Monroe County WV Archives History - Letters .....Letter From Lewis To Henry Caperton February 22, 1848
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Elizabeth Burns burns@asu.edu October 18, 2010, 3:20 pm

Union, Monroe County, Virginia

March 22, 1858

Dear Henry:

On yesterday I received your kind favour of the inst. With which you request 
me to give an account of our trip to Texas. How I was pleased, how Fanny was 
pleased. The account that I can give of our trip will not be satisfactory to 
you. 
We had very unpleasant weather (with the exception of a very few days) it 
rained nearly all the time. It had not rained enough to wet the ground two 
inches deep before the 1st of November last for upwards of two years. The 
people made no crops. They have nothing to eat (comparatively speaking). All 
of their beard stuffs are taken from New Orleans to that country.

The country does not look like it did five years ago, no more than if it were 
not the same country. All of those very large beautiful prairies are as 
destitute of grass as our streets.

Shortly after we arrived in Seguin, I was taken with Typhoid Fever by which I 
was confined some four or five weeks. Fanny had improved very much until I was 
taken down and then she broke herself down nursing me. They all thought I 
would die and her great anxiety of mind and sitting up night after night, 
overbalanced all the benefits she had received. As soon as I was able I went 
down to Uncle Michaels and remained there about two weeks. The first week she 
improved very considerably after that she became unwell and uneasy about the 
children and it operated very much against her.

We started and came as directly home as we possibly could and the trip was too 
much for her, it broke her down. She has been in the hands of a Physcian ever 
since we got home. She is entirely prostrate. And I think she is certainly the 
most emaciated being I ever saw to be living. For three or four days past she 
appears better and there is some hope of her recovery. Her physicians say she 
will recover.

She abuses Texas whenever she speaks of it. So you see I had but little chance 
to see much of the country and very little satisfaction in what I did see. 
Land is going down every day. You can buy land at almost price you offer.
The citizens of the country (in the dry district, I mean) are trying to sell 
out, to go either North or Southwest in that portion of the country where 
these droughts do not prevail as much.

You had better bring Peep out here and stay a few months and make her strong 
and then I will have an opportunity to give you a full account of our travels.
My respects to Mr. and Mrs. Henderson. My love to Peep and the children.

In haste, your affectionate brother
Lewis E. Caperton

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wv/monroe/history/letters/letterfr7nms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/wvfiles/

File size: 3.1 Kb