Eastland, TX - Letters - Letter from Elisha COLLINGS (1876) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Letter from Elisha COLLINGS (1876) Submitted by Bobby J. Wadsworth ----- TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES: Elisha COLLINGS (c1826-1890) claimed to have been born in Kentucky but was reared in Greene Co., IN, from at least the age of 7. According to family tradition, he moved to Texas for health reasons taking with him his two oldest sons, "Jack" and Byrd, and his younger brother, Jesse L. COLLINGS. The men arrived in Texas in 1875 but soon separated -- Jack and Jesse remained in Hood County while Elisha and Byrd continued on to Eastland County. In the summer of 1876, Elisha wrote a series of letters back home to friends and loved ones, including his second wife (Mariam M. JOHNSON) and their two children (Jesse and Alice), and two other daughters (Sophia HATFIELD and Martha COLLINGS). The following is a transcription of a handwritten copy of the original letter. ----- Eastland County Lone Star June the 10th, 1876 Dear Friends and Relatives: I seat my self this Saturday evening to drop a few lines to you all to let you know that we are all well and hearty and sincerely hope these lines may find you enjoying good health. I received this morning the first line I have had since I left from R. HARDESTY and Wm. FLYNN and at the same time a letter from Jack and Jesse L. COLLINGS. All well was as good news to me. Jack had not missed a days work since I left him. Answers to the queries in Uncle Dick's letter, to the county seat twelve miles, population fifty or sixty (guessed at), one saw mill and corn cracker, three stores, one Doctor, two or three lawyers, one blacksmith shop. You can get good land from $1.50 to $2.00 per acre near town, probably from five [and] one-half miles from town. To get a house in my county seat or county. Build it or live in a tent. My nearest neighbor was five miles from me when I first stopped. I have now three in less than one mile. Population one year ago, thirty-eight, now over six hundred. Preaching at Eastland City in the millhouse [on] Sabbaths. School nearest, fifteen miles. There is not much vacant land here, principally taken up by rail roads, Academy Asylum and common school land and Spanish grants or old survey. Price range from $1.50 to $2.00 per acre. Vacant land can be homesteaded, of this there is but very little good land. You pay $1.50 for file, $6.50 for surveying one hundred and sixty acres, live on the land three years then pay the cost of making deed and get title from the state of Texas. Whole cost $12.00 to $15.00 for one hundred and sixty acres. Timber is short and scrubby but there is plenty of the kind. I have made and had made three thousand rails this spring. Since I got well, I can take my ax and mall and wedge and cut and split one hundred to one hundred and ten rails and rest four hours each day. Byrd will get done laying by my corn in two hours and we are going to Sandy [Creek] fishing. My first planting, five acres, is high as my head and looks fine. The land generally sandy, black or red. Its qualities not tried sufficiently to tell but [my] weak judgement is that a good granger can make a good living and make it fast here. Water is scarce here. Health, I think, is as good as any part of the United States. I want none of my friends to come here on my word for what would suit one man would not suit another. When you can't [stay] there no longer, there is lots of beautiful land here that though beautiful in its natural state can be beautified by labor. But I will say this much, if I was there and had nothing, I would come here / but I would rather have some money and the more the better. I am better satisfied than I expected to be, though. I have to haul water four miles. I would not give my land here for yours there. To Uncle Dick: Tom [?] has had the blues bad but as he can't get away without I take him away and I can't. I have hired him to make me one-half mile string of fence and break me twenty acres of land. He is working like a tow-head now. Do as you please but don't come here expecting to live without an effort or by your art or learning but [through] industry and honesty from my native state. I will gladly greet from my native land to my beloved brothers and neighbors, R. HARDESTY and Wm. FLYNN. /s/ Elisha COLLINGS (A few lines to Nelson HATFIELD and family) Dear Son and Daughter: I write you a few lines. We are all well and hope these lines may find you well and doing well. I think this is a good country. I am well satisfied. There is lots of game here but hunting is a slow way of making a living. It is like horse swapping. Nels, you stopped to [sic] soon. If you was here I could hope to see you a free man, but you must depend on your own exertions. I am getting old, but I'll live in hope. All a man needs is a year's support, a start of hogs and cattle and sheep and with attention to business he can soon have plenty of everything / but here or there it takes scratching to get a start. Hogs, cows, horses, sheep and fowls do fine here without feed. The climate nice. Harvest is over. I have got only one pair of oxen. They have been in the yoke since the fifteenth of March except four days and Sundays. They have been to Merriman, twelve miles, four times, to Eastland, twelve miles, nine times, broke fourteen acres prairie, handled my house timber 3,000 from one-half to three miles, hauled water four miles every two or three days and every drink they drank, they go from one-half to three miles, plowed over five acres of corn three times and have mended all the time without any feed only the grass. I am heads up. My corn looks beautiful. The ground has not been wet since it was first planted. We got a big mess of beans for dinner. We have had radishes, turnips, beans some time but for the lack of seed we could have had potatoes. We have melons on the vine, corn as high as my head. Nels, I would not give my place here for the HATFIELD place. I am making a trap to catch a gang of Mustang ponies. If I am successful, I may ride over some of these times. So kiss the babies for me. A farewell, /s/ E. Collings To Martha: I write you this scrap to let you know I am not mad but in good health. I think I can do well here. I have friends here as well as there. People treat me kindly. I have been mighty down-hearted but I am well again. My eyes are better than they have been for nine months. I am stout and able to work. I thank God for his goodness and hope these lines may find you well and doing well. You must read all the letter for information as I have but one stamp to write all of you. Be a good girl and if you can come out here I think you might get some Indian or old bachelor. Tell Aaron and Byrd [COMBS] and families howdy and all my old neighbors. Accept a father's love. /s/ E. Collings to Martha Collings. Direct to Merriman postoffice Eastland County, Texas. A few lines to Mom: What is the matter that I don't get no letters. I have written four letters to Jesse and you but get no answer. I would be glad to hear from you all. I am trying to make another little home. I am well and hearty and can do more work than most men my age. The boys would dread to get hold of me. Worse than the widows if there was any here. We have turkey very often. For breakfast we have some honey. I can't help [but] think of you and my darling babies when I get [a] nice piece of honeycomb. Now please write me about my darling Alice. Jesse, I would like you would write all about your stock and crops and etc. I like to forget Byrd was bad sick week before last but is well again. He had the flux. He went to get the steers one morning this week and killed two chaparrals and one rabbit. So I must close for lack of room. >From the old wizzard -- /s/ E. Collings to Mariam and the children