There are brothers who stand by each other, in war, in peace, forever, and there are those who can't, or don't. This is a story of two brothers needed on the farm in Vermont in the 1850s, both of whom grew up when the call to 'go west young man' would be resonant and strong with them. The older, William, would have been in his early 20s when the gold rush began, and his younger brother Lemuel would be about 16. What young man faced with a rural life in their hometown back east wouldn't think about following their dreams in a new exciting country? Three to four years later, William was still helping his father on the farm, but Lemuel went west. He wrote back home about his adventures, getting to San Francisco, suggesting that William should come. At some point, he wrote of driving sheep to Mexico. But the letters diminished, and there was one that said to tell Will not to come. The final letter was in another hand, informing the grieving parents of the illness that took their 21 year old son, and the cost of the medicine that couldn't save him. William never got to California. Two months after his brother's death, he got married, and started a family of his own. When the Civil War began, William was a father of two, with a young wife and a new farm. When he was drafted into the Navy, he must have thought this was his chance to see the world. Would he stay and do his family duty, as he did before, or would he join a cause he believed in, and have some excitement? He chose to stand by his young family, and paid a substitute to go in his place. There must have been some echo of his brother's words, "tell Will not to come". When he had the choice to do what he wanted personally, or do what was best for his family, Will twice chose to live for others. I have always believed the tragic loss of his younger brother was a big part of his decision. Will is my great grandfather, Morgan-10631, and I added Lem to tell this story. Lem is Morgan-25472. .