Letter from S. D. Calhoun to Uncle James Brown Smith

Clinton Dewitt Cty Tex March 5th 59

Dear Uncle:

I receive you letter of few days ago and was somewhat surprised I had come to the conclusion that you had quit writeing and have bin looking for a letter from you for some time it is a great pleasure to hear from you all, but was very sorry to hear of your sickness also the sore eyes. I can sympathise with you a great deal for we have all had them very bad my eyes are quite sore yet all the rest are near about well we have not had any sickness for some time I was at GranPa a few days ago all well

I have bin very busy planting corn but have got through planting corn. we are ready now for planting cotton I expect to plant 25 or 30 Acres in cotton the same amount in corn I never planted coton last year; all together corn, corn has bin very dull sale though I have sold all of mine out at 50 cts per bush Joseph & Mr. Deliny are planting their little farm at Clinton in cotton I supose you have heard that [Seth?] Deliny has moved over to Clinton he and Joseph will commence [gearthering] their stock soon I think they will have a very bad time of it as they are very badely [leaterd] they have not bin geatherd for two years or more

[You stated in your letter that you wished to know the prices of land. What is the matter? Do you want to move to Texas? If you do, now is the time to make a start. Lands are cheap. Well, Uncle Jaems, I hardly know what to say about it as I am not very well posted in the prices of land. But you can get good up land unimproved from $1.00 to $1.25 per acre, that is post oak land out on the Little Creeks on the Coleto. For instance, 5 or 6 miles from town, good upland, improved is $10.00 to $15.00 per acre, that is well improved. There is a splendid track of land about two miles from this place, fronts on the river, perhaps you know the place. It is what's called York Place. It is for sale and is splendid land. It has good bottom timber on it and there is two hundred acres, more or less, that can be fence in for a field, which is good valley land. A part of it has been cultivated, but there is no fence around it now. There is no improvement on that place, with the exception of a house and a [??] small field of fifteen acres. I understand it can be had at $3.00 or $4.00 per acre, which is very low for such land as that is. I had rather have it than any track I know of in this section of the country. I would like to own it very] well my self if I was able, thare is two or three around speaks of geting it if they can rase the means, but Uncle James I am a fraid Tex would not suit you for farming the grass hoppers might visit us again and then that would be a sad catastrophe but I will tell you whare thare is a fine opening for you Just bring on a good stock of goods to Clinton Mr. Well wants to sell out his store house and dwelling and so thare is a good chance for you thare can be a great deal of [you] [??] sold thare

but if you would make up your mind to live hear and bye you a little farme I think y ou could make money but I wonte persuade you one way or the other you must be yore own Judge in that case but I would like it very well if you ware liveing near us

I will now stop talking a bout [land] as my eyes are geting very weak

Say to Aunt Virginia I would like very much to read a letter from her as I have never had the opportunity of reading one from her you must be sure and answer this letter as soon as it is convenient—you must excuse this badely writen letter look over all mistakes also nothing [???] at present give my love to all I reamin yours truely until death

S. D. Calhoon

I had forgot to tell you I have corn up it looks fine
have you any up