LETTERS ADDRESSED TO MISS NANCY STEPHENS,

                            EVANSVILLE, INDIANA

 

 

"Victoria, Bolivar Co., Mississippi November 17, 1846

 

Dear Sister:

 

I assume my pen to inform you that we arrived safe in Mississippi on the first of November. We had a very pleasant trip of five days. Mr. Wilson is overseeing for Isaac Wilkerson and I expect he will continue in the same business next year. I like the country very much, though I am sure you would call it perfect wilderness. We had a protracted meeting which broke up last Sunday, I suppose the first meeting that ever was in the country. I had an introduction to a great many of the ladies and found them very social and intelligent.

 

When you write to brother John, tell him to please be social enough to call and see us, opposite the Island of Seventy in Mississippi. My pen is so bad, I must conclude.

 

You must not fail to come and see me the first opportunity that offers. Direct your letters to Victoria, Bolivar Co., Mississippi. No more at present, only that I have missed the ague entirely and become healthy. Excuse my bad writing; I will promise to do better next time, providing I do not have to write with a cane pen. No more at present, but remain,

 

                                   Your affectionate sister,

                                   Susan Wilson."

 

The above letter was addressed to Miss Nancy Stephens, Evansville, Indiana. It was mailed at White River, Arkansas, November 22, 1846, and the postage was ten cents.

 

 

OTHER LETTERS

 

 

"Mississippi, Bolivar County, February 20th, 1848

 

Dear Sister:

 

I take this opportunity of writing to you to inform you that we all are enjoying good health and prosperity and we hope these lines will find you enjoying the same blessings. This is the second time that 1 have written you since I have received an answer, and I should have written several times between if it had not been so far to the Post Office.

 

       When I wrote you last, we were living at Isaac Wilkerson's, we are now at home and are very happy and contented, and we expect to be able to come to see you once a year after this year. We have very kind, good neighbors, though not very enterprising. There is no prospects for the improvement of society. This is certainly a very fine country. I was in hopes that John would have come and settled in this country.

 

When you write to him, send him my love and tell him where we are and how we are doing. I must bring my letter to a close. Give my love to all the family.

Farewell, nothing more, but remain,

 

                        Yours affectionate Sister until death,

 

                 Susan R. Wilson."

 


 

 

 

    Mississippi, Bolivar Co. April 14, 1849.

 

My Ever Dear Sisters:

 

After a long silence, I have the pleasure of addressing you once more, and I sincerely hope that these few lines may find you in better health and spirits than I am at this time enjoying, although I have no great reason to complain, for the Cholera is raging from New Orleans to within five miles of us. I do think that if you knew my anxiety to see you all, some of you would certainly come and see me. When I think of the uncertainty of life, I think that I would be willing to sacrifice everything that I have to see you all once more, but I can delay no longer telling you how happy we are in being blessed with the sweetest babe you ever saw. I wish you could see her little round face.

 

I suppose you know that Mr. Wilson is overseeing this year for Isaac Wilkerson. He and his wife have been up to Raleigh, Kentucky, ever since we have been here, but he has now returned home and is preparing to start up there after his wife and child. Our time is not out until next Christmas, when we expect to come and see you, if nothing prevents, but our prospects look very bad at present. There is not an acre of land in the country but is under water, but I believe it is falling. Our society is improving, we have several really enterprising neighbors. I could tell you much more if I had time, but mother is almost ready to start and I have a letter to write to brother John. He wrote to me that he intended to come and see me but he never has. Tell Samuel to come this summer if possible.

 

Farewell, my Dear Sisters, nothing more at present.

 

                                                                          S. R. Wilson."

 

 

 

 

"Dear Eliza:

 

            I would be very glad if you would come down and spend the summer and fall with her (Susan) and she will go up with you in the spring and spend a month or two with you all. The water is over everything now, but is falling. It is very discouraging to Susan but we never fail to make a crop.

 

            Nothing more at present, I remain,

 

                                            Your friend,

 

                                            John S. Wilson."

 

 

 

 

 

"Mississippi, Bolivar County. August the 20th, 1849.

 

Dear Sisters:

 

After a long silence, which I hope you will forgive me when you know the 'cause, I have no paper, there was a little store on the river two miles and a half from here, but the storekeeper died in March and there has been none here since.

 

Dear sisters, I suffer a great deal of uneasiness about you on account of the Cholera. Every paper that we get states that the Cholera is raging in Cincinnati, but I trust to Providence that we will all be spared to see each other once more, as for my own part, I never enjoyed better health in my life, and alt of the family have enjoyed very good health all summer, except mother, whose health is declining. I like to have forgotten to tell you that we had a Methodist protracted meeting a few weeks ago. I believe there were twenty joined the Church. We have a Sabbath School of twenty scholars, society is improving fast.

 

We are getting fixed a little comfortable at home, but not half as comfortable as you are there in the city. I want Samuel to come with you. Tell him he can get some of the finest fishing poles he ever saw and plenty of fish, too. The men have fish fries out on the lake every once in a while.

 

Dear Sister Nancy, I want you to come as soon as you can, and fetch Sis. I want each one of you to write to me as soon as you receive this letter and do not wait for me to write. I want you to write me a journal of everything that happens. You do not know how interesting it will be to me. Be sure to write to me as soon as you hear from Brother John. Nothing more at present, but remain,

 

Your affectionate sister,

                                   Susan R. Wilson."

 

 

 

 

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