End of May, 1873

Mom’s grandparents Mary and James M. Buswell are living in Independence, Iowa, where he is a furniture dealer and carpenter. He had a rough start, but business seems to be more solid at this point, and he is paying back some of the money he borrowed from his brother Charles, back in New Hampshire.

James and Mary have two small children and a brand new baby. He calls his wife “Mame,” as her siblings do.

He travels north, headed for Sioux Falls, to check out the prospects for relocating to where he would have his own furniture business. The situation seems favorable in Elk Point, Dakota Territory—not a state, yet.

J.M.B. writes home to Iowa, to report on what he has found. (Within two years, the family will be living in Elk Point.)

Elk Point, D.T.

May 27th, ’73

My Dear Mame,

I arrived at this place yesterday before noon and thought I would stop and look around town a little before proceeding to Sioux Falls.

I made the acquaintance of some of the business men of the place and ascertained that there’s no one keeping a stock of furniture here and commenced to talk about the chances for that kind of business here. They all seem to think that anyone that would keep a stock of furniture here would have a brisk business and make good profits, and as far as I can ascertain, the prices they pay for furniture and the amount of furniture needed to supply the people here and coming in I can do better to move my stock here and continue the furniture business than I can to go any further and carry out the plans I had when I left home.

Lumber & wood is cheaper here than it is in Independence and I can rent a store at a reasonable rate as I can in Independence almost any place except the one I now occupy. I can lease a lot to put a store onto for fifty dollars for three years and I need not pay anything the first year.

The business men all seem anxious that I should come here and come at once before someone else occupies this ground. And taking everything into consideration I don’t think I can do better than to move my stock here at once.

If I really decide to do so, I shall send for a part of it before I return home and perhaps not be home quite as soon as I expected when I left home.

Write to me and let me know how you are getting along. Hope that you are able to be about again by this time.

Kisses for Willie, Lena, & Baby Brother.

With much love to Dear Wife, from your affectionate Husband,

J.M. Buswell