July 22 1964 Greene County Tennessee
Dear Son daughter & granchildren
I this day seat myself to let yew no that wee are not all ded yet wee are still onn the land of the living and in tolerable good helth at this time and my first wish is that I trewly hope that theese few lines will reach yew all enjoying the same kind flessing well charles it has ben so long since I hav wroat to yew or heard from yew that I hardly no how to begin but I will give yew a little sketch about the rebels they have ruind us all and our cuntry too I can not tell yew half as bad as they have dun they have dun everything that can be mentioned from as lo down as steeling a dish rag up to the willfuliest muder that can bee mentioned they hav sliped to mens fields and has shot them down whilst at work bee cause they would not forsake that glorious government that has protected us all and rebell against it and fight for the so called sothern confederacy that what aint know ner never was ner never will bee they have murdered women and children and has striped them naked and whiped them to make them tell where their brothers husbands or fathers were whilst they was lying hid in the woods or maby in some ground hole or other to keep out of their hands and bee cause they would not tell they would take every thing from them that they had and maby burn their house down

They have stolt every horse and mule that was in the hole cuntry they hav tuck nig from mee and has even tuck old Jonneys old sorrell mair they tuck every one wee had and nearly every thing else only what wee could hide from them but I think wee will hav anuff to live on yet but I can not tell you half them meannefs they did doo so yew must come and see us all if yew can and then wee will talk all about it urial is at home him and famly is all well thomas is living at the home place the rebs run him o out off cock county last fall was two years ago him and famly is well well the rebs has had them runn away from home tow or three times Patrick H is here he is in tolerable helth only he has loft his speech he belongs to the federal army and hs ben exposed so much that he tuck cold last winter and it settled on his lungs he has not talked any for about .. 5 .. months his regment is in georgia he belongs to the 8th E. tenn Infantry well charles wee are agouing to the yellow springs amonday and I wish yew was hear to go with us yew must come and see us if yew can when the war is over but I am afraid that it wont end soon so I must close for the present write soon as this comes to hand and direct your letter to William Courtney Esq russeleville Jefferson Co E Tenn

John & Nancy Haun to Charles Kesterson and Family - no more room

5th Day of January 1868
State of Tennessee Greene County
Dear Son daughter and grandchildren
I once more take the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know how we are all giting along we are all well at this time but the old man he is verry poorly but still knocking about we hope when this comes to hand it will find you all well and doing well I want when you git this letter to write me an answer we have had but one letter from you since Enoch Witt was here we have wrote you several but gits no answer we cant tell how it is whether you don't git our letters or whether you have forgot us all or not you seem to complain we don't write I think we have as much room to complain as you have for if you write we never git them as you say you hardly ever hear from us I know it aint because we don't write so if you git this I shall look for an answer the people in this country are generly well so far as I know we have great revivals of religion we had a meeting at concord in November that lasted sixteen days I don't know how many professed there was thirty four joined the church and twenty six baptised and several mourners when the meeting broke up our preachers during the meeting was John Russel Jonas B Castiller Elisha Martin Henry Hale Patrick Hale Wm Worthington it is said by everybody it was the best conducted meeting they ever was we have Henry Hale for our preacher as fine a man as there is anywhere the methodist free will Baptist and United Brethren are all doing there best to git in the lead but they cant git hitched in right I believe the missionary Baptist is out pulling them all.

I will tell you something about he times in this country the people has plenty to live on every thing in this country the people has plenty to live on every things is tolerable high when is two per bushel corn is fifty cents per bushel I don't know what oats is worth there is scarcely any oats in the country the rust ruined the oats crop there was scarcely any of them cut fat hogs was six dollars per hundred bacon will be some ten or twelve cents per pound coffee is from twenty five to thirty cents per pound sugar is about twenty or twenty five to thirty cents per pound salt is three dollars and fifty cents per sack butter is twenty five centsper pound domestic is from twelve to eighteen cents per yard calico about the same whisky is from three dollars and fifty cents to four dollars per gallon cattle is high cows and calves is from twenty to forty dollars chunks of yearling ten and twelve dollars horses and mules is very high it is a mighty trifling horse that won't bring a hundred dollars and from that to two hundred and fifty Tom has a mare he has been offered three hundred dollars in his hand for and wouldn't take it I have nothing more to write at present only I want you to come and see us all when ever you can so no more at present fare well till I see or hear from you again. Old Uncle Billy Mathews lays a c... at this time he is the oldest man in this whole country he is close a hundred years old.

John Haun and all friends to Charles Kesterson and Family Glenwood Mills County

20 May 1876
Dear son daughter and grandchildren
I take this opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know how we are all giting along. at this time we are all in reasonable health. at this time hoping that these few lines will reach and find you all enjoying the same blessing of health. I received your letter a few days ago dated the thirteenth day of april and was glad to hear from you. all you seem to complain of hard times it surely aint any worse there than it is here. there is lots of men hre that is corn byers that was hardly ever know to buy corn any year there is some corn on the river and the men that owns it wants the money and the people has not got the money and nothing to buy with so it is pretty hard times with a great many. you wrote for me to send you my likeness and would send me your. I hant had the chance to git it and it is mighty busy time now but send me your and I will try to git mine before I write again but if I don't I will sned you one I have all ready got. I would rather git a new one if I can. you wanted to know who all was dead but I dont know as I can but I will tell you some. William Matthews and pop is bowth dead. old Jackey Dyer old man Jroffitt fanny Courtney and mat Courtney is bowth dead old hannah ayres died last friday night was a week ago. I could name several others that you dont know so I will tell you a few old folks that was here when you was here. big Sally Murry George scott mariah wiscarver old Greggy-uff old tommy stroud and anter stroud is bowth here yet Doc Matthews and his wife Jim Wright and his wife John wright and wife old allen Baker and old polly gammons stills urvives in warrensburg William maiony and wife is still living there may be others but not many. yes there is John Day and sina. when you write let us know what you think of coming to see us all next fall. I cant tell you the naif in a letter that I could with my tongue if could see you. when you write again direct your letter to whitesburg hamblen County. whitesburg is about one quarter mile from bent creek meeting house which is much nearer than warrensburg. I have left my old home and gone to live with Uriah and Rachel. I have nothing more at present so I shall bring my letter to a close for the present by saying when you git this write me an answer. so no more till I see or here from you again.

Nancy Haun to Charles Kesterson and family.. When you git this write Lemmy Crosby a letter