Mis103-TNX      

TENNESSEE, MISC

June 19, 1843

Written to

PHILIP & ELIZABETH  DRAPER                                     State of Tennessee

Trenton                                                                         Smith County

Gibson County Tennessee

                                                                                    Sent from Bagdad

                                                                                    June 23 - 18 cents

Dear Son and daughter

I have taken my pen in hand at last to try to inform you what is going on hear we are in bad

Circumstance hear  SALLEY has been allmost confined to her bed ever sinse the first of March

and still is very little better if any her mind is deranged one half of her time she hardly knows what

she is about  the rest of the connection is all well as far as I know except old Mrs. PATES  

STEPHEN PATE has been bedriden since last fall he was taken with chills and fevers and was

thought that he would not have lived 3 day but has recovered so that he has come to his right mind

again but cant walk nor git Out of his bed without help eats hearty as common but cant feed hisself

and has to ly on his back mostly the rest of the family is all well as far as I know there. I have had no

count from any of my Children since February last the last day I got a letter from PARLEMAN and

they were all well then and doing well.  I have not hard from JOHN for for sometime I got a letter

from COALMAN dated in July they were well  then he wrote that he would have been hear the first of

October but did not come for what reason I cant tell  there has been some deaths hear HARVEL KING

died the 23rd of March with somthing like the fluoks he died the 9th day after he was taken I Recd your

letter dated the 10th of Aprile on the first Sunday in May and was glad to hear that you were all well  from

what you write times is much hear like they are there money Scarce we had a Snow hear in March it

commenced on the 15 early in the morning and Snowed all  that day and I think nearly all night when

done it was about 12 inches deep I think  it was ten days before we could see the ground any where 

our wheat is Sorry the frost kild it in the winter  there will be very light crops of wheat made hear I want

you to write to me every Chance and let me Know how you are and whether you have heard any thing

from COALMAN and if you know where to direct a letter to him  I know he lives in Fontotoc County but

I dont know what Post office and if you know write to me and whether you have heard from Certain

whether S FARTERWOOD is dead or not  I will inform you that COALMAN CORNWELL is Married to

the widow CHRISTIAN her first husband was JAMES JONES and has gone to live with her and

JAMES YOUNG now owns his place  I dont know of any thing more you would feel intreased in 

I shall conclude by Subscribing myself your loving Father till Death

                                                                                                PHILIP DRAPER

I will let you know that it is thought that GABEL BURTON will be brook up finely he has Swap his

place on the ridg for a place about 3 miles from Carthage and he is there every day.

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