A LETTER SENT TO SAMUEL WOODS, HUSBAND OF INDIANA WEBSTER, FROM WILLIAM TAYLOR WEBSTER

(William Taylor Webster's sister Indiana was Mrs. Samuel Woods)

Shared by David E. Gregg - Thanks David!

 ( Samuel was off in the war )

December 3rd 1862   

Mr. S. Woods

Dear Sir I received your letter last Thursday and was very glad to hear you was some better. We are all well at present and trust that when these few lines comes to hand they may find you still on the mend. I took Indiana's letter to her immediately and asked father what he thought of things and matters but got little satisfaction from him. He says that somebody had wrote to you and made things out really worse than they was though they are bad enough. He thinks that your horse looks as well as he did when you left home. He is using your wagon and has made way with the corn that you raised on the place. He says that the bargain was that he was to use it and pay it back when he raised corn in the place. He had your wheat thrashed and mixed the wet wheat with the dry and nearly ruined 10 or 12 bushels of it, sides he never half stopped the granary and their was several bushels wasted. Father and me brought two loads to my house and run it through the fan we then took it to Bridgeton and Mr. Spraggue said he would give 70 cts and then said he would rather not take it on the account of the wry. We then took it to Rosedale station and they would not give but 50cts so we took it to Clinton lack were we got 80cts. The two loads came to 39.46cts. He has been down to Bowling Green since I paid your tax and the interest on the money you spoke of in your other letter. He had some money on hands when I was there and said he wanted you to write to him and tell him what to do with it. He did not want to keep it on hand and all so that Brother James did not want to keep what he had. If you think it would be safe in my hands I could use it if I had it immediately before I sell my hogs. If I had 75.00 dollars I would sell 8 or 10 of my least hogs and salt the balance. I have some of them sold at 375. Next I am feeding 36 but expect to kill some of them in a few days. Heavy pork is rating at four to four, 20 good hogs in current at 3 cents gross and there was 3.15 per hundred offered today for two heavy lots. I think the man only offered it to bring up his average and keep them from being graded down on his own. You said something about father selling your stock hog at 4 cts, they will not bring more than 2 cts. John told me there was a man out near Brazil that offered a splendid lot of shtes at 2 cts. There has been some sold at 1 1/2 cts and I would not give over 2. Corn is worth 25 and skarse at that. Father is fixing to keep your hogs and sheep. He has sold your cattle some time ago, I would like to have them but was to late. Mr. Wilson said he was to take care of them but never prepared any wintering for them, he nearly let the calf starve to death and then was bad because he did not get to starve the balance. I am thinking all the while that your horse will suffer when his corn is all fed out, which will last but a short time, but I will see him every week and if he does not feed him he can not keep, for I will have him or will spill the last drop of my blood. I have neither read that letter to Mr. Wilson nor let him read it. I thought it was best to think twice sometimes and hardly speak once. If you put him out of the house you will have to loose all your corn. I am not prepared to say when is best. In short I have a very poor opinion of him and I want you to consider the matter for yourself. It may be better to loose one crop then two and I shall let this lay still till I hear from you again. Your hogs has been doing fine on the must but it is about gone. I will see to getting them up and having them fed. Wilson is letting that lumber of yours get knocked down and split up, I shall notify him to keep it covered up. If you want 75cts per beam you can have it, if not I will try to have it taken care of as much as possible. I am told your hay is getting destroyed. I will see to it in a very few days. Had you of given me authority and time I think you would have been better satisfied, but according to your writing we have not got all of your letters. Write soon without fail and I shall be ready to answer.

William T. Webster to S. Woods with respect.