Brown Family Letter, May 30, 1884

LETTER KNOXVILLE, ARK., MAY 30, 1884

Mr.A.R. Brown, Knoxville, Tenn.

Dear brother, I wrote you about three or four weeks ago, but have received no reply as yet. I am still here on expenses and doing nothing. I was told that after the first of theis month I could get plenty of work at $1.00 per day, but now work is as scarse as it has ever been since I have been here, and they say it is the first time it has ever been that way here. The season has just _____so far and everyone is getting along better than they expected with their crops and don’t need any help. The crops are very good here so far. Wheat will be harvested in about a week and it will be very good, I think. Oats are very fine, it is said they are always fine in this country.

The fruit crop is also very fine here this year and perhaps it might pay to ship some of it back there if you are going to have none there. They will be cheap here and if the freight is not too high. I will shp you some anyway and perhaps I will send some to sell if the price is high enough. Jesse Kirk (Kirkpatrick?) has some of the finest peaches I ever saw but they are all rather late.

I want to know what you think of me buying land in this part of the country. I think it is about the best part of the state and I like it better than any other place I was ever in except Tenn. And it is filling up fast. I can’t go away from here and stay three days without seeing new comers when I return. In a few years from now land will be worth 2 or 3 times as much as it is now.

I almost forgot to tell you about a new spring that has been discovered within a mile of here. It is starting off well. It has cured several bad cases all ready which the doctors had given up to die and may rival Eureka yet.

I am needing no money except to pay my board and I have not been called on for that. But they need it and if you can spare $10.00 I would be glad if you would send it. I think my chances for a school are very good, but can’t tell certainly as yet. How is your chickens getting along by this time?

Write soon, Your Brother, W. H. Brown

[In the same envelope this note dated June 2, 1884]

June 2,’84 I wrote to the railroad land agt. At little Rock about some land about l mile from this place and received an answer today offering their best land at from $5 to $7 per acre. Then the companie’s surveyor came up this afternoon and I am going to try and see him tomorrow and see what he has got to say.

What is the reason you don’t write? I have not heard from you in over a month.

Write soon, Your Brother, W.H. Brown

P.S. the railroads terms on land is ¼ cash balance on 6 year term. W.H.B.

Transcribed and submitted by Betsy Smith