From Ohio to Oregon

This 1896 letter was written by Sarah Austin, sister of Isaac Austin, to Elizabeth Haines. Sarah remained in Hanging Rock; both Isaac Austin and Elizabeth Haines emigrated to Oregon from Ohio.

Hanging Rock, Ohio

Mar – 3 – /96

My dear cousin. I will now endeavor to try to ans. your kind & ever welcomed letter which I rec. the other day. Was glad to hear from you.

This leave us tolerably well. I have’nt been feeling well for two or 3 days. I guess it is mostly cold I have taken. One thing I stay at home too much. I believe if I would go out more and not stay at home so much it would be better for me. I had me a fellow the other night. There was an old maid supper at the Baptist Church and they sold the girls to the boys. Oh we just had a picnic. it was the first supper of that kind I was ever at but it is fun to go.

They have a person to auctioneer the girls and they describe them. Their complexion, color of their eyes and kind of a dress they have on. They sold some girls as high as 75 cents. I sold for 20 cents. A fellow from Hanging Rock got me. he was nice looking and dressed finer than a preacher he had kind of had a mash on me anyway & he got me at the supper and then they turned around and sold the men to the women. They sold some fine cakes. One went as high as $1.75 cents it was a coconut cake. I would just loved to have had it. Yes I think Henry Eicker lives at the Rock. I don’t know him but I think he is there.

Our Grange meets to-night. We are having a fine time at that – we are now taking in 5 new members and soon we will have another feast. I expect you can smell onions on this paper as I was cleaning some for supper. News are awful scarce back here. I can’t think of any thing to write. Well Cousin as I can think of nothing more to write I will close for this time hoping to hear from you soon. I remain ever your

true cousin Sarah Austin

to

Cousin Lizzie Haines

excuse poor writing.

Write Soon

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