The original letters have been donated to the Fort Walla Walla Museum in Walla Walla, Washington.
John Lloyd, who is my3rd great grandfather wrote this letter 151 years ago to his brother, Robert, in Grainger County, Tennessee. John talks about his family, who had died, the ages of children and who might get married. He mentions his father's estate, who died in 1857; 9 years earlier, was telling his brother what to do with his share of the inheritance.
I transcribed exactly how he spelled the words.
Enjoy reading and imagine living in that era.
Benton County State of Oregon January 19 1866
Dear Brother and Sisters and to all whom this may consern
I once more sit down to write to you owing to our national
troubles and there being no mail facilities I have not wrote for 4 or 5 years
past I received no answers from 2 or 3
of the last letters that I wrote to you
I am enjoying good health though the tender mercies of
indulgent god and I sincerely hope this letter may find you and the family
connection enjoying the like blessing---it is reasonable to suppose that some
of the connection has gone to their long homes since I have heard from you---my
Dear Brother I have had but one letter from you since the death of our
Mother I will now I will state something
about my family conserns my second wife
died last fall I raised five Daughters
they are all dead—I have 4 sons living 3 of them is married and has settled in
Washington Territory near 400 miles from me---William the youngest son and
myself lives to gather. He is not
married but I expect he will be in less than a month—the boys is all making a
comfortable living—William the youngest child will be 25 years old the 21st
of February next---my health is good—I am able to work for my living—I am in my
70th year—I have a plenty in my hands to live without work—all of my
Daughters was professors of religion—I have 2 sons that is not----
Brother Robert as to Fathers estate—I am at a loss what to
say—as your section of the country as been torn to pieces with internal
wars---I think it is quite likely property of the country is destroyed—if there
should be any thing coming to me—I would like to have things so arranged that
my oldest Daughters children who live in Platte County Missouri could get it—if
this letter comes to hand—I want you to answer it and write to me—what the
state of affairs is in relation to Fathers estate is------so I will change the
subject to a more pleasing theme—There has been quite a revival of religion
this fall in some localities laterly I have seen the most visable displays of divine
power that I ever witnezzed in my life.
I think I was made to exclaim and say with poet---sovreighn grace alone
has power to subdue a heart of stone—it and the moment grace is felt-Then the
hardest heard will melt---Politiks has been a bone of contention and the bane
of religion among us—the churches is held to gather politicaly and not
religiously—it is lamentably true that politiks appears to be the bond of union
in the churches instead of the internal love of god shed abroad in the hearts
of the members—I will state prices
wheat $1 oats 75 cents per bushel pork $10
per hundred beef cattle on foot
$5.50 per hundred good horses
from $150 to 200 a piece our currency
is gold no property sold in this
country for greenbacks yet there has
been a great many debts paid off in greenbacks—I had to take over $1400 where I
had loaned gold—the only thing the Republicans and Democrats agree in is in
abusing the greenbacks. The people in
Oregon has great reason to be thankful we have no fighting no roling in this
country in consequence of the war-----
If Robert is dead or moved away I hope some the family
connection will be so good as to answer this letter—I shall no more hopeing to
meet you in heaven above where all is love on andams peacefull shore where
parting will be no more—
John
Lloyd
N. B. this letter is
intended for all of the family connection
These are the original letters which have been digitized.
