Ashlin Letter - Fluvanna Co. VA (Submitter note: The following letter was written by Robert W. Ashlin to his wife Sarah Ann Henderson Ashlin. Though Robert spent his entire adult life in Fluvanna County, he was born in Williamson County, Tennessee, and maintained close family ties throughout his life with his brothers and sisters.) My Dear Sarah Ann Once more before leaving this state for the month I take pen in hand to give you an account of my movements. I wrote to you from Franklin while at that place & I also wrote to S.S. from Spring Creek, which letter I suppose you will see before this comes to hand. I spent my time about Franklin quite pleasantly, all things considered, & came on to Spring Creek some three days later than I expected - I left there on the 25th & got here yesterday, having passed several pretty Vilages on the way. I have never before seen this part of the state, but I do not find it quite so good a country as I expected to see, yet there are many very desirable situations to be found, both health and beautiful to look at - all descriptions of farm and vegetable crops promise to be abundant except the wheat & in some places the cotton made a band stand. The country so far has been quite healthy - though the people apprehend considerable sickness in consequence of the unusually wet season. The weather has also prevented the people from working their crops as well as they ought, but everything looks quite green & flourinshing to a Fluvanian. the weather has been quite warm as well as wet - the thermometer ranging from 80 to 90 degrees in the heat of the day & traveling quite disagreeable. I have still been pursuing my journey "solitary and alone" but the hope of soon reaching the utmost southern limit of my journey animates & cheers me onward. I expect to leave here day after tomorrow for the Yalo Basha miss & thence onward to Yazoo & Vicksburg. It will probably be the 25th of July before I reach Memphis on my return & if I go to Ohio which I think probable it may be the 15th or 20th of August before I get home. I stopped a few hours in Summerville & called on Absalom Applebury & James Petit-I dined with James, and after dinner he rode as far as Col. Cumins with me, which is about seven miles from here--By the way I do not Know whether I have informed you that my Brother John had moved to this place. He is living in a real log cabin & as strong a Harrison man as any in the District - I found him & his family quite well. He has only one child and that a daughter. You must send Mrs. Wm. Jackson word that Col. Cumin's family are all quite well and scolding because the have not heard from her since she left Tennessee. Send word also to Mr. Wm. Applebury S. A. that Absalom and his family are all well. I do not think you ought to have expected me to write again before receiving one from you. Indeed I should think from your not writing that you had entirely forgotten me. - Most certainly if you had written to me at the time agreed on I should have heard from you at Spring Creek. Now it is more than probable that I shall not hear from you before I get home, unless I stop here a month or two for you to get ready to write. A little punctuality in this matter would have relieved me of a good deal of uneasiness of mind. If I have been Scolding you unjustly I am sorry for it, but your seeming neglect is my excuse. If you knew the anxiety I feel on your account & pleasure it would give to receive a letter from your own hand I am confident you would write, but I may as well stop scolding as it will be to late to do any good. In about twelve days from this time I will be in Yazoo if nothing occurs to prevent it. I can not express to you the delight I shall feel at once again meeting you all at home, and that hope spurs me on to the completion of my tour which would otherwise become very irksome. My brother sends love to you and the children. Kiss the (_______) ones for me and present my respects to Mess. Stillmans & all my friends &c. I remain, Your Affectionate Ro. W Ashlin Submitted by Carrington Lee Coleman Originally submitted to the Fluvanna County VAGenWeb page. Many thanks to Lee & Michele for providing a copy for the Archives Project. **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, 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. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************