Letter written on school notepaper

Walt Schaffer has kindly made a copy of a letter written by Ephraim Frost, believed to be the school caretaker or "keeper". The letter was written in 1859 on headed notepaper. A transcription is shown below.

Walt writes:

"This letter has been in my mother's family since its writing, but no one for the last 3 generations had known how Ephraim was connected to the family. Last year some folks on the Rootsweb Liverpool Forum had helped me to make the connection to my Seddon line. Ephraim's mother was Sarah Seddon and Ephraim was a first cousin to my great grandfather, Samuel Seddon."

Transcription

Oct 21, 1859

Dear Cousins

You will feel surprised I dare say, at receiving a letter from me, as I have never written to you before, in fact I did not know of your existence until Uncle Samuel wrote to me and informed me of the loss you had sustained in being deprived of both parents. Yet I was happy to hear that you were all doing well, I suppose you are all able to do something to support yourselves. I have no idea how many there are of you but I suppose you are all grown up men and women, I should like to hear from you and get to know you, I hope we shall not be strangers any longer, but communicate with each other after. I was very glad indeed, when I received your directions from Uncle, and determined to write to you at once, your Aunt Sarah, my Mother is living with me, and she will be delighted to hear from you as she often expressed a wish to know, whether there was any of you in existence or not. She has been living with me ever since my Father's death which took place a little more than three months ago, he had been ill a long time in a gradual decline, my mother is pretty well in health and sends her love to you all, I am married myself and am possessed with a large family of small children, numbering about six and the oldest is only ten years of age, so you see I am pretty well settled in life, in fact all your cousins in Liverpool are married and have family, I should very much like to see you, and perhaps I may if we live till next summer and all goes well, my wife sends her love to you all and wishes you well. I hope you will be sure and write to me, and let me know how you are all getting on and tell me some news about Aunt Charlotte and family as we have not heard nor seen any of them for some years and hoping you are all well with love to you. I remain your affectionate cousin

Ephraim Frost

Direct to
Ephraim Frost
Liverpool Institute
Mount St.
Liverpool