Here is letter number 3. 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. Boy, is it hard to keep from correcting spelling, etc. Your comments are appreciated.
The following letter is from Amanda Burnett (TURNER) ROSS in Monroe Co., KY to her parents Shadrack and Judith (BURNETT) TURNER in Patrick Co. VA. References to other people in the letter I can identify include Joseph Shores TURNER and his wife Rachael among others. Contact me at n4jed@aol.com
Monroe County Ky August the 11th 1856 Dear Father and Mother Sisters and Brother I take my pen in hand to write you as few lines to let you know that we are in common health at this time hoping thes lines may find you all enjoying the same blefsing I have nothing of much importance to write it is very healthy here so far, we have had a very dry hot summer here corn crops is sorryier than ever was known here there will be no tobacco raised if it dont rain shortly we will almost loose seed of all kind of vegitables I have not had a mefs of corn field beens this summer The ground has not bin to wet to plow since may and verry few showers since, there was good crops of oats and wheat made here, so there will be no danger of people suffering though I fear stock will suffer We have raised 50 bushels of wheat this summer and Carter 25, Joseph raised none though it wont take much to do them for Rachael can make a little do She can cook as good as aunt Nancy Turner Jo is doing well he has two likely mares and a mule colt a good stock of hogs and cattle, Carter will have a bad chance this year he is gettin along prety well a fixing abut his house he has made him a loom and two new (page two) bed steads a set of chairs and a wheel Robert has twenty two acres in corn If it had bin seasonable he would of raised 210 barrels he thinks he wont raise more than fifty we have some old corn se have 40 hogs to fatten and as many to winter we have five head of horses and five mule colts a good stock of cattle and sheep, we can rub through by buying some corn with our oats, Our children go to school Jo J is steadying the arithmetic Cafs learns very fast Sam runs away and goes every day the school house is not more than two hundred yds of Permelias two oldest children goes, I have not heard from any of you this summer we are getting uneasy Permelia and myself has both wrote and have received no answers, I want you to write as soon as you get this letter write how you are all doing tell sister Betsy I want her to write and let me know how she is doing I oftenen think her and the children and want to see them I want to see you all once more I think we will come next summer if we all live, Bennett Stone and his wife come up to see us last week and said uncle AWm and all the ballance was well uncle Benjamin was not very well when we heard from thare and marinda morris was verry low withe dropsy, If you and mother would come and see us it would be more satisfaction to me than any else on earth I want Sam and Tiny to come (page three) and see us this fall if they can Albina is grown and can do any kind of businefs She is weaving coverlids now, I believe I have wrote everything I can think of tell Lewis Turner that Susan Carter is very low with her breast, Robert and the children joins in sending our love to all our connections and friends, I remain your affectional daughter until death Amanda B Rofs Shadrack Turner Judith Turner Samuel and Clemantine August the 12th We had a fine shower of rain this morning tobacco is not to far spent to make pretty good crops yet we have 10 thousand plants growing and Jo and carter 8 thousan each Jo and Carter will both make plenty of coin to do them I weigh 150 Robert 147 Albina 121 Jo 89 I have forgot what Cafs and Sam weighs, Jo and Rachael bothot look verry healthy Carters family looks as well as they did when they left thare I believe I will quit A B Rofs