[Avant Prairie, (now Dew) 11 Sep 1853 from William Scott Compton
Addressed to Luke Pryor, Athens, Limestone County, Alabama
ms Postmark of Fairfield, Freestone County, Texas

William Scott Compton b 6 Jan 1805 in Nashville, TN; circut court judge in 
Jackson County, Alabama; then Alabama State Senate (1849-1850); granted 320 
acres of land in Elkanah Sanford Survey in Freestone Co., TX, file #340;
d 25 Jun 1882 at Dew (Avant Prairie), Freestone County, Texas; buried Compton 
Cemetery in Freestone County, Texas.

Many thanks to Mike Bonner for sharing this bit of history.
]

[ First is of the address which is written on the outside of the folded letter; 
     there is no envelope.] 

[written in black ink]
Fairfield Tex.  }                        5
Sept 13         }

[written in blue ink]
Luke Pryor Esqr
Athens
Limestone Co
Ala

[written in pencil]
court order 
enclosed
 1853

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[The second is of the letter.  Written in blue ink.]

Avant Prairie 11 Sept 1853
Dear? Luke
The commission to take the deposition of B. A. Philpott to be read as evidence 
in the case of Prices? Adms? vs. the Bank only reached me this day all our 
letters and Papers are from 20 to 40 days getting here from Ala and oftener 40 
than 20, commissions to take depositions in this part of Texas for use in the 
Courts of Alabama sho[uld] be forwarded at least 60 to 90 days before Court, less 
than ninety days is scarce time enough. My family are all well. My kind regards 
to your lady and yourself. If I had time I would write you more of myself & my 
country but the messenger that takes this to Fairfield is waiting

Yours very truly
WSCompton

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[The third is of the affidavit.  Most is a printed form filled in with black ink
  answer from Alabama.  Blue ink at bottom with W.S. Compton's reply.]

The State of Alabama, Limestone County.
To William S. Compton
of the County of Freestone in the State of Texas

Greeting: Know ye, That we, in confidence of your prudence, and fidelity, do 
hereby commission, authorise and require you, or any one of you, to call and 
cause to come before you, at the dwelling house of John Thomison in the county 
and State aforessaid, on the 2nd day of September in the year of our Lord 1853
Benjamin A. Philpott

and him after being first duly qualified, diligently examined, touching his 
knowledge respecting the matters in difference between the parties in a suit 
depending in our Circuit Court, holden for the County of Limestone wherein 
William G. Gill Advet? is the plaintiff and The Branch of the Bank of the State of 
Alabama at Decatur is defendant in behalf of the defendant and his examination, 
so taken from under your hands and seals, send certified to the Judge of the 
Circuit Court for the County of Limestone, and State of Alabama, at a court to 
be held at the Court House in the town of Athens, on the Second Monday in 
September next:

Witness: Henry M. Stanley, Clerk of our said Court, at office, this Tenth day 
of August 1853 and of American Independence the 77th year
Teste, Henry M. Stanley Clerk, C. C.
Issued 10th day of August 1853

Let Twenty days notice of the time and place of taking the above deposition be 
given previous to the time of the taking of the same.

Teste. Henry M. Stanley Clerk. C.C

[written in blue ink]
Came to hand 11th Sept 1853 too late to be complied with
WSCompton
The Comm Named