One of the nicest things that you can own is a letter that was written by an ancestor in genealogy.  In many ways it is better than a picture because a letter lets you know what a person was thinking about.  Sometimes it let's you know other things too, like your gggrandfather had a limited education and he was not a born speller either.  I have a letter that is 160 years old written by my gggrandfather to his oldest son who he would like to have near him.

Taxahaw, Lancaster District, South Carolina
August the 9th, 1831

Mr Martin A Poer
Big Creek, P.O.
Shelby County, Tennessee

Dear Son,

I received your letter yesterday, dated the 24th of June last stating that you are still in good health.  We are all in good health at this time, our family and connection except for myself.  I have not been well this summer, but still have kept on foot most of the time.  We frequently hear from Ann, she was in good health when we heard from her last, and Edmond Cook and his family all well.  Green Poer and his family are well as for health, a few days ago, but they are not doing well in this country, by their own neglect in buisiness and, Susey has got married to William Kennington, a man who was raised in this settlement, in good credit as far as I know.  He holds some good land at this time but wishes to sell it and move to some other place, I know not where, nor he either.

When we read your other letter stating the good things attached to the Western District of Tennessee, it set Mr Moody, and Caty in a great fever to move to that country, sence the fever has abated they seem to be better contented than before.

Moody has got a great line of work at his line of buisiness, which I expect is as good in this country as any other at this time, there is not as much difference in countrys as there is in the people, any man may live well through industry in any healthy country, and this is as healthy as any part I ever was in, the land is broken and the water is good and clean.

Crops of wheat was very good, and is very short from the appearance at this time.  Corn has been very scarch this year.  You wrote in your letter that you had a mind to come and see us in this country, and to stay one or two years with us and work in the "Tanyard".  After seeing your letter, I conversed with some of my friendly neighbors on the subject concerning and prospects arising from the Tan-yard  I have got 400 hides on hand this season, of which there is about 40 of them that has not got into the water yet, for the want of some study hand to work, which could not be got for this year.

Those hides I got from the country around me on shares, I count on every hand taned from one dollar to one dollar and a half each.  The custom of share hides increases every year.  all hides that we can get of our own we may count on one hundred percent of them shore.  You wrote to me not to flatter you on the subject.  we judge from your attention at the Tan-yard, that you can make from one hundred to one hundred and fifty dollars to your part per year.

William and John must get an education, and the familey must be separated, they are all able to work and very willing and healthey.....

The sadleing buisiness is very good at this place, I can get double the work that I can do at repairing old sadles, which is more profitable than making new ones...

If you can make it convenient to come the familey wishes you to come as soon as you can as they are desirous to see you once more.  Lorah is going to start up to Montgomery in a few days to see Ann and the rest of the relatives.

No more at present,
Remain your father,
S Poer

This letter was written by Solomon David Poer, 1780-before 1845, born in Montgomery County, North Carolina and living in Taxahaw, South Carolina.  He married Sarah Butler, born 1784 in Montgomery County, North Carolina and evidently dead by 1831 when the letter was written as she was not mentioned.  Their children were:
1. Martin Armstrong, 1808-1900, born in North Carolina and died here in Bowie County, Texas.  He did not go to South Carolina to be with his father but came
     here to Bowie County with his uncle and father-in-law, James Poer
2. Catherine "Caty", 1809-__, married James Moody and lived in South Carolina in 1831
3. Ann, born 1811 in North Carolina and married a Mr Arlington and lived in Montgomery County, North Carolina
4. Laura M, born 1814 in North Carolina, married Alfred Jourdan, came to Bowie County, Texas to live.  They are buried at Lydia, Texas in Red River County
5. William Benjamin Harrison, 1819-1885, attorney, circuit judge, mayor in Union Parish, Louisiana.  He married Rachel Baker and had a headright in Bowie
    County, Texas
6. John Culpepper/Culberson, 1821-1864, married Elizabeth S Estel, came to Bowie County, Texas, is buried at Sandhill
7. Susan N, born 1817 in North Carolina, married William Kenington in 1831 at Taxahaw, South Carolina.  They came to Bowie County, Texas about 1847

Eventually Solomon Poer came to visit and to live in Bowie County and has a headright here.  However he became homesick to see his relatives back in North Carolina and decided to go back there some time before 1845.  Since he was a sadler, he made himself a suit of leather.  He covered gold pieces for his buttons and for his money.  He left Jefferson, Texas by canoe, planning to get on a river boat and return to North Carolina that way.  He never arrived.  His son Martin Poer traced the planned trip and inquired about his father.  He never learned what happened to him and so he has no known burial place.