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"The Howard-Smith Collection"

Transcription copyright: 1998, by Mrs. F. A. Augsbury; all rights reserved.
The originals are at the McClung Library in Knoxville.

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To: James
From: Joseph McMinn
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                                                               Nashville
Dear James                                                     25 July 1816
    Having sent all my papers to Knoxville on the 16 Inst with the public
property of the offices of State I cannot say whether I have rec'd a letter
from you since the date of my last or not.  Judging of your former neglect
I do not suppose I have.  I had a long indisposition of body and still more
so of mind.  In the early stage of illness I had the good fortune to hire a
boy, he became indisposed about the middle of my tour.  In fact Childress
whole family with whom I live was taken down about the same time, and almost
every soul in the place was either sick or dead.  I occupied a cozy room
where the winds had free ingress and egress.  Sweet gum was our fire wood
and the only choice to be made was between its being green & water soaked
the latter was used for back logs and the former for kindling.  In addition
to this the want of both was very common and the weather unusually inclement
so much so that I conceived my absence from the room as endangering my life
for several weeks, and in this small compass I am unable to disclose, how
it happened that I was better furnished with wood, water, food (tho little
wanting) bed making etc. etc. etc. than any other person of the family as
I discover by comparing notes.  Tho I do assure you the hour I passed in
this way was by far the most uncourteous, I ever experienced in my life.-hence
the long indisposition of mind.  I employed no physician  I threw my body as
well as my soul on the mercy of my God, and to his Goodness and  clemency I
hold my self Debtor for my present victory.  In laying the rod upon me, he
showed with his characteristic liberality the intellectual faculties of my
mind, which in _____(?) in the most dreary midnight hours as well as at all
other times, to priscribe and administer medicine which never failed to have
the due effect upon my system
    Thus have I been taken thro, a long course of Indisposition which in
ordinary times and with that tenderness with which I have formerly been nursed,
would have been considered dangerous.  but to be confined to a sick room under
circumstances as before stated, and in addition to this to hear the faithfull
Bell sound in your ear the departure of one who had differed under similar
disease with your self was truly melancholy, and well calculated to try the
strength of the nerve
                            Tender my best salutations to yr parents
to Miss Susanna, Miss Sally & to neighbors

                            Your friend  Jos. McMinn