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This collection contains letters that Robert E. and Elizabeth Elder of Urbana, Illinois, wrote to their children William and Emma in the 1880s. They shared news of friends and family members and discussed livestock and crops.

This collection (76 items) contains letters that Robert E. and Elizabeth Elder of Urbana, Illinois, wrote to their children William and Emma in the 1880s. They shared news of friends and family members and discussed livestock and crops. Robert Elder composed most of the letters, which also include some brief contributions from his wife. The Elders often discussed news of their son Erwin, who had a nearby farm; Erwin's daughter Nettie, and neighbors, including members of the Clayton and Ruggles families. Robert Elder reported on prices for hogs and cattle and Elizabeth Elder discussed fruit production and canning; in one letter, she shared her suspicion that the 1885 fruit crop would consist primarily of raspberries and plums due to the destruction of peach trees. In his letter of October 18, 1886, Robert Elder described the destruction caused by a recent severe storm, which uprooted trees and destroyed at least one house. Undated items include a letter by Elizabeth T. Elder reflecting upon the recent death of her husband.

This collection contains 40 letters and 1 document related to Michael Day, an English immigrant who lived in Lake County, Illinois, in the mid-1800s. Day wrote to his brother Francis in Gloucestershire, England, discussing his financial situation and his efforts to make his 40-acre farm profitable.

This collection contains 40 letters and 1 document related to Michael Day, an English immigrant who lived in Lake County, Illinois, in the mid-1800s. Day wrote to his brother Francis in England, discussing life on the Illinois prairie and detailing his attempts to make his 40-acre farm profitable. He also shared his intention to purchase additional land, for which he required his brother's financial assistance. Several letters concern his unsuccessful attempts to purchase 77 adjacent acres of land in 1847, as well as other financial hardships he faced in establishing the farm.

Day provided insight on local farming practices and occasionally mentioned the impact of Midwestern grain harvests on his efforts. He shared information about crops and livestock he intended to raise, which included corn and sheep, and commented on the differences between prairie and brush (June 8, 1855). Despite a lengthy period of fiscal difficulty, Day became financially solvent and grew accustomed to life in the United States. In his last letter, dated July 16, 1877, Day reported that his sons William and Francis both worked for wages in the summer. Several letters include sketched maps of Day's holdings and bordering properties.

The collection also contains a contract between John Walker and William Day of Gloucester County, England, regarding tenancy on a rented farm near Rodmarton (November 30, 1803).