Courtesy of the Nebraska State Historical Society, Oblinger Family Collection

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Bachelors Hall Fillmore Co Neb'
April 27^th 1873
Dear Wife & Baby

As I have been straining myself so long to write you a long letter almost every week since we have been separated I will "make this one short" as I hope the next will be delivered by the {Begin inserted text}word{End inserted text} of mouth with a smack to it. Yesterday Giles cleaned house again for church but was not disappointed this time, we had preaching this time, although it has favored rain considerable all day and has rained very gently by spells and is raining very much so at present nearly sunset. since easter we have had worse weather than we have had all winter for work first came the storm spoken of in my last, then came a few beautiful days as nice as heart could wish but tuesday it was cool and snowed some in the afternoon and has been cool all week till today it is warm with the rain it was froze part of the time so I could not break prairie I broke the first ground on my claim last monday I just surrounded 20 acres exactly measured off and have about 4 1/2 of it plowed Mr Dewolf & I measured off the 40 acres that he is to break for me last Monday and I plowed about 1 acre of it the same day with buck & bright & a right hand plow & it went pretty awkward at first the reason I got a right hand plow is because I could not get a left hand one at all at the time. but now I have a good excuse to take it back they give 2 shares with every plow and the extra one will not fit at all and tomorrow I am going to Sutton to see if I cant exchange for a left hand one. My house is not done yet I got it all ready to put the roof on the day before the storm commenced and the storm left it too wet inside to put it on till it dried out some so I have been breaking. I bught 1/2 bush. Early Rose P's¹ and Giles planted them on the halves last monday I am going to get 2 or 3 bush more & let him plant them on the same terms as his ground was broke last year and mine is all sod. Ma we will have water near the house for washing and watering stock but for drinking and cooking I will have to haul a little over 1/4 of a mile till I get time to dig a well. as to your coming to Sutton on the cars I know my business best those who advise to come there to get off the train are not running my machine you Get off at Crete. in the first place the cars dont stop at Sutton at all the R.R. and the Town are at Loggerheads and the R.R. dont recognize it as a station and in the next place I have to haul off my corn to raise the money to pay your fare and set up house keeping and in the next place Crete is where I have to haul it and in the next place money is a great consideration with me at prese{Begin inserted text}n{End inserted text}t and I can go to Crete and sell my corn and get you & baby at the same time and can haul you and my good from there myself cheaper than the RR will fetch you so those who are in Ind can just let me manage my own machine as I have to do it anyway. I am doing just the best I know how to get along I come here with almost nothing and I am holding my own well, so you may not get angry for trading my team off I have determined to get my land on some terms, I am not going back to Ind to rent until I bust entirely and have to walk back now you can just set that down & set on it. I did not set down & do nothing this winter I put off & went to work at some price I had some bad luck tis true, but it was better to make an effort than to sit here and suck my fingers. and when I could make nothing at work I had to do the next best thing & when I got a chance to better my condition by trading I did and I intend to make every turn I can that will help me get a home I have just as much land as I desire and now I want to fix it up so that I can live on it comfortable and happy, and it will do no one any good to throw any thing in my way for I am running my own machine now and if I keep my health I am going to succeed now mind, ma dont come with, I cant, for it will do no good I come to get a home, and I want you to come determined on a home too you may get some homesick but make up your mind for the worst and we Will succeed

from your affectionate Husband

Uriah W Oblinger