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1806), a farmer from Kentucky who migrated to Texas after living in Tennessee for a
while.
Descendant Sam Orme has kindly given me permission to reproduce the contents of
the letter here!
Thanks, Sam, for offering this rare glimpse into the Red River Valley landscape 150
years ago!
This letter has been edited very little. Just for the sake of clarity, I've added periods and changed the spelling in a few instances. I also
deleted two sentences that were difficult to decipher. The spelling as you read it is original.
Lamar Texas July 10th 1854
Dear William and Family:
Almost two years have past sence I had the opportunity of conversing with you. I have now
chance only by letter so I avale My self of teh opportunity this Sabath Morning of holding a
conversation with you by letter. I confess I hav bin very negligent about writing to You. It
appeares you hav bin down with the sam disease. I presume you knew whear I lived or at least
you could hav known by reading the Girles letters.
I don't know as I hav any thing of importance to write only we hav good helth at present and had
as good helth In Texas as we ever had in Tenn. That ant all about it I am better satified in this
Contry than any country that I hav ever lived in. From several consideration which too tegious to
name I will jest name a few of them. As I pas along the first is it tis the best Stock Country I
believ allmost in the known world. As for wheat it cant be beat in no country. I ahve Never
seean better wheat grow out of the Earth than has bin hear this year and last. It tant as good a
Corn Country as Tenn from the fact that the Seasons is more unsurtain. We have long wet
spelles and a dry one which makes corn crops mor unserutain hear than thear.
The land is as rich hear aperantly as it gets to be in any Country. We rased fine corn crops last
year. Notwithstanding the quantity of corn mad tis worth 75 cnts per bushe.
Every thing [costs] is very high in this Country. I will giv you the prise of som things. Cows and
Calvs worth from 15 to 25 Dollars. Been from 3 to 4 cnts per pound. 4 year old steears from 20
Dollars. Bacon 12 1/2 cnts. Labor one dollar per day from 15 to 20 Dollars per month. Evry thing
else in propotion with the exseption of lan improved. Land is rating at from three to fiv Dollars
per acre. Rough land is worth from one to three Dollars per acre.
Thear is a very gross mistak gon out in that Country about Texanes being Hethens. I hav
formed rit smart acquaints sence I hav bin in the Country. i think tis greatear more sivalised
than Sequatchee Valey is, too the best of my recollection, I aint heard fifty cuths words sence I
hav bin in Texas. I aint seen but two or three men disguised with liquor, I dont dout buth what
their is a potion of the Country holds just sutch people as I described. In the bounds of my
acquaintanc I can venture the assertion that thear is at least two thirds of the people
professors. I think thear is as good people in Texas as ever trod the soiel, and I further believ
that people in Texas would suffer to be burnt at the stake before they would renounce their
religion. Tis frequently the case that a two days meeting will last a week. One has jest brok in
this Neighborhood lasted seven days. It would hav bin in sesion yet the preacher in charg had
to leave. We hav as good meetings and as wel behav Congregation in Texas as any place in the
world.
Give our Respects to all enqurin Friends
Yours Dear Sir Respectfully
Shiloh Orme
