Letters From Forgotten Ancestors

The Hunt, King, Taylor,
Fawks, Lancaster, Mitchell
and Harris Connection.


Madison County Mississippi

“...England had recognised the Independence of Texas...”
~ 1840 ~
Copyright © 2003, Frederick Smoot. All Rights Reserved.



Folded letter sheet, stampless.
Round Black Circular Postmark:
____, Canton Mi. Dec 7
M/S:
18¾

Addressee:
Mr William King
Gallatin
Tennessee
Author:
G. W. King

Contents:
Canton Miss Dec 16 1840

Dear Father,
     I once mor employ my pen for the purpose of addressing you by letter as it is the only way that I can communicate with you. -- I have just got home from Brother Charles’s and I am happy to inform you that himself and family ware in good health with the exception of little Francis. She had a chill every third day, his family has been tolerably healthy during the Summer & fall. I Spent some three days with him.      Charles had received a letter from Brother Isaac a short time before my being his house. Isaacs family have been vary healthy himself and perhaps some of his children have had a few chills but war all well at the time of his writing. Charles has also received a letter from Brother John I think dated in July at the time of his writing himself and family had been harrassed somewhat with the Chills. John did not write but little -- Charles does not seam to be so much in the Spirit of mooving to Texas as he used to be I will only say that he is quite undecided and I think hardly will moove untill he is more fully satisifed as to tht propriety of such a course -- Isaac seams to express himself as being rather dissatisfyed at living whare he is though altogether undecided whar to move to provided he moves at all -- I have been gathering all information that I could with regard to Texas Since I left Tennessee. I have recently noticed somethings that ware favorable and some that ware unfavorable. I saw some few days ago in one of my New Orleans paper that England had recognised the Independence of Texas and assumed the position of mediator between them and Mexico, which I think will probably add much in favor of Texas -- I also noticed in the same paper the report of the Secretary of War in which he represented the situation of the Army and navy as being rather a bad one -- tha ware destitute of some things that they much needed they seamed to be quite short of provisions and had not the means of procuring necessaries as fast as there seamed to be a demand.      I traveled a portion of last night and today in the Stage with a gentleman who was direct from Texas -- I tried to learn something from him but did not find out a greateal -- he stated that there had been a goodeal of Sickness through the Country yet some portions was quite healthy, Some places Crops he said ware good while others was vary bad. I ast him as to the Solving of the government he said that it was considered insolvent and he heard the former minister to England (whose name is Henderson) say that the government he did not think could possibly ever redeem all the Government money, that the treasury was exhausted and the source of for revenue was quite limited, he also stated that the Texans ware fearing that the Mexicans would come against them again in a short time and the impression seamed to be that the Mexicans intentions was to attact them on the water and blocade the harbours __ the Mexican government is talking of calling in her forcies as it is not able to support them -- I expect that I will send you one or two papers a week containing tht latest accounts from Texas besides the paper published in this place -- I have wrote to Mr Briggs in Gallatin respecting the trade he purchased for my buggy. I offer him the buggy and horse for 300 dollars or the buggy alone for 250 dollars and take the same in sadlery. I want you to see him and if he sends the articles, I want you to see him and if he sends the articles he puts up are good and complete.
     I sent him a memorandum of the articles that I wanted him to send -- I want you to tell him Send the amount of bridles martingal girths &c. that is I want him to Send at least Sixty dollars worth of those articles extra of Saddles that if the amount of either the saddles or the other articles that I have wrote to him Should be reduced I would rather that it should be the saddles --
     My business is such that it is necessary for me to here next May So I think that I had better remain than for me go to Ten- and then back again. by remaining here I can I think make same two or three hundred dollars in the time you may expect to hear from me frequently.
Your Obedient Son
G. W. King

Wm King

     Give my respects to all the Family and all enquiring Friends. I have not heard from anything from Ten except the letter I got from Sis ---


From the Collection of Frederick Smoot
Provenance: eBay Online Auction, 1999

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