Franklin County: E. and Fannie Hunt to Their
Cousins, December 1, 1861
Summary:
The Hunts write of illness in their family and among neighbors. They also express
support for defeating the rebels.
Cousins
Dec. the 1 = 1861
Haneville
Ever dear Cousins
After so long a time i once more seat myself to write
a few lines to you we are all well and hope this will find you all the same we
received your most welcome letter in due time and was
glad to hear from you once more we had a good deal of sickness in our family this fall it commenced in Bateses family first little sarah Jane was taken with the bloody
flux and died she was sick five weeks before little sarah Jane died Bateses wife
was taken with the same disease she lay for 6 weeks
that she [unclear:
wasn't
] expected to live but through the providence of god she is better
father was taken with the same disease and for two weeks we did not think he would live but he is getting better now so you
may judge whether we had our hands full or not there is great excitement here about the war every
body is for fight Illinois has turned out 70 thousand troops for the war and can send as many more if wanted i say down with the rebel flag if it
takes all we have got, our property and our lives if cotton is king then let us
know it but let us wallow in blood
[page 2]
up to
our horses bridle bits before we give it up let the cannons roar till every rebel shall lay down his
arms and beg for mercy Lyman you wrote, you talked of coming west you wanted to know the price of land
here it is various prices improved farms are worth
from 15 to 25 dollars an Acre prairie from 10 to 12 dollars
an Acre i think you had all better sell out and come
west for i think you can live easier here than you can
there tell uncle and aunt to come west and see us and then he can see the
Country for i am sure if he sees it he will like it we have plenty of fruit here this fall father had all the apples and [unclear:
currants
] and [unclear: laughten] berries they wanted uncle Eshon
Winchesters folks are all well uncle has taken Bates
farm for five years he likes the county very
much Samuel Winchester has gone to war he is in
Kentucky Polly Jane is teaching school i must draw my letter to a close for
fannie wants to write a few lines you must write more often and i will do the same.
this from
E. and F. Hunt
good night
much love to all
to L. Foster and Wife
