From Pathway: A Family History
Long Point July 24th /54
Father & Mother,
This day 12 months ago I mooved to this place,, We have lived the past year in perfect peace
and harmony with all
of our neighbours,, We have enjoyed good health and perhaps as much of that good thing called
contentment as we
would have enjoyed at any other place within my knowledge,, and we might live here our days
perhaps as peaceable
and quiet and enjoy as much of life as at any other place in Texas, as we are now quite well
fixed,, having made an
addition 22 x 17 feet to our house,, got a good (...) calf (...),, and a good Horse and Buggy to go
to church in we feel
such like living yet not withstanding all this,, we are poor and I have came off to a new country
to enjoy its
advantages and to try and make a competency for my old age,, So I shall sell out here and put all
the money I can
raise into the best land I can find up in the North part of Texas and move on there and stay there
untill they make
me rich by their enhanced valew. Lands in this County which I could have purchased for 1 1/2$
pr A last fall are
now selling for 10$ pr A. The Emigration to Texas is so great that any thing keeps up to (...) in
prices,, Corn 150 cs
pr Bushel, wheat 130 cs (... ....) are soon worth 15 & 20$ and the advantages of Farming in
this Country are so great
that the lands increased very rapidley in valew. I shall start up the Country soon to locate some
lands, about 1800 A
for myself and 1280 for William Johnston,,
So soon as I make my selections I will then write to you and tell you how to come to Texas,,
But I may not be
enabled to move before next Spring,, If not then I should prefer for Melville to come out early in
the fall and let
Elizabeth stay with Helen while Melville goes with me to locate lands and then we could moove
up the Country
together in the spring,,
I do really think that you had better sell out in Virginia and come immediately to Texas, this
is the most pleasant and
Healthy country in the Union and good Home can be had for lefs money than in any other state of
the union, if you
come soon I have made a neat calculation and I find that I have made 1600$ since I started to
Texas notwithstanding
I have had so much bad luck and spent so much traveling about,, I could soon sell out and pay all
my Debts and
have Sixteen Hundred dollars more than I left Virginia with. But the next five years if no bad
luck befalls me I think
I can count that many thousands,, but if I could make no more here than in Virginia still,, I would
prefer to live here
as the Climate is so much more pleasant,,
Walter is quite hearty and a busy smart knowing little fellow,, he cralled up to my writing
desk to day and wrote
over all the paper he could get his hands on,,
Helen enjoys good health and is as kind and pleasant a companion as I could ask for and we
live as agreeable as we
did they day we first married,, and I think we always shall,, We hope to some day see you both
and request all the
family (...) near us in Texas, this surley is the Country you should come to,, I would not advise
you to come unlefs I
thought it for your good,, Try and get David to come along also, all those who have seen the
country I know will
return to it,,
Kifs all the little fellows for me, and tell Fletcher I received his present,, Quite a treat,, Sell
out wind up and come
along immediately this very fall or next Spring,,
Your son Oliver
Narratives are taken from Pathway: A Family History, and may be freely distributed for non-commercial purposes.
© 1996-2004, Michael McGinnis, Bryan, TX