grounds

Fannin County TXGenWeb

This letter is in the possession of Donna Bartholow It was written by Thomas Jefferson Grounds whose nephew , Elijah (b.1864) married Dan Lee's granddaughter Sarah Lee Durham, dau. of Sam & Martha Lee Durham. "He was of German descent, so you will note the German spelling to the letter. They came with the Bollinger party in 1800 to Cape Girardeau Mo then to Arkansas and then to Texas." Note ;"Solomon Valentine is buried in Porter's Chapel cemetery in Fannin County. He was the owner of a Grist Mill at Orangeville in Fannin County coming there from Chester, Ill. in 1861 , he also was of German descent"

The Sate of texas Collen co. Febuary the 16th the 1869

Der unkel it is the first time in life that i ever that i have
taken my pen in hand to right to you. the fact i did not know how to get a letter to you i seen a man by the name of
Solomon Valentine he told mee how to get a letter to you
thes lines leves us all well alsow Mr Valentine family hopeing when thes few lines comes to hand they may find you all injoying the same blessing of life i have not mutch news to right we injoy good helth here. i have binn living in texas 15 years i like texas very well. i went to see my father your
brother Daniel in akansas he is sill living he is geting very
old and feble. i want you to bee shoor to right to him. he
will be some glad to here from you and all. the connection
and i want you to right to me as soon as you get this letter
and give all the news times is tolerable rough here now but
i hope they will better i will now give you the pise of the contry corn is worth fifty cents per bushel weat 2 dollars per bushel pork 5 cents per pound coffee fore pounds to a dollar shooger 5 five pounds to the dollar money has binn very
scerse but is geting plentery now but nothing to brag off
we have fedels soilder all over our country i hope the day
will com when we sont need them and all bee quiet we have
a good country we can make goot coten we can make from
12 to 18 hundred to the achor turn over i have binn living in texas 15 yer as i have alredy said i sill like texas i live two
hundread miles from my father and have ? fifteen yere i
went to see him last sumer. he is giting very old and feble
he dont how to get a letter to you and i want you to bee shore to right to him and me and give dyrection how he can get a letter to you and hee will bee shoor to right to you. i and i
want you to be shor to right to mee and give all the knews
give my best love to all inqiring friends and keepe a good
potion for you self i remane your affection nephew untill
deth T.J. Grounds to Solomon Grounds Wehn you wright
to mee back yours used Pilot Grove PO Grason co texas
and it will com to mee When you right to my Faher dyrect
your letter Washington PO hempstead co Arkansas
and it will go to my father Daniel Grounds