Anna Parker letter to Thomas Rotch, Mount Pleasant, 4th of 12th mo 1814

              A-276-1
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                            Mount Pleasant 4th of 12th mo 1814
 Esteemed Friend Thomas Rotch, I write to inform thee of the present state and theloss of thy sheep. There is now only 19 ewes and the ram living, every lamb died, the last died shortly after Yearly Meeting. They appeared to have the same complaint that the others died of (the rott) we did all for them we know to do to no affect, not one recovered - we had nine of our own last spring, very thriving good sheep. they gook the disorder and we lost all but four. now this seems very discouragine and very hard that we must keep these distempered sheep we can have none of our own, nor no profit of thine and we are in great need of sheep to cloth our family- the probability is that the sheep now will not be healthy until the disorder is left in the pasture. those that are yet living look tolerable well, but what grades died I can't tell except half bloods, there was some of them.- Now Friend Rotch please take