has bin cold so far snow About two inch we hant had mutch sleighing Since the first off ebuary hay and grain Is plenty hay $8 dollars per ton wheat 8 to 12 Shilling rye and corn 75 ct oat 50 potatoes 62 Ct per bushel cattle and horses are very high we have had two sows come in and One Oaxxon and another we expect to come in Soon so you see we have some choars to do David and family are well thay have got the fourth son two months old I suppose Oswin tolt you about Betsey visit here Last fall the last letter she wrote me she Saw her helth was good she wrote a verr Good letter it is now going on to ten oclock I mus close this three cent talk hope You wont wait two years before you answer this so good knight
Josiah Johnson R and E Dwight
The next letter is from Betsey Johnson Wood. It is a long letter and written in her now eloquent prose. She talks briefly about being ‘imprisoned in the Columbus Lunatic Asylum.’ This is a correction since we reported that she was in the Northern Ohio Lunatic Asylum. She does not talk much about the family, and her letter is religious and philosophical
