Great Salt Lake City
April 1st. 1867
Miss Catherine Morton &c
Miss Gertrude F. Lewis
P.O. box 114 Chicago, Ill's.
Dear Cousins:
For by that title you will permit me to address you, your favor of February 25th with the accompanying photographs has just been received. The limits of a letter are entirely too brief to give you, even an epitome <of the faith> of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To save much writing, therefore I send you herewith an epitome which has been published in one of our City papers. This, though very meagre, will give you some idea of our religious belief.
Employment is not difficult to procure in teaching music and other branches in this city, and I think you will have no difficulty in obtaining plenty of business. Persons, who like yourselves, have been accustomed to depend upon their own labors, are much better fitted for our country than others who have had a different training.
As to the best route of travel, the Rail Road is now completed. Nearly two hundred miles this side of Fort Kearney, which shortens the land travel to our city very considerably. My second and third sons are at present in England; they will return home this Summer. Their names are Brigham and John W., the former has his wife with him. Her name before marriage was Miss Catherine Spencer. She is from the western part of Massachusetts near the line of York State. Her folks are well acquainted with our relatives. If you should make up your minds to come out here, you can accompany my sons. We intend to have carriages to meet them at the end of the Rail Road, in which they will travel to this city. I have written to, and informed, them that I have received a letter from you, and that you will probably correspond with them in New York, where I expect they will arrive in July. Letters directed to them P.O. Box 3957, in care of W.H. Miles Esq. will reach them, and it will be well for you, should you conclude to come with them, to write to them at that address, giving particulars and where they can find you in Chicago; or whether you conclude to come or not, I would like to have them call upon you, and shall instruct them so to do. A letter addressed Brigham Young, Jr., 42 Islington, Liverpool, England, will find my sons, and by corresponding with them you will learn nearly the exact time they will be in Chicago. My sons have some knowledge of our relatives, and have visited some of them, but our family has been so long away from our connexions in the East that we are not so familiar with their names and circumstances as we would wish. I recollect your grandparents tolerably well, and am pleased to hear from you, their grand-children. I will give you a few particulars respecting the family of Mortons, as near as we can recollect them, not to instruct you respecting them; but to show what our recollections are, and that we may obtain the particulars that you may <have> in your possession. Grandfather Morton's name was Abner, we think. His sons, as nigh as we recollect were: Thomas, Salmon, Abner, Elihu, Levi and Julius. One of the girls married a Berry, another Daniel Warre, and the youngest, Sarah, married Charles Lewis. Thomas Morton had a son named Charles, who became a Baptist preacher. Salmon Morton had Mishal, Mary and Salmon. Levi Morton had a daughter named Fanny, and another named Sarah or Sally. The latter married a man by the name of Mack, and afterwards married a man by the name of Turner; the last we knew of them they were living at Mount Morris, Genesee Co., New York. Charles Lewis and Sarah Morton had a daughter, Melinda, and another named Nancy, who died when she was about eighteen. Our impression also is that they had a son named George Washington. These particulars may not be correct; but are as near as we can recollect them. Do you know anything about Lucian Parker, who lives in Illinois? Abner Morton lived in Michigan; is he still alive? We would like to get the names of the family who are living, and such particulars respecting them as you can communicate.
If you conclude to come after seeing my sons, Come; and if you do not like the country when you get here, you can easily return. There will be no difficulty in your returning when you please.
Give my respects to all our connexions (which are very extensive) as far as you have an opportunity, and we should be very happy to hear of their preparing for the coming of the Son of Man and the Zion of our God, of which I have not spoken in this letter.
May the Lord bless you.
Brigham Young