Researcher Contribution
Barbara Roesch contributed the following letter for the interest
of Chesterfield County researchers. Letters are often one of our best resources
of how families lived in reality. If anyone has this type of material and
would like to see it posted, please contact us .
"Chesterfield District, South Carolina, September the (15th-21st)
1860.
Dear Uncle I once more seat myself to drop you a few lines by way of
writing which will inform you that I am well hoping this lines may reach
you and family enjoying the same blessing of life. I recd yours in due
time and was truly glad to hear that you were all well and I am at the
same time sorry to hear of such lite crops out their crops hear generaly
speaking are very sorry particular up land we had a drowth of about six
weeks write in the worst time it could have come some plases about they
did not suffer much and out about the Court house and Cheraw they sufferd
a greate deal more than we did I am told their corn finaly died and fel
down I think next year wil be the hardest year we have had in some time
there is hardly any person to my knowing thats made for sale and their
is lots wil have to buy it get it it wil have to be brought up on the cars
from some other source or people wil suffer I think I will make about as
much as I made last year I ought to have made a greate deal more I run
to plows this year and only one last I think I wil make about three bales
cotton Cotton is better accordin than corn thought it isn't near as good
as it was last year I think mother wil make about enought to do her Uncle
Isaac mother has joined the baptist church she was baptised last Friday
the 14th of this month. Their have been a greate many revivals
out hear this year both methodist and baptist they had a protracted meeting
at Fork Creek Church a week or so ago and some 125 joined thing in the
settlement joined scarcly left any now and a scatterin one
LWR Blair has sold nearly all his negroes and is going to sell his lands
King Lowell (?Sowell/BR) has bought some of it he is to pay 3000 for what
he got I expect he is going to sell out and put his money out at interest
he mised a crop this year said it would take 3000 dollars worth of corn
to make a crop next year I have heard such bad accounts all out in the
western states I have declin selling yet a while I expect to make a crop
hear again next year land wil hardly get any cheapter and if the railroad
comes land wil rise it is to run from Bishopville up by Lancaster on to
Charlotte if they get a charter from the legislature I expect they wil
go to work this winter it is thought it wil run some whear between hear
and mothers Ikes wife has got another daughter some 2 or three weeks old
I suppose you have heard of the death of aunt Polly as John has written
to you since then tel John not to think hard of me for not writing to him
this time tel him I wil write before long tel James to write it seems as
if he has given up writing to me altogether tel him I should like to hear
from him as often as convenient give my Respects to all the family write
soon no more at present yours truly Sampson Hough" (Letter to Mr.
Isaac Elliott Iverson PO Louisiana)
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