TRANSCRIPTION BELOW:

Highwassee College                                                                         April 13, 1852

Dear Brother,

                        Having jus finished a letter to our bro. E.S. I now take the opportunity of writing to you.  I am now going to school here at this College situated 2 ½ miles north of Madisonville and near the Bat Creek Camp grounds.  We have a good school here.  Last fall I went to school to Bro. J.H.C.  Last winter I studyed Algebra under Bro. A.J.C. and now I am studying Geometry. 

I should not have had time to write to you to day had it not been for a Circus Show at Madisonville and my class mates are gone.  I went to town this morning.  I saw them drive in town but I did not think propper to go in to their show.  They drove in town with a team of 40 horses – 4 abreast.  It was a pretty sight but I think that I am employing my time better than if I was in the show. 

There is nothing stirring in the country that is new.  Corne is current at 50 cents, at Athens 40 cents there.  Oats at Athens 25 cents, wheat 50 or 75 cents, bacon gets a lb.  There are no horses selling in the country for there is allmost no good horses here.  The growing crop of wheat looks bad owing to the cold wether during the winter – it being colder wether than I ever experianced.  The most of the fruit is kiled. 

Bro. A.J. is farming with Pa this season.  They commenced planting corn last week.  They will tend 40 acres.  Bro. J.H. is still living at the old place.  Dr. Stakeley is also living at his old place.  Absalum Stephens is talking of moving to some new country but I think it doubtful whether he will go or not.  I saw Old Mother Balas, that is the last wife of Wm. Balas, deseased to day.  She is extremely childish and verry fleshy. 

Father is 71 years old some where about now.  Mother will be 66 years old the 3^rd day of November and they are enjoying verry good health considering their age.  Absalum Stephenses Mother is dead.  That law suit is not decided yet.  It was taken to the Legislature to get it settled there but they did not settle it and now it is before the Court again.  We heard that M.M. Henderson and his wife had parted and we also heard that you ware merchandizing. 

Dear brother, I wish that you would write oftener for it is a great plesure to get a letter from you, espetialy mother, because she thinks hard of your not writing no more than you do and I would like verry much that you could come and see us.  It is getting late and I must come to a close but

            remember me even as your most affectionate brother,

                                                                                                            George H. Coltharp

Notes:

George Hamner Coltharp (1833-1907) is writing to his older brother, James Coltharp (1808-1873), in Van Zandt Co., TX

Hiwassee College is a private, 2 year Jr. College founded in 1849 and is still in existence today!  It is located in Madisonville, TN and is the oldest private 2 yr. institution in the State of Tennessee.  Located at 225 Hiwassee College Dr. – Madisonville, TN  37354-4001.

Family members mentioned in letter:

            Bro. E.S.    -  Eli Strange Coltharp  (1823-       )

            Bro. J.H.C. – John Horner Coltharp (1820-1896)

            Bro. A.J.C. – Andrew Jackson Coltharp (1831-      )

            “Pa”          -- John Coltharp III – Living in Monroe Co., TN  (1781-1867)

            “Mother”  -- Susannah Horner Coltharp – Living in Monroe Co., TN (1786-1855)

            Absalum Stephens  --  Brother-in-law Absalom Stephens –

                                                 married Lavice Coltharp (1806-      )

            M.M. Henderson   --  Brother-in-law Mastin Henderson –

                                                 married Elizabeth Coltharp (1805-1847)

Dr. Stakeley – probably Dr. Abraham Stakeley – a doctor in the Chestua area of

                                                Monroe Co., TN at that time.