Albersloh, July 29, 1866

Dear Brother and Sister-in-law,

We have duly received your letters. Sister wanted to write to you but it took too long and I had no address. I see from your letters that you had to suffer a lot during the war but nevertheless bought a bit of money [money?]. We are quite well. Geisker [husband of their sister Anna Maria] is totally paralyzed. When I go to see him and he wants to eat something, I have to put everything into his mouth which is quite upsetting to me, but it is God’s will. I have spoken to the two Americans [Berenbroek?] and Jasper. They said that everything was fine with you but that you had lost another child. We also lost one. We still have five, the youngest one is named Anton. This year has not been very good in Albersloh. We had a terrible hailstorm which almost destroyed the rye and wheat crop. On June 4 at 7 P.M. the hailstorm broke out. It broke the windows and [illegible] on the southwest side of the house. Within an area 2 hrs. wide and 24 hrs. long everything was destroyed by the storm. The farmers in [Sumper?] survived quite well; I myself lost half of my rye crop, but at Rinkerode they had hardly any hail at all. Horstmann’s rye is almost a total loss, so he cut it down immediately. That’s how it goes in the village and at Wolbeck.

On the feast of Peter and Paul Jasper was at our house with Mother [Westerholt?]. He told me a lot about America, and he also said you had a little lawsuit against Klemens who is very ungrateful. That’s why he is not getting anything from his [house?]. Now and then I make Jasper a present of a basket of apples, he likes them. Elizabeth Westerholt will also go to America on August 23. Wiesel, Elizabeth, [Stosser?], Ralf and the two Americans will leave from here.

Here in Germany we have a big war - Prussia against Austria. The Prussians are always victorious. They have beaten [back] the Austrians as far as Vienna. They have also occupied Hannover and Hesse. Many people are soldiers; the second conscription levy has been called up. H. [Stasser?] also has joined the army and is stationed in Magdeburg. Wiesel will give you more news.

Many kind regards from me and my wife

H. Husam.

I hope that this letter will find you in the best of health.

[On back page, added in pencil:]

Albersloh, August 2

During the time that I wrote this letter and had not yet mailed it, our Lord has seen fit to take onto Him our dear brother-in-law T. Geisker. He died, after receiving the Holy Sacraments, on Wednesday at 11 o’clock, August 1. He died sitting in a chair in our sister’s arms, from water on the lungs. We shall remember his soul in prayer. Lord, give him eternal peace.

H. Husam

Dear Uncle and Aunt, I am so sorry that your two children have died. But it is God’s will. They are with our Katharina in heaven and are His dear angels. We also were very ill - we had · the measles; but thank God are well again. Here I am giving a picture for the [child?] because I don’t have anything else.

This writes to you A. Husam