Cherokee County NcArchives History - Letters .....Letter July 3, 1838 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Jene Welch welchaid@communicomm.com July 4, 2006, 11:37 am Book Title: This letter typed from original for easier reading Wetumka Coosa County, Ala. July 3rd 1838 Dear William, I am yet in the land of the living and in tollerable health and my family likewise. Thanks be to God for his mercies. Hoping these few lines will find you and family enjoying a like blessing. I had a letter a few days past and one enclosed that you wrote to respond inquiring for me and stating that you had not heard from me for the two last years which is a little surprising, for I well know that I have started two letters since cousin John Welch was here and would have wrote oftener had it not been that I was in a bad state of health. All fall and winter and did not think that I ever would recover but I have got as well and hearty as I ever was, though not as stout. I have had my skull broke two different times in the last ______ months but I have entirely recovered again. The first time a man struck me with a rifle gun and I got well of that. Another man, a lawyer and ( mulefyer ) struck me with a rock but failed to accomplish his object. His aim was to kill but missed his aim. People says I have as many lives as a cat but I have been killed as often as I care about at present. I would be glad to see you all but it is out of my power this summer. I did think I would come to that country this fall but times are so hard and I have had so much bad luck that I do not expect I can come. There has been the hardest times in this country ever I experienced. Money scarce and provisions high and wages low, but I faired better than most of ( meeanies ). I had work engaged at a high price I could get it lit the price lit it cost what it would. You wrote that Mother had a cancer on her face which I fear will prove fatal but it not be so bad as I anticipate. If it was in my power, nothing could prevent me from seeing her, but we must take all things as they come and be reconciled to our fate or as much as possible. I expect my friends all think I care nothing for them. It has been so long since you have got a letter from me but I can assure them that they all feel as near to me as when I was in the midst of them. I intend moving to Texas as soon as I can make arrangements to do so and I want all my friends to go too, as it is without doubt the best country in the known world. As I can hear from there every day and see persons from there continually. They all agree it has been traveled from there here in nine days frequent. There was 30,000 emigrants settled there last year and will be more than double that number this year. I would have been there before now but I wanted my connection to go, or at least to see them all of them before I would go. I want you to write to me as soon as you get this and let me know how Mother is and how Brother Eufsell is coming on – also Sister Rachel and Jane, and tell Polly we have three children. The youngest, a boy, was born on the 13th day of May 1836 and we call him George Washington and I expect the last. I wish to be remembered to all inquiring friends etc. No more at present but remains your affectionate Brother till death. Thomas J. Welch Wm. Welch & Polly Welch Olvery Welch Col. Wm. Welch Scotts creek Haywood cty No. Carolina File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/cherokee/history/letters/letter18gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb