January the 22^d~ AD 1858

Mr Robert C Hamer

  Dear Uncle your kind letter of Dec the 17th has Been Received and I take this Oppertunity of writing you a few lines to inform you that myself and family are in Tolerable health and the health of our settlement is very good at this time we have had a good chance of rain hear this winter and very little coald and Weather the People are generaly Buisy planting Spring Wheat & prepearing their land for early crop. the old Settlers think we will have a good Crop year. I have some Frontier News the Indians are Doing mischief 30 or 40 miles West & North of me they have stolen too thousand horses from the Leon Bosque & Pecon Byou Country they made there last drive that I haveve heard of about the Light of the Last Moon they killed four White men & one Negro & shot arrows into another Negro. the Indians stole a Little Bay when they killed one of the men they kept the Little bay 3 or four Days & turned him loose & he made his way Back to the Stevans Ville wheare he is now under the Care of the Dons, the Bay was was about 10 years old. ther is a gooDeal of uneasness eaven through hear about & Horses some are going Back and some are Still going west Regardless of the Indians. There was a man By the Name of Walker taken into Custody & comited to Jail in Waco for Horse stealing & a Mexican from Leon taken up by the Rangers who I expect they will hang with out a regular trial.

  I have not heard From Mr Curtis & sister Jane for some time but I am Looking for a letter from them. When I write to them again I will comply with your Request. there is 125 Rangers in small Companies along on the frontier from Gaits Ville & to Steavens ville and Pecon Byou and more a expected to come on. I am glad to learn that you have som Distant plen of coming to Texas I would be glad to see you on this side of the Missippi River. I have never see a Hamer in Texas that I kow of ~ times seams to Be improving a little corn is worth $1 & 25cts Per Bushel in the neighborhood Wheat $1.50 per bush Pork 8cts per llb. Give my love to Auint Sarah & Cousen Betsy

I am you affectionate Nephew
John H. Robertson