The following letters are transcribed exactly as found, with missing punctuation, spelling errors and for the most part without paragraphs. Please understand that with all languages new words are being formed constantly, and more archaic words are dropped from use. Also, there are words used today that may have had a different meaning or significance in past generations. It has been only in recent times that the formal spelling of words has been standardized through useage. Previously, you might find words spelled various ways within a single document. The thing to keep in mind is that generally, spelling was by the sound as it came to the ear of the person writing the document. This explains the varied spelling of surnames from census to census. So, when trying to decypher a handwritten document we should go by how the word would sound rather than by the manner in which it was spelled.

Middlesex County, State of New Jersey near Craunberry November 9, 1810

Dear Friend wee take this opertunity of riting to let you now wee are all in resenble helth the last wee heard your brotherz and sister they ware in reasonable helth and as for my own part it please god to bare me up under my troble till last fall then I was taken with a bad cold and coff and then I got beter of that and then I was taken with the steric? As I youst to be so I have remained all winter it was beyend my expextation to ever git beter but it please god that i am beter but I am in a very low state of helth I can rest beter a nights and setup a litle and walk a litle of hope wee shall all remember that we are bound for an endless eternity and we know not how long we are to remain and for my own part if it please god to rise me now my time is short so I dire to commit my self to his care I sold lans house may Joseph Brown _____tnna has been with me ever since William has been gone from me ever since last July was year he is in sou_crland I remain in the house were I was when you went a way Mr wetherby has rented out the hous and lot and I am agoing to be moved to Joseph and he lives were he youst to live and he has built another room I am agoing to move the first of April we have had but three letters from ya since you went away the last one was last May we have rite two or three letters since we sent an answer as quick as posable hoping that these few lines may find you all in helth I am more but remain your affectionate mother until death my love to you and all inquiring friends when you rite letter direct them to Joseph Brown Elizabeth Browns to Elizabeth Hull.

(No date on this letter)

Dear Sister I take this opportunity of righting to you to let you now that wee are all well at presant hoping these few lines may find you well . I would be glad to see you all but the _[distance?]_ is long. I want some of you to come with Moses Parr if it is so that you can and make your home with me everything is plenty heare but it is a sickly country. I think a girl can do better heare than where you live they can get cash for all they do. I have three children. I wish to know where aunt Betsey and Aunt Sally is. I want to know where you all live. I want you to convey this letter to Jonathan my fatherinlaw is moved thirty miles from wher I live I live at the same place in Johnson County Ia. I received Jonathans letter which gave me mutch satisfaction grain is plenty corn twenty cts wheat seventyfive. Pork four dollars rough groce weight nothing more at presant but still Remaining your affectionate brother and sister until death

Andrew P. Hull
Jane Hull

I want you to wright to me by Moses Parr

State of Indiana Johnson County March 17th 1833

Dear Brother and Sister I once more imbrace this opportunity of writing to you to let you kno that we are all well at preasent thanks be to god for his Mercies to us all hoping these few lines may find you all injoying the like Blessings I have nothing very strange to write to you I have taken a lease for fore ____ (acres?) and I have got it all nearly ready for threshing We had a very dry season last summer but crops was very good corn generally turned out from forty to fifty bushels to this acre wheat was verry good corn sells at twenty cents per bushels wheat at fifty to 62c I wish you to write to me as soon as you can and let me kno whether you have any notion of coming to this country or not and I want you to let me kno if ana one of the girls wants to come you will come and bring them let mee kno and I will come this fall and bring them out I want you to let me kno where father is and how he is and how all of our friends is and all of the neighbors are in general we have one fine son and call his name william washington he is born the 28th day of march last

I want you to sell what little property I have in your country for cash and keep it till I come and write to me about it I received a letter from father about to months ago which stated he was going to the federal city and I have not heard of him since I wrote to you about twelve months ago and have not heard from you since which says to me that you have forgot me but I have not forgot you but I shall expect you to write as soon as you receive this my letter so I conclude my letter by subscribing myself your loving Brother till Death
Andrew P. Hull

Envelope
(to) Jonathan Hull
Cumberland County, Ky

(from Andrew P. Hull)
Edinburgh Ind
March 24th 1833

October 1st 1838
Dear Sister I take this opportunity of righting to you. Wee are all well at presant hoping these lines may find you all well wee have [at this point there is a big tear in the paper so words are missing] ___if now befor another ____see Jonathan or write to him I want you to send me a letter where he is and how he is ___ send Alexander Baty word and tell him wee are well and tell him to write to me as soon as he can send Julyan word how we are I want you to write to me and let me know where you all live so I can write to you. Crops is light not more than half crops it is tollerbly healthy here and this is a fine country if all is well next fall I intend to come and bring you out if you want to come Send me a letter whether you want to come or not so I may know what to do nor more at presant but remain your loving Brother till death

_____inlaw rote this in a great hurry
Andrew Hull

May the 28 1840
Dear brother and sister. I take this opportunity to inform you that we are well and hope that these few lines when come to hand will find you all enjoying the blessing I have nothing of no great importance only times is very dull money is scarse and hard to come at and produce is low corn is worth from 15 to 20 cents per bushel. Wheat is worth from __ to 60 cts per bushel rye is worth from 50 to 62 cts per bushel. Bacon is worth from five to six cents per pound and are all dull sales at these prices and I wrote to you last summer that we expected to go Iway [Iowa?] territory but John russell moved back last September and he gave it such a name that I concluded that was no place for me and fatherinlaw also give the idea of moveing to that country and I still expect to remain in this country without times changes wheat crops very bad the hadeum? Fly has ruined some fiels and the season has been very wet and I want you send ___ where Charlotte and Anna makes their home Julyan makes her home at Moses Parrs though he is at my ___ first time that she has been at my house ___has been about 18 miles north of the place I lost my ___ had to buy another and has put me back somewhat. I have got but fifteen acres of corn in this season and that is a very small crop and politics has become the great __vil of the day but general harrison will get this state but I cannot support him now my brothers in law and I want you send me word how the people ate going in your country wether they will go for vanburen or william henry harrison but I will glory in the triumph of democracy and I send my compliments to alexandria bats no James though. I have sent him a letter and he has never sent me the scrach of a pen yet Mosses and Rachel has joined the babtis church and julian has reformed and joined the cristain boddy and she wants to know whether there has been a revival in that country. There is a great revival in the neighbothood where Moses Parr lives and julian sends her best respect to aunt rosa silvers and all inquiring friends and I want you to send me word wether you have ever got any word from my father have never heard from him since you wrote and I want you to write as soon as you gt this letter I don’t want you to be a year before you write I am just as wicked as ever. I have not a chance to this fall to your country ____has no chance to come to that the girls are making preparations to come this country though I wuld be happy if they could come to this country. Still remain your affectionate brother
Andrew Hull
Jane Hull

June the 26th (1864) Clay City, Illinois

Dear Niece,
It is with great pleasure that I write to let you know that we are all well hoping that this will reach you and find you in good health I was suppris an glad to hear from my connection I had lost all hope of hering from any of you again I am sorow that you herd that I was a suthern man who informed you is a lyre. I want to know who it is. I am glad that you is for the union. I have 3 boys in the service an had fore an one died after discharged. I have one sun in law in the army my oldest boy is at home he is diseast his name is William it has bin 2 years an a half since he has dun a days work he has an ulcer in …… (Stops here. This part appears to be written by Andrew Hull)

(Back of page, signed by Elizabeth Ann Williams)
I will write you a few lines my husban is in the 5th Indiana Cavalry Co. F, 70th (or 90th) Reg. Georgia he is after cald Johnson his name is James Thomas Williams. I have three children. Their names is Juda Sharlot an Adora Adaline an Joseph lutson(?) I want to know what your childes name is. I want you to send me your likeness an I will send you mine. I have the best husban in the world he has bin gone 2 years in August. I have bin to see him once an he has bin home once. I want you to pray for the souldares wellfare. I am the writer write soon.

Your cousin E. A. Williams. I am sorrow to here that Andrew is dead. I am sorrow to here that your only brother was in the hands of the rebs.

This letter was written by Elizabeth in 1864-65, as she mentions sister, Levina Francis as age 10. Levina was b. about 1855. She was 5 at the time of the Census on 5 September 1860 [NARA Roll: M653_236; p. 191B; Twp 1N Range 8E; Wayne County, Illinois (Ziff PO). The first page is missing.

Secon page
I have fore children their names is Juda Sharlot Jane and Adora Adaline and Joseph lutson an Salofa Sara. My last one is afuslow. William lives in Zif (Wayne co., Illinois) an keeps grocery he is very porly his wife was name Sara Russell his child is dead. He had 3 children they are all dead their names was Rhoda Jane an James Richard an Lawson My three brothers that’s in the army was all well the last word one of them was home last fall to give honest abe a hist he is not 21 yet but he give him as big a hist as if he was forty his name is Spencer Jackson Hull he is at Clarksville, Tennessee. John an Mack is at Rawling now, mother an father is well. they only have one child home levina francis. She is ten this spring. Father wrote a letter to unkel an got no answer, Sharlot lives with me. Her beaus time will be out in april an then I expect she will leave me. (Is this John P. Kirland she is referring to?)

Third page
I want to know if your brother is out of prison I want to know how clost you live to the railroad I want you to send me your likness. If my husban gets in kentucky perhaps I will come an see you I want you to write an tell all of my conection to write my father lives 2 miles from me an will lives half way. From all appirance we will have an early spring I think you could do better here than there. I want to know if you own land there if you do sell an come to the butiful prairie

So I will close hoping to here from you soon your cousin
Elisabeth A. Williams