Duplin County, NC - Jesse Grimes Letters ----¤¤¤---- Letter 76 Washington Old C.H. June 18th., 1851 Jesse. I want to hear from my folks In Texas and I know of no better way than to write to you for a candid account & statement of their acts and doings in general. I am quite certain that they are not doing as well as I wish them. Something has turned up amongst them and they wish to keep their friends here from knowing what they are doing, Frank (whose name & nature is different) has declined corres- ponding with all of us and I am not disposed interrupt him in his independant position. I like independence and used to try to teach him the same and am much pleased at my success and cannot consent to disturb him in the enjoyment of his repose. I have wrote to Nancy. Some of the rest have wrote too but no answer of late. Some have wrote to Albert and he remains silent. Now I expect you know a good deal about them and as they wont tell me, I want you to. What they are doing, the cause of Albert's leaving Frank & what his conduct in general is. Does drink whisky., either by the small or wholesale? Will he make a support for himself & family or will he work a while and then frollick till all is spent? Has Frank paid off the old claim that went from Mobile and is he free from debt? Has he got a good prospect for a crop? How is Nancy's health? Is he sending the children to school etc? And as much else as you can put on a sheet of paper. I want to hear all about them., the good (if any) as well as the bad and con't afford to beg them for information that I think they ought to give freely. page 2 We had a late cold & dry spring. Frost all the first week in May. I had great dificulty in getting a stand of corn. Had to plant over part of my ground three times. All looks well now but is late. I have all to work over again and part twice. This is owing to having to plant over. My cotton is fine., some few blooms on it. The prospect of a good crop here about is better than usual. Occasionally when it rains the wind blows with great violence. Has damaged early corn and blowed down timber in abundance. Night before last there was quite a blow and about Bladon Springs the roads are blocked up but little damage here. There is but little talk about grass or weeds. The measles, hooping, cough, mumps & colds have been troublesome to this neighborhood of late. My family has had a full share which caused considerable loss of time in the field and put my work a little behind. There can be only one more case of measles here & that is now coming on. One more (white) to take hooping cough. Mumps I know not how many. I was sick myself two weeks the first April from exposure. Had fever & pretty light one too. I soon recovered my health but I cannot regain my weight nor strength. Asha has been in declining health for several months dispeptL attended with diorhea is the disease and is hard to regulate. Joseph is sick today - cholera morbus. Has just got up from measles & mumps. Ploughed yesterday,day very warm & was much worried which is the cause of his sickness. William has land to himself and has a good crop. Jim Worsham & Everitt each have very good prospect. I heard from James in May. They were all well and going on in a regular safe way. Jim is of late much troubled with dry hacking cough. Page 3 By newspaper account, you have a great many patriotic men in Texas who are willing to serve the dear people in official stations from the executive down to constable & corporal. I would like to know if the valiant governor Bell is to be reelected but if not which of the self sacraflcing patriots whose names are placed before the public will be his successor.Can you tell? I do not recollect your mode of electing senators, whether they are elected for the same or a longer term than representatives. If your term is out, I suppose you will join the band of patriots again. Have you any of the seceding patriots over there? Do tell roe. And you have not and would except of a few of the real fire eating fellows, Ala. can supply you. They are plenty in several counties east of this and are asking the dear people to give them a seat in the legislature. There will be a strong effort made during the approaching canvass for Congress in this district to break old party distinctions and form new with new names. I -----(doubt) the success as there will be great opposition to this measure amongst those who preach the doctrine of secession or disunion, a candidate in favor of disunion can not succeed. There is some little excitement about our local election but for Congress it is quite warm & general. Charles C. Langdon editor of the Mobile Advertiser and the Hon. John Bragg are the candidates in this District. I set it down as a hard race with Langdon a little ahead ---. Write soon WM Grimes Address shows:- Old Washington C.H., Ala. June 18/51 10 Hon. Jesse Grimes, Grimes County, Texas. __________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Christine Grimes Thacker ___________________________________________________________________