[Letter to Zach & Becca Maxwell, 1871
[Items in possession of and transcribed by Mark A. Murphy, 10/13/2000]

Dadeville No 16th 71 [1871]
Dear Son & Daughter
it is with pleasure I seat myself to pen you a few lines to let you know
that we have not forgotten you yet.  We are all well and hope this may
find you the same and doing well the connextion are all well as far as
I know well corn was thin this year the bugs and dry weather cut it short
Wheat was very good oats only tolerable corn is worth 75 cts Wheat
75 to 80 cts & oats 50 cts per bu.
Well I will try and tell some of the News of the country Old man Blair is
Dead  Tom Griffin & Fanny Armstrong is married  Doe Harper & Mary
Malone is spliced  Joe Harper & one of Miss Daviss Girls is joined 
together John Hathman & Sade Jenkins is married also  Bard
Hageman & Vice Haythman Also a young Burras and Ann Berlier and
Larkin Wakefield & Jane Fox and Marian Coats Icelean [?] Davis's Isam
Edge has his second wife and Jade Brown and Melvina Blair and sam
Rownas firm and Marthas Rowans Mary is also married  Harlan Clark
and Carrie Faulkenberg also Billy Headley is married so is Ellick
Headley and Abney Edge and plenty of other to tedius to mention
Sharp John has not come back yet  We have heard of him a time or
two Lou and the children are still here  you may look for me next Fall
Bob Cowan and his wife is coming to Texas next Fall and I think I will
come with them three of thier Live in Gracen Co.  little Georg Potter
has sold out and is going to Idaho in the spring if he dont take another
notion but no telling whether he will go or not he is as full of notions as
a dog is of fleas  Jo Wilson is Teaching our school this Winter he has
sixty scholars he is Teaching a good school  I want you to be sure
and write and not think the time so long between times  Will[or Well]
Lee got your letter the other day he will answer it soon  Write soon
from your mother
Lucinda Maxwell
to Zach and Becca

Well folks I will say a word or two hwo do you do and how how [sic] have
you been since I last saw you  I am still living at the same old place am
not married nor no hopes of being soon but I am in the market if you have
any Girls down there that wants a real good husband send them up
I think I can suply thier many Wants  Lou says to remember her and to
write to her  Henry says he would like to see them Picturs coming
good Bye Write soon
yours		T.L. Bethell