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Hagen family; Solem, Andrew P. / Anders P. Solem papers : Mss CC Box 1, Folder 1
Address letters as usual/ A. Solem/ Wis. Eau Claire/ North America/ Eau Claire, July 8th, 1882
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Address letters as usual A.Solem Wis. Eau Claire North America Eau Claire, July 8th,1882 Dear Grandfather! First of all I want to say many thanks to you for all the welcom letter which you have sent me in the past half year; there were three in all and I haven't written answers to any of them until now today I must seriously take hold of my pen in order to send you a few words, though poor they will be, and let you know a little about my state of health and conditions at the present time. Yes, God be praised, I have until now been well and active which is the best good a person can have here on this earth. The reason I have been so lethargic about writing I can partly answer and in one way not. I was down from the woods one time in the middle of April, when I at that time quit working at the stopping place because I had little pay and they were not much to depend upon either. I was at that time in town for 3-4 days, and then I thought about writing to you ; but I was hindered as I was on the point of changing m address. But then I got a job quicker than I had expected. I got then, as said, after a 3-4 days lapse, work on a floating log raft for the Norwegian man about whom I have written before that I have worked for in the woods. Now I came down to celebrate the 4th, as it is called; it is the American's Independence Day, about the same way as the 17th of May is Norway's Independence Day.* The 4th was celebrated yesterday with great festivity. I still haven't worked since I cam down; but I think I will get work at the sawmill now for awhile on into the fall. Right now it is not difficult to get other work either, for example, such as cooking, but I do not like to cook at this time of year as it is too warm. We are now having good weather and the outlook for this year's harvest gives promise to be average, and this week the majority of the farmers are in full swing with their haying. And the grass also shows signs of being middling. I have nothing new of importance to report for this time; every-thing here is about the as usual. From my brother Karl I have not heard anything since first part of May. Then he was in Minneapolis in Minnesota. Presumeably he is still in the state of Minnesota and working for the railroad. Many newcomers have arrived this year and amongst them I can name Nils Estenstadsoien and report that all goes well with him. Likewise I can greet you and Anfin Solen** from Ole Skjaerlioren. Endre Skjaerliloken*** was married to Marie Sveum some weeks ago. Anders Sneensflaatten is also married. You and grandmother together with all the others in the house are greeted. A.P.Solem *More accurately known as Constitution Day. ** Neighbor at Utstu (Outer) Solem. *** The -oren and -loken on Skjaerli indicate cottar places. Here in E.C. those endings were dropped and the name anglicized to Shirley. Likewise the endings were dropped for Estenstad, Sneen, Oyen/Oien and other cottars. In America there were not to be such name distinctions.
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