LETTER - JAMES ALFORD TO WM. D. BATEMAN, Smith Co, TX, Meriwether Co, GA ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ***************************************************************** The following letter was written by James Alford of Meriwether Co, Ga., in 1877, to his brother-in-law, William Daniel Bateman in Arp, Smith Co, TX. The letter is now owned by Bruce Swinney of Tyler. I have tried to transcribe it as it was written. Transcribed and submitted by Angie Smith - angied@1starnet.com 31 March 2001 *************************************************************** Dec 30th 1877 Alfreds Chapel Meriwether Co, GA Wm D. Bateman Dear Bro I am seated to drop you a few lines in anseer to your moste kined letter dated 2nd of {illeg} inst. Which give us grate joy to heare that you was all well and doing well. I have no good news to write, only we are in {illeg} I {illeg}, hoping these lines may soon reach you, and that you all may still bee injoying that same grate blessing, Wm I will say to you that times are very harde in this country, I have not bin as strong in the notion of leaving this country in twenty years as I am now I cannot desearne any thing in the future but poverty and troble, If theare is no change in the people in this vacinity in the corse of twelve months, and I should bee spared to live I think I will go sumwheare, it does seame to me that a majority of the people of this settlement carse for but little, only drinking frolicing fighting and gambling. I have nearly loste all hopes of any good times in this parte of the country, they seame to bee gone becide themselves, I will close on that subject, I intened to come to your state this winter, but the Devals that has got my affects will not pay me, and I am not able to come I will say to you that a grate many people from this parte of the country is gon to your state this winter, Mr Wm Addams and J A Brown is gon to Bell County wheare Jack Brown is. George Riddley, Briley D. Finley and several others is gone to Ruske Co about five miles from Henderson I tried to get Louisa to go with them but she would not, they got off at Overton, I am very desirous to see that country and hope I will live to do so. I do wish you would come back heare and take Louisa home withe you and next fall I would bee certain to come, it will not coste you but 25 dollars to go back I do not no what it will coste you to come, {illeg} you can ascertaine at Overton, if you new how bad I wante to see you I think you would come, it does seeme to me that you have got children enough to take ceare while you come, , O, Come. I wante you to write to me how many living children Uncle Jack Barber has got and what there names are tell him and them to write to me, tell Jas, J.B. to write also, I got acquaitented with a man by the name of Wm G. Bateman at Macon at the Grande Lodge laste fall he tolde me that he spected we was sum kin but he did not no how neare it was, he was raised in Houston County, but lives at Butler Taylor county if you wish to write to him write to Butler PO Taylor Co Ga, He is a fine looking man and has the favor of the family, I muste close by saying with a sincere wish, beloved brother, that the incoming year may bring helth, prosperity and happinys to you all, and that the belsings of our Heavenly Father may abide with you always, I remain as ever, Faithfully yours, James J Alford and Louisa M Alford ********************************************************** Note: Louisa was Wm Bateman’s sister. Jas was Wm and Louisa’s youngest brother, James Jefferson. He lived in Van Zandt Co. Louisa Bateman Alford died in 1907; James J Alford died in 1901. They are both buried in The Alford Cemetery in Meriwether Co, GA.