Transcribed and contributed by Carol Ansley

Postmarked from Selma, Alabama

Dear son & daughter I take this opportunity to rite you a few lines to let you no that we are yet in the land of the living for which we have greate reason to thank God for his continued favours towards us hoping that these few lines will find you and all of the conexion well I received a letter from Francis dated October fifth which informed me that you were all well and that you have all injoyed good health through the summer which has not been the case in this countrey by a gradeal for their has been a gradeal of sickness and a good menny deaths and there is a good menny that still has the chills and feavor Margaret & the children got home the 27 of September she had been at home only four weeke til she took the fevour and not been abel to do enny thing of account since last week she had severe chills but is a little better to day I cant tel you how anxious we are to be in your countrey where their can be one summer spent in the enjoyment of health you may muster up menny objections to your country and al of them true but good health put in the scails with the objections and it will balance with enny other country this countrey has as menny advantages as enny Menny advantages as enny advantages as enny other countrey but when we put these long spells of sickness in the scale it brings it on a level with your countries objections I was truly glad when Francis said you had concluded to stay til next summer for I am determined to sell if I cant get but 12 dollars per acer Monny is scearse and property low cotton from 7 to 8 poark 4 cents coarn 50 cents the above news is bad enough but the balance is worse

David Rodgers & Isac Taylor & Jacob Thrash went a turkey hunting about three weeks ago and tha were caught in a shower of rain David was fourmost he put the lock of his gun under his arm Isac was nect and as he put his gun under his arm she went off half cockd three shot went into Davids side and the balance of the load or a part of it struck his right elbow and toar the muskeler part of his arm from the elbow towards the rist and shatter the small bone of his arm so bad that the doctor thought their was no chance to save his life without cutting it off tha cut it off the next morning above the elbow he is getting some better & will recover I think So remains your remains

Yours Andrew Yoast