Wilson County, NC - Letter G. W. Dew to D. D. Hocott-1874 File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Lorene Rambo This letter was written to Daniel D. Hocott, formerly of Wilson County, settled in Red River County, Texas. Daniel's first wife was Sarah Dew, who died in 1855 at age 23. Sallie, mentioned in the letter, was her daughter. Wilson, N.C. March 17th 1874 Mr. D. D. Hocott Dear Brother I tonight avail myself of the pleasant opportunity of droping you a few lines in reply to yours of Feby 20th, which was gladly received and contents carefully perused. I have now an opportunity for apoligising to you for not answering your last letter while in Arkansas you wrote me that you would soon leave for Texas. and the distance being great I was afraid my letter would not reach you in time. for this reason I concluded to await your next letter after your arrival at your home in Texas. Dear Sir you wrote me concerning the hard times in Texas. I sympathise with your state and with in fact - all the southern states which are now laboring under the present financial panic and Monopolies of every kind which so near concern our present - and future prosperity. Concerning the times North Carolina is suffering from the low prices of cotton last year which crippled good many of our farmers. Notwithstanding people are going right ahead again this year avoiding so many unecessary expenditures. And are now learning to be more equinomical after so long a time. People have been too extravagant - Since the war in this State. And the time has arrived when We Must stop. And live within our Means; Instead of silk and satin, we would subtitute the old spining wheel - Flax Break and C C -- Corn is worth with us 1.00 per Bushel Bacon from 9. to 11. cents per pound Flour from $7.00 to $12.50 per Barrel. Our prices are not unusualy high for North Carolina. Money Scarce and a great-many Mortgages which are dangerous to prosperity in any country. By people working on the credit-systam and owing to the homestead laws of North Carolina for safty of the Merchants they are bound to take Mortgages on property of our poor hard laboring men who are not able to do other wise. This systom of business as you readily see calls for a large per cent ranging from 20. to 50. per cent - in which people could hardly before the war when they had slaves of their own pay 6. per cent; what a change. Without a change and quick at that we must unavoidably become slaves for the moneyed men of this broad suny land (the South). After reading and searching the record of the southern states taking every thing in consideration North Carolina is the garden spot. Come back to the old state. I must stick to the old state. In regard to taxes our taxes were paid in due time and so no complaint with our sheriff in the nonpayment - taxes. The condition of our state in regard to Politics is good - we have no trouble with negroes. United we stand Divided we fall. I hope that our democratic people will always be on the alert, - and be our own guardians, our own law makers, etc. Dear Brother in regard to relatives etc. - Brother John and family are well and doing well. Brother Moses and family also. Brother W. L. Dew and Sister Nanie are both single and living together in Pitt County - were well when I last heard from them; Sister M. A. Peel's health is bad her children are well. Sister Harriet - I am sorry to say is in the Asylum at Raleigh. On account of a disease in her head she became crazy. although she is not mad at all. she won't pester anything. her family of children being rather short-winded, thought it too confinding for them to attend to her, so they went to work and got her in the Asylum. So much for her children. If my Mother was living it dont appear to me that she could go to the Asylum. We received a letter from her doctors and they said she doing well and well contented. Sister M. A. Robbins once Brother J. T. Dew's wife is well and doing well. Sister Edieth and family are well and doing well one of her sons John and one daugher Henrietta is married. I have nothing more to write concerning family and connections. I have no news of much importance to write times are changing since the war rapidly times are so different now to what they were 15 year ago Wilson town is groing rapidly. We have 3 or 4 large churches in Wilson several large Brick Buildings and still Building more and more large preperations are being made in Building this Spring and Sumer. Farmers are also working hard for good crops this year. I expect to plant about 50 acres in cotton this year and about. - 60 or 70 acres in corn beside some small grain etc. I must close. excuse this badly written and try to make my sentences connect if you can. This leaves myself and family tolerable well truly hoping this may reach you and family in good health. Give my love to Sallie and your wife reserve a due portion yourself. Your true Brother until death. G. W. Dew Write soon, tell Sallie to write to me. ============================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ==============================================================