Letter # 67 - This undated and partial letter from Jan’s mother may be out of chronological order. The “Dominee” referred to may be Dominee Kuiper, in which case this letter would be much earlier (before 1879), and Jan’s wife would be Jaantje.
We would have written you earlier, but because we expected that Marchien would give birth this month, we postponed writing a bit, but because it’s still taking a day or more, we took up the pen, hoping that the Lord may soon delight us by his deeds and we may give you the news.
Dear ones, we sent you a letter in February and Dominee also had one in it. I thought that you had already received it. We certainly hope that you have received it now.
I don’t have much news to relate today. We have had a severe winter and many people have died in this new year, including old Jan Rengers Brouwer and Albert Joosten and many others, both old and young. Also the smallpox rules in many areas of our fatherland and is demanding the lives of many people. However, through the Lord’s blessing, we in the Wildervank have been spared.
Now dear ones, I hope that you may receive these letters in the enjoyment of completely good health. I’m glad that your (i.e. Jan’s wife’s) mother is with you. Now dear ones, you are all greeted by me, also by Dominee and his wife, by friends and acquaintances too many to name. After having wished for you the indispensable blessing of the Lord for soul and body, I am your loving Mother,
Mettje Jans Boer