This letter is addressed:

Rev. Geo N. Smith
Missionary
 

and marked :

Received  Feb. 14, 1842

______________________

There are several words that I cannot interpret, and several miss-spellings, 
which I have left as is.  

Rev. & Mrs. Smith and children left Vermont in 1837 and moved to
Michigan to become missionaries to the Ottawa Indians.  They 
endured terrible hardships and near starvation, depending upon help
from their church.  This letter is probably in reply for aid from Rev.
Smith.  The letter is coming apart, and was written with a pen that had
to be dipped in ink.  The point of the pen left spots of ink, making it
difficult to read. I am attaching the version as I read it.

Ken Stormer
                                           Otsego       Nov 20th 1841
Dear Brother Smith
      I am seated in Mr. Glouse's pleasant family and we have been talking over 
various matters and things.  Among others,your name has been mentioned, I hope 
not altogether in vain.  Half provoked and
half good natured, half jealous and half conflicting and half jealous and half
covetous, (but at the same time with perfect confidence in you,)  I proceed to 
make some remarks about your affairs and at length to make some enquiries.
First then, I have casually heard that the old school Presbyterians have offered
to purchase you, if you are not an Oberlin man.  In this case I can testify for
you, but am not quite willing that you should be set up at xendixe so long as
you are a good Congregationalist.  On the part of the new school Presbyterians,
I hear that Mr. Stewart replies to your application by sending you word that
you had better join Presbytery.  You ought not most certainly to have waited
till 1840 - 1 to learn that Presbyterians can do nothing for you without you are
identified and companent part of their denomination, I mean in an esclsiastical
body.

In the next place, I have been conversing with Mr. Glouse about you present
wants and we have decided that it is best for us, poor congregationalists, to see
if we can't do something for you in such a way as to prevent you from starving
to death three times a year.   Go do this, and we have agreed, that if you will
come among us and attend meetings at Otsego, Gull Prarie and Comstock for
the purpose of assisting us to organize into a Missionary Society to help your
establishment, we will see if we cannot devise means and contribute provisions
at some depot that will go by a more direct route than A.   It must be a great
deal of trouble & expense to that people and Society to collect and transport your
provisions and we hope to relieve them of so great a burden.   Besides we  hear of
their doing a great deal for you,   and so we suppose that what little we have done
must have been lost on the way.  Mr. Glouse tells me that he has been  knowing
to 3 or 4 Barrels of flour being sent from this region within a year.  I am sure
that something has been done east of here both in flour and pork.  Please if my
proposition suits you, send on your appointments, to Mr. Glouse for the above 
places, so that I can get them next time I come here---4 weeks; and let us GC
know what you have received from this region as I have mentioned, but a part, 
and also what portion it takes in any, to bear the expenses of transportation.

Also he wishes to know whether you will not clear out the road, so that he can
take his sleigh and come there this winter and fill your house with provisions
so that you can be your own  caterer this winter.  And if you want some hogs
to come up and get them; as we supply so the woods will winter them.  If
you will come  I will give a good Breeder. 

We have contributed to your benefit here a barrel of pork - some beef and
corn meal which will be hastened to Allegan this time, tho we never heard of
your destination till this week -----   tandy agents -- wait on T. three months and
get nothing but an invitation to join them - then apply to Con. rather
unceremoniousionaly and get help in five days.

              Yours Respectfully,
   
              Mason G. Knafen

P S.   The meeting of the Congregational officiation commences at Otsego the
first Tuesday in February - to be followed by a conference of the Aips and we
hope by a protracter meeting.  Come to them who labor and pray with the holy
Ghost sent down from heaven. To do this you must pray to them before hand.
Give my best respects to Mrs. S.