Here is another of my TURNER letters from our ancestors. My grandmother saved several TURNER letters from the 1800's that she passed down to me. Whenever she got them out she was so proud of the fact that her ancestors could write. I will type out the letters as I get time in the same style and line length as the originals for other TURNER searchers to enjoy. Your comments are appreciated.
The following letter is from Joseph Shores TURNER and his wife Rachel TURNER in Wright Co. MO to Joseph's parents Shadrack TURNER and Judith BURNETT in Patrick Co. VA. References to other people in the letter I can identify include Robert Anderson ROSS and his wife Amanda Burnett TURNER (Joseph's sister). Any other people you can figure out I would appreciate knowing about. Contact me at n4jed@aol.com
1860
december 26
Wright County Mo december
dear farther and mother i agane
seet my self to wright you a
few lines to let you no that we ar awl
well hoping theas few lins may
find you all well i have settle
in Mo i have got 162 akers land
40 akers clerd thar is 100 akers of
it as level as your flore and will
make from 10 to 15 barrels per aker
thare is congrefs land awl arond
my land at 75 cents per aker thou
i hant got no use for it i have
got as much a gin as i ever can
tend my self and i never exspet
to have any help awl of ower
children is old Ped and bina move
out with us to this country they
live 1 mile from us Bob rofs and Mand
has bin to see us this sumer i exspet
they will move next fall Carter is
coming next fawl and rachels 2 sisters
and famlys sais they ar coming next
fawl bina has a fine girl and cawl it
Amanda Elizabeth thar will be a
rale road from St lewis to Spring field
it will run in 20 mils of us it is
graded in 40 mils of us now and
they think they will have they
cars a runing in 20 mile by next
winter when we got here last spring
they grafs was nee hy awl over the
woods
(next page)
i have bin a hunting to day
i have seen 50 turkeys i exspet
to day i dident see no dear but
they is a heep here i live on a creek
and i can go to hole and hunderds
of fish 2 feet long i will now tell
what els i have got i have got a
plnty meet and corn to do mee
1 mule worth $125 one colt $75 + 20 hogs
5 sheep 2 cows and calvs 12 chickens
1 dog 1 cat 1 wagon $90 i will now give you they
prices corn 50 cts per bushel wheet $1.25 a
bushel Pork $5.00 a hundred Stock of
awl kinds brings far price so i will
quit for this time and do better next
i want you to wrigt to mee
as soon as you git this and tell
the rest to wright i hant got they
scratch of a pen from noe of you
in 4 years so no thing more but
i remin your effetint son
Rachel Turner J. S. Turner
Direct your letter to harts vill Mo
Harts vill Mo
Wright Co Mo
My land cost $500.00
(end of letter)