Letter 2 of 6 from Samuel Spurling to Fannie Preble

Letter 2 of 6 letters with transcriptions (written 1865-1874) from Samuel E. Spurling (1827-1895) to his much younger half-sister Frances (Fannie) A. Preble (b. 1849). Samuel moved from Great Cranberry to California about age 23 ca.1850. In these six letters, he writes from California and Nevada where he works in gold mines. This letter #2 is from Gold Hill, Nevada, July 3, 1866. In this Samuel letter mentions the photographs Fannie sent him; the death of Charles by drowning; the death of Uncle John Pung; their mother’s birthday is today (July 3) and he thinks she is 59; sister Sarah is working ‘out’ (outside the home?) and he worries about her husband; asks about Andrew (is this his brother Andrew Barclay Spurling?); and mentions the 4th of July festivities. Samuel E. Spurling is the eldest son of Abigail Cobb Hadlock Spurling and Samuel Spurling; A.B. Spurling (likely Civil War General Andrew Barclay) who wrote letter 7 is one of Samuel’s younger brothers. Frances (Fannie) A. Preble was Samuel and Andrew’s half-sister, the daughter of the widowed Abigail Cobb Hadlock Spurling and her second husband William P. Preble.