Letter from 1865 in a family archive

From a hand-written diary (not pictured) kept by a great-great grandmother when she was six years old.  Spelling and punctuation are same as original.

Special thanks to the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, Tennessee for letting me help with this project of more than 100 pages of letters and journals. Yes, I sometimes volunteer.

​A memoir typed long ago from a family's archive

 David Austin, dba

 Fair View, Aug. 8th, 1865.
Esteemed friend.
                                                         Your truly welcome letter, of July 4th, after a slothful journey, came safely into my possession this morning.  You could not doubt its joyful reception, if you could have witnessed how eagerly its contents were read, and reread by me.  It is the first letter I have ever received from you.  Indeed it is a sad thing, to contemplate the change, that has taken place in the last four years.  So many of our friends, have been lost to us forever, and many others have forsaken us.  Still my prayer is that “all may

Miss ___   ___   _______'s Diary
                                                                                                                Henry County
                                                                                                              March 12[?],1894
March 12, 1894
We fixed and started on the morning of the twelth and went for miles out of the way by mistake, so we only got twelve miles from where we started.  We camped for the night where their was plenty of water and wood.  The roads was very good except in places where they were so rough, that we would let the horses rest every few minutes.  Had a good time looking over the country  ,  We were all glad when it came time to stop and rest for the night, so good night.

March 13, 1894      (22 or 23 miles)
Morning dawns bright and lovely.  We are nearly ready to start.  We find blooming elms trees on our way.  The past night we camped about three miles south east of Ballard.  We have traveled about twenty-two or three miles today and have camped on Nab Creek, (Neib Creek)

Their is a Co. Store across the roads.  Was real good except the hills.  Their was so many steep hills.  We eat dinner by a large country church after dinner.  I and Iva left the folks to hitch up and walked about four miles.  I did not feel tired.  We have beautiful moonlit nights and camping in the woods.  It is not very cold for us at night.  All are in Bates Co. today.  All have gone to bed and left me so will go to bed as we wish to go an early start.  Good Night

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