Long before the Internet, emails, or texting with its cryptic glyphs, people wrote letters. As Manifest Destiny pushed people ever westward, these letters became important means of connecting families over large distances. Over the decades, these letters reflect the hopes and dreams of the writer and provided vital news to the reader about family, war, and everyday life. Many family members wrote, knowing that they would never see the person again, but needing to remain connected. This book explores the lives of one such family, through the beauty of their letters, and preserves a way of life that was common to many in the not so distant past.