Cedar Co. Mo.
Aug.
15th 1867
Dear
Brother and Sister
I once more seat myself to write you
a few lines to let you know that we are all well at present hoping when these
lines reaches you they may find you all enjoying the same blessing. Yours of the 4th July last came to
hand yesterday. It gave us great
satisfaction to hear from you all and to hear that things was
well with you generally as you wrote. We
had a remarkable wet spring and summer until about the first of July. Since that time we haven’t had any rain to do
any good. I never saw crops look so promising as they did until the last two weeks. Corn is now fireing very fast. I have in fifty acres and if it does not rain
within ten days it will not make more than 150 bs of
corn. But we expect rain as they is some signs of it.
Crops was generally good, wheat was all destroyed last fall by the
grasshopper that is in this section of country
fine Crops of wheat where the grasshopper didn’t go. Last winter and spring we had remarkable bad
weather for work and as we had the world of it to do we was late planting. Ferdinand came home last winter made rails
and fenced 40 acres of land rented it partly to me and others and is teaching
School again. I had two lots fenced 3
acres each one of them set in fruit trees and one field fenced of sixty
acres. Have 52 acres broke out again
which I have planted and sowed in different kinds of truck. Last year I had to rent as the place I bought here was all burnt during the war. In the spring ’66 we made 4000 rails for this
place, last fall I built me a
good hued log smoke house 12 by 16 feet. House 16 by 18 feet good stone chimny hued me
timbers for a frame 16 by 36 feet and made 4000 shingles toward covering it
last winter and spring me and my lot of boys made 5000 rails and I hired 2000
made and paid $25.00 for the making of them.
I am about to commence my house again.
McElwaine & Green is a diging at the celar today. Henry cuting prarie grass. Jemma is selling water mellons
to the Wagners. Henry was out in Hickory
to se Ferdinand a few days ago, found him well.
You wrote me to come and se you all.
Such a thing mabe and if I do you need not kill the fated calf for I
assure you that to se you all once more would be banquet enough for me. The boys talks of paying you all visit and I
think will some time next year. I have
labored hard since I have been in this country to get what I came here
for. I have a part of it.
Tell
Mother in Law we still look for her yet to tell her my 4 Missouri pukes is fine
looking lads. James is the smallest of
his age. He went with me to Stockton
yesterday. He was wonderfully pleased
with his trip, it about 17 miles from here.
Now concerning my matters in Va., as for the tract of land on the head
of the river, I care not for the sale or perchas of. I had the best coucil in that Country in
regard to the titles and as for Huff having possession maters not for he is not
an innocent perchaser for he is well apprised my having a title to the land and
I therefore will hold him responsible for all tresspasses. He tried to buy of me for a song before I
left so I guess he whistled John Shilling a tune for his title claim and you
can tell him that I am not so hard run to put myself to the trouble of making
and send(ing) him a deed for the pitiful sum of $20.00. But he may have the land for $45.00 if he
will not give that I can spare twice that amount from here in defence of my
rights, and as for Mr. Calhoun I do not consider him a competent agent to sell
my land and all the right he has there is just 3 sixths which is one half. I can get another 6th interest
which will give me one half but if Calhoun wants his part in a shape that he can
work it I will join a suit with him for a partition in the land and if he
brings my other kind of a suit than for partition let me know immediately and I
will sue for the partition or if he will pay cost and interest which is just
about $350.00 I will make him a deed.
Send it to him through your hand to be delivered to him on reciept of a
draft for that amount in St. Louis Bank national currency. If you se him talk with him about it and I
will also write a few lines and mail when I do this. Se Huff, let me know what he says and what he
is doing on the land if none of these proposals do not take attend to the taxes
until some of us can come and attend to it ourselves. David Hall has money of mine agreeable to what
he wrote me last and John Light I guess collected all the rent money for the
Pease place. He also owes me other wise
I think you wrote me that he said he would take the property I left with him
and pay for. So if you need money to pay
taxes apply to them for it and if you do not get money to keep the taxes paid
till I or one of the boys can come, let me know and I will send it to you.
Yours
until death
Saml. D. Light