This letter begins to Bill (William T. Hutchison)

Oct 29 82

Well Bill i will try to rite you a few lines whitch will inform you that wee are not well the children is all having the chills cotton crops is good corn is not so good potatose is good Bill cattel is wourth more than anything yeare olds is wourth $12 cows and calvs $30 to 35 the country is fild up with Rail Roads and more coming the hold country is in an up stur about the elexion Dave hooks (son of John Franklin Hooks, sister of Mary Ann Hooks Dehart) is maried and is in Bell county doing well i hope

(2nd page begins)

Well Sally (sister to Mary Ann Hooks, wife of William Hutchison) wee have got the finest boy of his age you ever seen he was bornd Aug the 27 and looks like he wass six months old his name is Houston (Sam Houston is son of Benjamin Daniel & Mary Ann Hooks Dehart)

(next lines begin a different handwriting)

Well Bill Daniel (Benjamin Daniel Dehart) never finish his letter and he is not at home and I will write for him you must write to him and give him all the news and a long letter I have not sen Ellen (sister ot Mary Ann Hooks Dehart) sinc She left hear Daniel bought his crop you know billy got tired of work Dan and family is well I heard that David was in bell Co and was married but it come from bill smith and I dont no whether it is so or not tell Sue and Amanda and all of the folks to write to me I must close write soon as you get this give my love to all

Mary Ann Dehart

(This starts the 3rd page - and a new handwriting)

Oct the 29 1882

dear cousin I seat my self to answer yor kind letter I recieved some time ago I neglected to answer it the children is haveing the chills there is a heap of sickness out here but I believe there no deaths I have just got threw washing the dishes ma has gone to bed (can't read looks like "pai") on a pallet playing with a bottle well Bettie we had a big mess of ternips and greens for dinner to day I had wish you ben here with me Bettie tell Walter and ellen and Johnny to come and go to preaching with us nex Sunday well Bettie I I think you have got a rite pretty white dress well Bettie I have nothing to wright that would enterest you tell all the children howdy for me well Bettie I must close for this time wright soon and a long letter. I remain your cousin untill death

della Dehart to

Bettie Hutchison

(the last page starts with the same hand writing as Mary Ann's when she finished Daniel's letter)

Dear sister and family

I seat my self to knight to write you a few lines we are all up but not well the children is having some chills Mother has come home frm Jims she is in better helth than she was in when she went off she likes up there very well Eliza (Eliza Jane Emmerson Oakes, widow of William C. Oakes, mother of Amanda Oakes Dehart, who was 1st wife of Thomas A Dehart ) wants her to come and spend next summer with them they was all glad to see her she staid up there nearly three months we have got a fine turnip patch I get plenty mik and butter I have got 47 young chickens we made a very short crop we made plenty of molases to do us we have sold 12 gallons at 75 cts a gallon