2008-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2008
A nice pair, ink inscribed Missouri pioneer's letters written by Mary Jane Walker, totaling 4pp. on 4to. letter sheets, and dating between April 28 and Sept. 26, 1867. Moving from Tennessee, this woman writes to her sister about her husband's efforts to provide for the family, and of her insights into their new community, in part: "[State of Missouri, April 28, 1867]…we have moved…from where we did live…we live on the Stone Mountain in Devil's Colon…we are going to move this fall about seventy five miles south…in Carter County on [the] Black River. The land is as cheap as dirt and everything plentiful…this is a good place to make money…I don't like the [this] community…there is no chance for poor people to make their own clothing…it is too cold for cotton…near where [we] are to move there is plenty of cotton raised…some of our neighbors went down this spring…if you want land…bring as may good citizens with you as will come…and we will go down and make us a neighborhood of our own. This country is mighty messed up with the Germans, Dutch, and the French…they do talk so independent…they are not much company to me…[Sept. 26, 1867]…I haven't been to a Methodist Church since I have been in this state…this day [is] twelve months ago [that] we left old Tennessee…". Mrs. Walker's phonetic spelling has been corrected. Some soiling, else very good.
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