This is a rather long letter from John Bacon Lewis but it tells a bit about life in 1858. Enjoy. His wife Libby was back in Connecticut for a visit.

Lakeville Sonoma Co
March 1^st 1858

My Dear Wife,

I received your Letter & the Deed this Evening and I am glad they arrived so soon as I was anxious to hear from You and also get the papers I am so sorry for your Father for I know what a loss it is to him. I whish C & I were in a condition to help him. They ought to have thrown Harrington in the Barn and burnt him to. It must have seemed a little like Cal. excitment in Farmington that evening. I do not feel a bit like writing this evening but must so as to send down to Bacon to have him get me an Draft for You. I will send a Draft for $350 which with the 200 from Mother will be 550 Now if this will not be enough to pay your passage and get you what will be necessary for You. Ask James to lend you what more you require and I will send it to him on your arrival. I think perhaps it will be well to purchase You what cloth & clothes you want. Shall & carpet also Shoes for You & Charley. He will want stout ones. If I could afford it I would send for a suit of common clothes. Shirts & Drawers. I send my measures as I had it taken. I suppose a Taylor would understand it I don’t. I know my pants are 32 long & 31 around the waist and Charley wears the same as I do only a little longer & larger. He thought we had finished Fencing but have now got to make more to save our Cross & trouble between us and Golden which will cost $200 more. I have finished the Orchard and commenced Gardening to day. As we must raise our own vegetables. We will move our House as soon as we can now and I shall try and have a Flower Garden somewhere.

If Wm e

njoyed Your passage He must try and pass Charley in free as an Infant about 3 years old & as he is situated He ought to be able to do it easy Mr. Bacon wrote me that Mrs. Fanny Brooks was coming out with a Mr. Fay her husbands Partner. She is a Friend of Mrs B. I will give you her address which Bacon sent me she is coming the 5 of May but may come the 20 of April so you had better write her at once unless you make some other arrangement. & have it so arranged to get your rooms to gether if you can. I hope there will be three Boats on so as to make the fare as low as possible.

I wish you were both here now safe as I want to have you with me. I shall be ready for You if You do come on the 20^th of April. I did mean to have every thing ready for You that is House fixed & Garden but shall now only what is necessary. I shall pay up every thing and then build when the land is paid for & I am better able. If those Drays are not sold soon I shall send them to Auction I have offered them for 100 each but not sold yet. If Wm says sell them anyhow I will do so.

Tuesday Evening

I have just got home from Work in the orchard. Milked the Cow Washed the Dinner Dishes & put some Dried Apples to soak. While Charley getting supper warmed up Potatoes & Boiled salt salmon. We have got reduced down to fish again that is always a stand by our fresh meat gave out this morning Yesterday we had two duck soup & the ducks. I had supper down to Bacons when I went for the letter. We have had Game about 4 days a week since I have been here. Ducks Geese & Sand Hill Cranes. Friday Frank shot 8 out of a Flock at one shot & Charley had to pack them down to the House they are larger than Geese We ate one gave one to Van. One to Dan’s ranch & took the ballance to Petaluma & sold them and got Beef

We are most tired of it tomorrow will be Bean Day. I have just set out 1300 Grape cuttings from Vallejo’s and about 50 Foreign ones. I am spading up one corner of the Garden for vegatables. Shall also put out the flowers and transplant when I am ready for them. Charley says come to the feast so I must part. It won’t do to be late when hungry men are about as we don’t wait for each other We have not found the Colt yet Shall look for him & the Dun cow as soon as we get time. The little Gray mare had a Colt Sunday so you have got another one so you can tell Charley I have got a little colt for him and a pair of steers. 3 Goats & 2 Sheep. I must write to Dan for some Rovisions & this letter in the morning so Bacon will have time to get the Draft etc. I shall write you two more Letters the 20^th of this month & 5^th of April so if you start on the 20^th of April you can tell Jane to return it or burn it. I guess however I had better direct the last one to Wm in New York and if you are still in F. he can forward it. Get some Nuts Butternuts & Chestnuts if you can for seed. If you can as well as not a few Apple & Cherry & Plum seeds & pits do not put your self to any bother about them for we can purchase them here. We are about finishing our Barley & Oats & shall not Plough much more as we have so much other work to do. I find there is always something to do We have also a Well to dig last week we sold our Pigs for 10 cents a lb alive as we could not keep them through the summer. I sold the old Sow to Dan for $30. I have two more letters to Write yet to night Give my best love to Mother. – all hands. I should like to see them so much. I expect the time will seem long until I see you Mrs B says tell Lib I shall be on the wharf to take her to my house as soon as she arrives. I shall not go down until them as I can send for what ever I want

Kiss Charly for his dear Father. Does he want to get home or is he contented to stay in Farmington I shall be so happy to have you both back once more I presume I have forgotten to write one half what I wanted to

From Your Affectionate Husband JBLewis

Beginnings

Here I am with nothing to say but that will change of course. Getting ready for a trip to Sacramento to meet with a new 3rd cousin for the first time. Should be interesting, will report later. Involved in the Bodwell line at the present time & am still looking for Augustus in the 1860 census, he must be there somewhere.