aaa-0699.html
G.W. WALKER Letter to Reuben Jefferson FINLEY Jr.
Osage Ark March 16th 1856
Mr. R.J. FINLEY and family
Dear Brother and friends, through the mercies of God I am favoured with another
leisure moment to drop you a few lines in answer to your very kind and satisfactory letter which
came to hand a few days ago, I am always glad to hear from my relatives and old friends, and
particularly from .... for your letters give ... ...caring? ...?.. a particular satisfaction, I was in hopes
you would move to this county, but as you have bought Land there I suppose you will not move
here at least for a while, neither would I insist on you to do so without first coming to look for
yourself, but Jefferson I have never for a moment regretted my move, and I feel confident that I
could now furnish you with a piece of land for $200 or $250. that would produce more grain in
one year than you can raise on your place in three(3) years,-I expect sister Jane will kind of smile
and say, George is spinning long yarns, but if you don't believe it just come over I've got the
documents to prove it, what do you say? I can't meet you half way but I'll meet you at the gate
with an open hand and a warm heart if you'll come,--Jefferson I have not forgotten old Tenn nor
its good citizens, . . . to many acts of kindness received from .. .. of them for they have made
lasting impressions, and I shall long cherish their memories I would like to see your wife and form
an acquaintance with her. I very well remember her father but have no recollection of ever seeing
her; tell the little ones that their uncle would like to se them so that they could ..?.. him and not
the envelope of his letters
We have had a severe winter and still the snow falls and there is but little doing. Toward another
crop, - scarcely any have been able yet even to get out their .. ?. oats. I got one ..?..? foot frosted,
so that for about 2 weeks I have not been able to get on my show, but it is now improving I
suppose you have heard before this, that papa and mother have got here safe and were well to last
I heard from them. Albert and Matthew HOLFORD have gone south with the horses and mules,.
Jas. C. CHANEY has ..?.. gone about 3 months, they are looking for him today, I think. I'll go
over vicinity? and see if he's home?,-I have more to say but have not room to say much of it. I
want you to write to me often and give me all the news you have, give our respects to all
enquiring friends, tell my good friend Mr. Jas. M. GOODBAR I will try to write him a few lines
soon, mother said when I was down, that she had enjoyed better health this Spring than she has
for several years but she did not know how long it would last. papas health was also very good
Jas. C. CHANEY's family is well except the mumps several of the family have lately had them,
and some one still taking turns but I think no dangerous cases - The general health of the country
is good so far as I know, Times are quite hard here at this time and money almost out of the
question and yet every article of trade is high, - stock of all kinds is perhaps a bit? lower here than
in Tenn and from the best information I can get from there it is only a bit? and a small ..?.. at that.
A ..?.. is worth about $5 per sack? = coffee about 20 to 25 per lb. Iron 10 cents-nails 17, sugar 18
corn about from 35 to 40, wheat 50 ? I have not showed your letter to H.M.C. yet but will do so
the first chance.. S.V.WHITELEY's family was well the last account
Please write to me again, the first opportunity and give me all the news, weddings, death,
revivals? etc, Tell Jane to give us her reasons for not being willing to move to Arkansas. There
are plenty of handsome young men here and old one and all are anxious to marry, and many they
will and do every once in a while and I think you would stand as high as the middle of the ...?..
any how if you didn't stand head,- you know Ingy Poteto? well she hook herself a man a few
weeks ago and lived and done well too I think. Well I believe I shall have to quit directly for I
can't think of anything to say today some how but I hope you will excuse me and give my best
respects to all enquiring friends, and accept of my best wishes Tell? the little ones, howdy, for me.
Tell your wife I would like to see her for although I may have seen he I do not recollect her ..?.. I
do not think any the less of her for that, your affectionate Brother until Death - G.W. Walker
These times has us all well except Margaret, she is not very well today. She has been making soap
and washing and out in the snow for several days and I suppose has take a little cold, but I hope
nothing serious. She is now fixing dinner. La..?a? is sweeping the house and the other are playing
..?.. the floor. I seen Alfred HEBB [Heff?] yesterday at the mill and he said his family and F.D.'s
were well except Alton: he said he had been sick a few days but was better; Wilson WEST stayed
with us ..?.. night he said his family was well. yesterday morning The severity of the winter has cut
grain short and the probability of corn will be as scarce here this coming summer as it was Last,
May these times find you in the full enjoyment of every blessing that would add to
your present and future happiness is the prayer of G.W. WALKER
===================================================================
[G.W. WALKER, writer, is the son of Benjamin WALKER Jr. & Mary Polly (Graham) SEHORN
WALKER Younger Brother of John Sehorn WALKER]
[Reuben Jefferson FINLEY Jr. is husband of Henrietta Lora WALKER Sister of John Sehorn WALKER and George W. WALKER].
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Received: 9/25/1993
from: JAMES D. FINLEY
2320 CHEYENNE WAY
MODESTO CA 95356-2433
desc. of Thomas Milton Finley, son
of Reuben Jefferson FINLEY SR.
Transcribed by:
Vangee Brigham
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 1997
From: [email protected] (E. Oran Brigham)
Subject: Finley Letter MAR 16 1856
c:\docs\arkansas\reuben2
aaa-0699