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Mariposa Feburary the 20 1865
My Dear Dauter wonce more will try to write you a few lines, i have not recieved
a letter for some time & have not wrote but i feel like i cant give
up hope you will get this & that we may get leters regular, it is the
greatest sattisfaction that i see on this earth is when i get a letter & hear
you are alive & well, you & your little Children & all of friends & that
are so kind to you I thank them a thousand times & hope tha will bee
one of the great deeds that tha will bee rewarded for when thare will bee
no more hard deaths, nor turning wimen and Children out of doors, i cant
say what i want to say for i am greived at the Situation of the Cuntry
evry where it apeares that there is treble & distrefs everywhare & everyone
almost redy to moove, tha dont seem to apreciate thare homes like tha uste
to do. thare is a greatet talk about Mexico(1) & a greate meny agoing,
thare is but one family from our neighborhood but a greate meny men & if
tha like there will bee a greate many next fall. i have just learn of the
death of our frend, one that or boys thought as much of as eney neare connection
that tha had owing to his kind friendly treatment to them, it is Vann Hays(2),
he Died neare the Colorado, he was sick some time, he was forty mile from
the Settlement, one of old man Bryants(3) sons waited on him untill he died.
Margaret we are all well & geting along a greate deal better & aveage,
we have a very hard time geting thew 2 very dry years together. Some people
lost almost evry bit of stock tha had, just starved to death, we had very
good luck, the boys had large boundrys of land inclosed & cut some hay & kept
the stock of it & when it got skire(4) that put there stock on it & saved
almost everything but o my Child it was the hand of providence that saved
eveything for if there had been two or three cold days when the rains commenced
it would have killed everything in the cuntry it was so weake & poor
it would have chiled to death but insted of turning cold it was warm & fogy & now
we have plenty, every thing geting fat and sasy. Jackson(5) and myself had
siteen young coults & we lost but one, a mule killed, that he has sold
six mares & colts,
he got sceared & thought everything would die. A greate meny people that
lived on the plains left thare homes & come in the Mountains but have
gon back to thare homes & put in large crops. Thare will bee larger crops
this year than was ever in California for we have plenty of rain, some complains
of two much for frait is very high & everything high, we could have bought
flower at four dollars & half a hundred last fall & now it is from
foreteen to sixteen a hundred, it is owing to roads being so bad , from nine
to ten dollars a hundred from Stockton to Mariposa.
Margaret this is the second day of March being sent for in the country i
did not finish my leter to send. Yesterday i recieved a leter from you, it
was received with joy also the nuse was hard , to think you will be broken
up again but glad to heare you was all well, it was wrote on my birthday& come
to hand the first day of March. Your request will be atended to when i get
home & see the boys, i thought would send this to let you no how long
your letter was on the road. i received a leter from Rebeckah Berry(6) a
short time ago, tha was well. Hugh(7), the old man(8)& Mary & Husband
has moved from the half Moonbay(9) to kings river(10) about one hundred miles
from
whare we live. Marga you say your aunt Pheby Hays was anxious to come to
California. Wade(11) has a first rate wife & two little girls, he has
had a good deal of bad luck lately, he has a good farm & plenty but has
lost five thousand dollars by one firm & a greate deal more with others.
Marga give my love to your Uncle & Aunt Mary(12)& tell hur i recieved
my poor nefews likenefs(13), i kindly thank hur for it, i can look at it & think
of hur trebles, i must stop for i could have so much to try to write that
you could not read it. so farewell from your loving Mother, i wish you to
give my love to all of my friends & write as often as you can where ever
you are
E. E. Watts
Margret J.H.
[Early 1865]
Dear Mother
Once more I am permitted to write a few lines to you, it has been some time since I have heard from you. I have been looking anxiously for a letter for the past week. We are all enjoying good health at this time and also having as peaceble time as usual. We have had a very pleasant winter so far and from all appearances the winter is about over. We have had some very cold weather but nothing to compare with last winter. We have now nice sugar weather. Next week a lady of this place and mySelf is going to making shugar and molases for our own use. I wish you and my Brothers were hear to help me at my surrup when I got them made.
When I wrote to you last I was expecting to be sent off. That order that was then out has been revoked but still it is thought their will be a great many sent off in fact their has already been a great many sent off and a great many names taken to be sent off in a few weeks. I heard from above (my old home) yesterday, their is a great deal of troubble their yet, had a fite a few days before the letter was writen, four houses Burned, the federals burned two in Mo., the gerrilars two in Kansas in retaliation. It is said that their is a great many Gerrilars or Bushwackers (as one may term them) in the country. I shall not stay this coming Summer if I stay in the country. I could not go anywhere where I would be better treated. I have a great many friends hear, the most of my provisions is furnished for me, no one about hear keeps a better wood pile than I do. I have had a nice quantity hailed for me today, we have a cow and as scarce as stock food is I have plenty furnished.
Last night I spent the night with Aunt Pheby(14), hers is only and ally between our houses and yet I must go and stay all night with her every little while. Her health is tolerable good, she is very kind to me. Cousin Dicks(15) wife stays with her now. Uncle Jemmy(16) has moved half a mile from hear on a farm, he thinks he will be able to work some on a farm. Low(17) is still in Jackson, uncle Jemmy can see how to read some little. Uncle Cale(18) is fixing to leave hear in about three weeks, he says he is going to California if the Indians (19) do not get to bad. I have been very strong with the notion of going for the last month but the Indians is to bad for me to think of attempting now. I am to cowardly. I have sent word to Sam(20) to sell my place if he could, I wanted to be prepared to go whenever I (illegible) with and good opportunity.
Mother I have writen some time ago to you or my Brothers to send me some money. I do not like to asque so mutch of a favor yet I have told you I would do so whenever I really needed any money. If you have not sent it yet you can send a Draft of the St Louis Bank, their is some of my friends passing down their every few days. Any love to my Brothers, tell them the Spiritual rappings say I will see them in eleven months, oh, if I could think so, how fast the time would pass with me for a strong medium converse with fire (or something) at any time, they are a mistry to me for it is something that can tell the past correctly. My kindest regards to all enquiring friends so fare well Dear Mother and Brothers, May we yet meet again, your Daughter
Mag J.
Laurenda(21) sends her love to you also Cousin Pap(22). Am(23) is now in town and expects to move to the country soon. Uncle C.(24) and lady is keeping house. The children sends a great deal of word to you and their uncles.
Mag J. Hays
WilliamsBurg April the 4/65
Dear Mother
Once more with pleasure I write a few lines to you but with but little hope of geting and answer. It has been four months or over since I have had a line from any of you, you may know that I am low Spirited. I almost feel like I am left alone in the world without a friend to care for me. We are all well at this time, I have been very sick but now able to go around. I kept my bead some eight or ten days the Dr tending on me all the time. I had yellow glanders(25), I was as yellow as a orrange, the whites of my eyes is still as yellow as ever. I laughed and told my friends that I was going to try for my free papers but I have not got them yet. I have no news of interest to write. All seems quiet hear now but a great many people leaving hear on account of fear of coming troubbles. I see no more prospect of coming troubbles than I see ever spring excepting the fear of not raising anything. We have had nothing but rain all spring, now April, no plowing or gardening done yet. Still feeding stock as it has been to cold for the grass to grow. I have got through with my Sugar making, made enough to do me all the year besides what molases that will do me.
Our friends all well at this time. Aunt Mary(26) was down yesterday, Jennie Up(27) has been staying with her for the last two weeks. Aunt Mary would come down every day I was so sick, she Lives a mile from town on a farm. Lou is still with Rach(28) in Jackson, Henery Harper (Rach husband) has bought a very fine farm up their near Kansas City, one of the best improved farms in the Co; he paid 80 Dollars per Acor. Mrs Vaughn(29) and family, her Daughters all prisinors again, they have been sent to St Louis, it is thought they will be Banished South. Cousin Lis Berry(30) is living in my old neighborhood, she has but one child. Dian(31) says she will stay with her and try to make a living for her. Uncle Cales family has give out going to California this spring.
I am still living at the same house I have been living at all year. Linvilles(32) family is still hear. Amazan(33) has mooved on a farm some three or four miles from hear. Aunt Feebys(34) health is tolerable good now, her negros all left her today. Dicks(35) wife lives with her, she is very abxious to go to California. Aunt Mary said when I was sick that she wished more and more every day that I was with you. Mother I do wish it myself but I have so many little Children that I have not the courage to start their. Mrs Maupin (from Fayette) is going out their again, I do not know what time she is going to start, I will write to Eliza(36) and see what time she will start back. I have a great many kind friends hear but Still I cannot be as well satisfied as I would be with you and my Dear Brothers. Mrs Mary Cunningham(37) is now in St Joseph, Mo. She has been in Nashville, Tenn for over a year. I look for her to see me in a short time. The children all sends their love to you, their uncles, my love to my Brothers and all enquiring friends and a large share for yourSelf so fare well from your Daughter
Mag J.
WilliamsBurg Caliway
April the 25/65(38)
Dear Mother
I feel so thankful of having another opportunity of answering a more than welcom letter received Saturday week, the first line for over four months. You may guess I had the Blues some. Everything is quiet hear at this time, people all beginning to put in their crops, we have a very late season, a great deal of rain, some very cold weather. Saturday we had some snow, I was afraid it would kill the fruit as we have one of the finest prospects for fruit that has been for a number of years. I have been gardening today, have got about all of my garden in. John(39)helped me today but it will be about the last help I will have from him as he is going to help Uncle Jemmy(40)put in a crop. I staid with Aunt Mary last night, all well. Aunt Jennie(41)and Aunt Mary was up at Uncle Eds(42)last week. Aunt Sally(43)health very bad. The rest of the connexion well. Uncle Cale is very feeble, scarcely able to get about, his head is very white.
Mother I am very low in spirits, ever thing looks so Dark and gloomy in the future, what is to become of our people god only knows, everthing looks darker than it ever done.(44)I wish I could write as I wish to but may be I had best not. This is the fourth or fifth letter and received one. I wrote some two weeks ago, I had a letter from Mary Cunningham last week, she expects to come Down hear in a few weeks. She has been in Nashville, Tenn for over a year. Aunt Feby H.(45) takes Vans Death very hard. She had not heard of it untill I received your letter, she seldom gets letters from any of her sons. Her Negros has all left her(46). Dicks wife(47)lives with her, she has one child(48). The children is going to School, that is Betty and Fleda. The children all sends so mutch word when I commence writing to you that I cannot think of half of it. Give my love to my Brothers. I have written to Eliza D to learn what time Mrs Maupin will go to California. My kindest regards to all enquiring friends, I will have to close my letter as I have nothing of interest to write and are very tired. Write often so farewell Dear Mother from your loving Daughter
Mag J.
May the 22
Dear Sister I have bin in receit of you letter some weeks But owing to manny hinderences I have bin long to reply but it was not because i did not think of you often and wish you cold bee with mee this lonesome morning as i am yet alone as i have bin all winter except my little gran daughter Ella(49) is with mee going to school. i had two letters from loved ones in Ky yesterday, all is well perhaps move there than you are apprised of my husband(50) speaks of comming home soon But i don no i wrote to him to get mee a home thare for i dont think i ever can live happy heare neither can hee but i have not got anny reply from him yet. My son wavington(51) come home last week, left the army the 3 of march, there is manny coming home, i feel like i can hardly live under the presant appearance of things, it is two sad to think of, the most disgraseful downfall that ever a hy minded people had to baire. i think the leeders deserves punishment for flattering the people so long and getting so manny in trouble, waveyington come in to see mee and went to headquarters and showed his papers to the Capton, told him he cold goe whare he pleased, he stayed all night But i did not feel right about his staying, all said no danger but at midnight their come a dozen privaty and a Sargent of a very bad company that has bin stationed heare for a yeare, that is in a habit of beeting anny boddy they please nearly to death and caled for him, i ansered them, they told mee they wold have him or tare my house down. o Sister cant tell you my feelings i exspected it wold bee death, i ast permision to put on my dress before i opnd the door. while they was waiting i told warry all cold save him cold bee to raise the athoritys. i run upstairs and put my head out of the window and Screamed at the top of my voise. one of my neighbors ladys come runing to my house, they drove her back but she run up the street and raised the Capton. he come in haste but they Broke my door and took him. the Capton met him and took him to his rooms and kept him all night, i dont know whether he will stay heare or not, there is none of mine in the army now, the lord only nows what will become of them, i dont. Sister i was verry sorry for when i read youre letter to heare that you have sutch a hard time to get a long and more sorry that i cant help you, i have a hard time to live myself, what means i had by mee have had to devide and send off to the destitude at different points. i hope you have herd from our friends before this that is fare a way, do you no anny thing of Sister Lissy(52) boys, have you heard from Sister letty(53). you spoke of Mrs Mappin(54)going to California, She and her friends have gone to St Louis to live. i don’t no what anser my husband will make mee in regard to leaving heare, i no it will almost brake us up. i was out last evening to se mary loe(55), the oldest daughter of Jordons(56), she is nearly gone with consumtion, i am so sorry for her. give my respects to mr and mrs yager also to all enquiring friends, tell the children howdy for mee, give my love to all the California friends, i wold write to them if they wold write to mee, let mee heare from you soon, exscuse this blotted letter, i had bad luck with it, my fondest love to you, farewell for the presant.
E.C.D.(57)
[Eliza C. Dickerson]
Mariposa june 28 1865 Cal
Dear Dauter & Frends
I am wonce more permited to write you a fue lines to let you no i am on the land of the living & as well as could be expected at my age almost seventy years old & today have i washed a large washing of close & expect to wride eight miles this evening & i will have to write you a short letter. i recieved a leter from you yesterday wrote in may & two in April, tha come regular, i will risk sending you ten dollars in goald coin & if you get it you must write amedately & you shall have more every month. We are all well at presant & hope these lines may find you all enjoying the same blefsing. The wether is worm and the dust is very disagreable, give my love to all of my trends & esspacasly them that thinks of you & your dear little Children. Tell your Uncle Caleb and Aunt Verginia & James & your aunt Mary I am grieved for their hard trials but we have to bare all that is put on us, so fare well from your ever loving Mother and grandmother & sister. Your Brothers wises to be remembered to you & the little children tha often wish tha had them hear, what pets tha would have.
E . E. Watts
Margaret J. H.
Mariposa August the 6 1865 Cal.
Dear Dauter and little Dear Children if i could only have you all heare this lonely Sabbath evening to heare your Deare little toungs talk to me i would not ever get lonesome & i would not bee trying to write & that is almost the hardest thing i have to do for when i am writing i dont no that it will come hand & dont no that you will bee thare to receive it but we must hope for the best. i recieved a very joyfull letter the 3 of this Month. We was all at a Campmeting near town, the telegraph nuse came in stating that there was worse times in Mo. Than tha ever had been owing to the exposion(58) & hard times, the wimen & Children had become Sick & for the want of attention was dying faster than tha could have them beried & had not got a leter from you soon as i expected & i was in greate distrefs but the day the meeting broke up we received your letter, i wish you was heare with us, we are all fixing to go to another Camp meting commencing nest friday in fore miles of our house, it will bee Methodist & prisbefcerian(59) preaching together there, only one part tinds Meting South, we had fore good preachers at out meting, three Meth & one Cumb(60)all from Mo. tha would call for good old Mo. Hims to Sing, we all go together & camp & thare is a man apointed to keep a resterant & all bourds thare at fifty cents a meal. we have no flustern or treble & the prechers & furen(61) young ladys, the young men pays thare way & tha got along so well that tha preachers said tha would come & preach if tha wished & tha was a unanimous vote for it & will bee a greate time. Bishop Cavenoy(62) will be heare, tha have him arested but he is released, tha could not find eny thing against him. Mr Burchard(63) is the elder heare, he said he lived close by Brother John Berry(64) & Margaret Dunham(65), new them well, he said John was a reformer & Margaret was a Methodist. Margaret you stated you had no leter since you received them likenefs, this the third i have wrote to you since i sent them & i sent a two dollar & a half piece in each letter, that is the two before this one. i would have sent some in this but you writing you had not got ether of them I was afeared thare was something wrong, i would wait a while. Margaret your Brother John(66) has been to see me about 2 weeks ago, he said he would write as soon as he got home & he made me promice before he left if you wanted eney assistance & you could get it, he was willing at eney time to joyn to help.
Margaret i wrote in one of my leters if there was eney Exprefs ofice eney nerer than St Lewis or not & how you could get it, i told John when he was heare, when i got a leter from you it would give some information how you could get the money if we sent it. i want you to have some before cold wether sets in to help you provide for cold wether, i want you to write as soon as you get this letter how & hoo to send it two & where if you cant go to the ofice selec some frend so we can direct it to them so you will not have no treble to get it. Margaret i have recieved a letter from your Aunt Rebeckey Berry, tha wish to see me but have no chance to come. I would bee very glad to see Brother Richard(67) and Children, i could not go to see them now , it is dry & worm & dusty, this is a very hard yeare in Cal, such a droth , hundreds & thousands of stock dies heare for feed and water, we have plenty as yet, we dont no how the fall & winter will do withe the people, we have pease & plenty as yet, i don’t no how long it will continue, there ia a taulk of a draft, i dont no how that will come of, i dont no which party is the most oposed to it, i believe there a clafs of people on both sides, would bee a fufs, but it would be worse on wemen & Children (glad to see) than it has been in the States.
Margaret this is the 24 day of the month August, I wrote this letter & had no chance to send it to the ofice & went to campeting & like to stayed 2 weeks, we had a fine time, it made me think of old times, the boys went home every night & came evry day, it was only fore miles, tha would stay untill midnight, the meting never broke up sooner than 11 oclock, a good many profesed & was babtized. The Cumberland is a going to have one on the Mursaid(68) in three weeks, tha have wrote for Cousin Nely(69) to come & to come by our house if he comes i will go to the meting with him if i am well. we are all well, i must come to a close, Farewell from your leveling Mother, give my love all enquring frends & to yourself & Deare little Children, boys sends there love to you & the Children
E. E. Watts
you cant read it
it is almost dark
Margaret Hays & Children
September the 2/65
Dear Mother
Once more I am permited two write a few lines to you hoping you will get them. I can never hear from you but hope you are more fortionate than I am. I do hope that you will get my letters. We are all well at this time and all of our friends and relations that I know of. Last week I spent with Uncle Sam(70), he sent his carriage for me. I was at Uncle Eds(71), I have never been to my Uncle Bob yet, he lives within two miles of hear, he has sold his farm expects to move to the Burg. I have decided on going home, expect to start day after two morrow. Sam H.(73) sent a wagon for me so I shall go by land. Uncle Jemmy got up to Kansas last Wednesday today week, he went by land. I am now at Laurindas, Linville has not returned home yet, his family will remain hear untill his return. Amazon is going up with me. I do not know what I shall do yet when I get up their for a home. Sam is trying to get me a house.
September the 21. Dear Mother I did not have the opportunity of finishing my letter so I will finish at home, at least the place I once called home, dear old Jackson. I was ten days on the road, Amazon and family and my little ones. We had a very nice time, camped out every night which agreed finely with me. Fleda has had chills since I arrived home. I am now staying at Sams, we have had only eighteen children hear untill this morning. Am mooved home, I will stay hear untill I find a home. Houses is very scarce hear, people all coming back to their homes, so many that has had their houses burned, every vacant house filled. I have not seen Uncle Jemmy or Aunt Mary since I arrived home, will go down to Henrys(74) tomorrow. Last Sundy went up in Kansas to preaching. We had a very nice sermon if it had been preached in Mo. All perfectly quiet hear, I hope it will remain so for their is no place I can find that feels as near to me as this one. We are looking for Lin in every day from the south. Crops is fine hear. People all seem like they are going to try to live again. Their is a great many land buyers through hear, land is coming up all the time. Henery Harper has been offered 100 Dolars per acher, he gave eighty last winter (per acher). In this neighborhood land rates at from 25 to thirty five per achor, thirty is the price of mine as their is no buildings on it. Will sell, take my part of the place in money and by a little farm improved as I am not able to build on our home and then I have only a lifetime interest in the place. Mother it has been so long since I have heard from any of you it almost makes me sick when I think of the length of time. Write ever opportunity you have, I am so anxious to hear. Direct your letters to Westport, Jackson Co. Mo. The children all send their love to you and their uncles, my love to my brothers, a large share for yourself, so fare well from your loving daughter
Margaret J. Hays
Letter
69
Mariposa October 29,1865 Cal
Dear Dauter
with joy i recieved a kind letter from you yesterday it found us all well at the presant. Jackson had been unwell for some time with a bad cold, he is geting over it. My health is as good as could bee expected of my age, thare has been a great deal more Sicknefs heare this Sumer & fall than ever was none & a great meney Deaths among Children mostly & some grown persons, some think it is caused by beeing such a dry seson, we have had no rain since the first of last April to lay the dust. Marga you must forgive me for not writing oftener & causing you so much uneasnefs, it was bad luck & neglect when i wrote you i would send you Money to help you threw the winter i had it & you wrote you did not want me to send it & then i loaned it out & times closed in So hard that it was almost imposible to get money, the Cattle the most of them died & more than half of the Stock raisers broke. Provosion of all kind was so very high, flower from twelv to fourteen dollars a hundred & now it is only eaight & half barrel heare in the mountains bin at the City.
Marga i am glad to heare you have got to your old Naborhood & sorry you have to dispose of your land but i expect it is the best for you are not able to make the improvements on it that would have to bee made. you wrote you intended to come back in September & i wrote you a letter & sent it to Westport & in it i put Twentyfive Dollars in greenbacks, i want you to write if you have recieved it or no. i tried to send you gould coin in a letter, two fives in letter & started by mail & it was sent back, then i thought i could send it by exprefs but that came back, then i sent twenty five in greenbacks, now i will send five in this & if you can get the letters it will bye the Children Shouse. I have got a good meny things for you & the Children, now thare is pease i may send them, i will try to do so.
Margaret we have had no frost yet & plenty of Mellons & beens tomatoes & garden flowers, i wish you had part of my dried peaches grapes & tomatoes for i have a Sirplus. i have a girl from town astoping with me, we have no work to do. i have quilted two quilts this fall, i wish had them for i expect you need them & i dont need them. Write about all of our old naboars good or bad for i am prepared to heare eney thing that comes before me, Cusin Liz B.(75) Mrs Dunkin(76), Mrs Hough Lobes(77) & Family the Mores(78) the Keneys(79) & Bartlesons. give my love to Uncle James & aunt Mary Yager & Rachel & Husband & Luisa & Samuel Hayes & family & Amberson & family & Linvil & family if tha have landed thare. i must come to a close, give my love to Johney, till him he must write to his old grandmother & let hur no, he thinks he has one 0 them Sweet little girls, if I could only see them i would bee so happy, ther uncles looks at ther likenefses very often & disputes which is the puteest & thinks tha are all very purty, write often my dear Child & trust in the lord & he will blefs you & your little ones so farewell from your old Mother
E. E. Watts
Margaret J. Hays
the boys sends love to you & little Children
Westport Jackson Co. Mo.
Nov the 1/65
Dear Mother
Once more I have the pleasure of answering a more than welcom letter received over a week ago. I should have answered it immediately but prevented by Sickness. Sam Hays has been very low with fever, also several of the others belonging to the family. I have been making Sams house my home since I have returned to this country. The children have been staying with Marium Mc(80) for the last ten days as Sam was so sick I would not keep them at home. Yesterday Sam was so much better I sent for the Children. Jennie Upie was taken sick the night before, could not come so I came up to see her, it had been over a week since I had saw her. She is very sick today, I think is the chills that is ailing her(81). She shook some four or five hours this morning, has had a high fever ever since. My health is good, I am very fleshy, my wait is from 135 to 140. I have not found a house to go in to yet, every house is filled in the neighborhood. I do not know what to do but will wait and let ever day provide for its self. Uncle Jemmy and family is living with Henery Harper some two miles and a half from Kansas City. Henery has a large house, aplenty of room for several sutch families. He sold between eight hundred and a thousand bushels of apples from a dollar and 65 to two Dollars per bushell. He could get a hundred and fifty Dollars per achor for his land but wont take it. Land is very high, more land buyers than you ever saw, the country is full of them but not many of the write kind. There is some from the Sothern States but they are mostly from the eastern States, they came here thinking the people all have been broke up, are not able to pay their taxes and will have to sell their land for a reduced price. But they find they are mistaken. Land is higher than it has ever been, people is very perticular who they will sell two, they are not willing to let those that have robed them of all their propperty come and live on their homes.
Linville has returned home, has now gone down after his family. Amberzan(82) has mooved to his home, people all moving two their homes, everything perfectly quiet hear. Crops was fine hear this year, provisions of all kinds high. Mother I do not know how to thank you enough for your present received in your letter and Oh Mother you do not know how mutch pleasure it was to me to get and other letter from you. I feared I would never hear from you and my Dear brothers again. Tell my Brothers not to put themselves any troubble to send help to me. I know their will is good. I have never needed anything very bad, do not allow yourselves two be troubbled about me, I do not fear of wanting for anything. I have a great many friends hear, if I ever get a home again I know I can make a living. Write often their is nothing that gives me more pleasure than hearing from my Dear friends, give my love to all enquiring friends and a large portion for my Brothers and yourself. So fare well from your Daughter
Mag J. Hays
ps Jemmy Berry(83) is in Texas or was when Linville left. John Ed(84) is in Caliway, we are looking for Cleat Bune(85) and family home.
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Franklin - Email: Watts Hays Letters