Letter from Eli Stanberry to Malinda and Bill Stansbury of MacDonald
County, MO - 1857.

Dear Sister & Brother,

Time passes on for all of us. Father passed away in 1855 & Mother this
past year. Sister Francis said she would write to you & I am sure she did.
Mother was in good health up to a wk. before she got a cold. She wanted to
go to Bethelheim Baptist Church on Sunday. So Harim & Francis & the kids
did just that in the wagon. Mother got a chill & could not recover. I am
sure Brother Ira was or will be in touch with you. He is the one Father
said to settle up his affairs. Malinda you were given a stake when you &
Bill got married. I think it was 100 acres by Dad. Then he gave you
another helping when you moved west in '46. Dad had sold his large land
holdings in Laurel Co. in '45. So he chose to help all of us at that time.
Brother Ira & John & some of the girls did not receive anything until now.
Ira will devide it up now.

We are doing well here. My family is growing up on ME. I have 400 acres of
land. Over half of it is cleared. Good tember on the other But all of lays
well & can be cultivated and will not wash. I was glad to get your letter
and all the news. Hope your children do move back near you. Yes I do have
the tobacco each year. I have increased my barn space each year. I build
logs in the center & then sheds on the sides. I had 5,289 lbs. this year.
We delivered it to Louisville & received .33 for it off my wagons. That
was over $1,700.00. I have a bank account in Louisville so I deposite it
there. I also had 8 bales of cotton, some corn & wheat and 10 head of
cattle as well as 8 fine fat hogs. We have taken lessons from your sons &
now we couple two wagons together & use 8 head of horses to it with to
drivers to help out. The cattle were tied behind the wagons. I had 4 hogs
to a wagon. So when we pulled out for the market I had 10 wagons. I have
about 20 head of working horses or mules all the time so that was not a
problem. My neighbors hooked up with me so we had 42 wagons & some stray
on horseback.

I do not sell my blacks, I just let them live on here. Oh, I do exchange a
Buck now & then to get new blood & we make a deal so the young ones can
mate up. I have never lost one or had them try to run away. I am still
U.S. Marshell for this area. I like the job & it does not take to much
time off me. I was over to Whitley Co. for Mothers funeral. Things are
much the same there. I have been thinking I may come your way in the
Spring for a visit. We will see.

Your son Bill Jr. was by here on his way home this fall. He is a fine
young man and has strong religious ways. You both have done a good job on
him. I see our sisters when I am in Laurel & Whitley Co. I was by our old
home place in Laurel Co. Stoped to see aunt Eliza McHargue. She is fine.
Works all the time. Had a quilt hanging in the room by the fire & she &
the girls were quilting it. I also stoped at John Freeman's Tavern quite a
place there. I stoped at Bill McHargues on the State Road. He was fine.
Has quite a place around his mill & all. Well I'll tell you I had a good
visit with Uncle Moses. He is not as sprie as he use to. But he can tell
you a story or to. He could remember growing up in Wilkes Co., NC. Said
they moved first to Wayne Co. Ind. had a homestead as did dad and Aunt
Eliza. 120 acres each. But there was fever everywhere due to damp land.
His older sister Prudence husband Dan Jackson died of yellow fever. So
they moved on to Whitley Co. They sold their home steads to his brother
Nathan. Write me all the news from your Country.

                        Your Brother
                        Eli Stanberry
                        
Copied by Nancy Keables from the originals - 1950
Sent to me by Dan Stanberry, Mission Viejo, CA - 1998

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