University of Virginia Library

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I rec.d yours of 1st today, and am glad that you have
resolved upon reformation in letter writing as you say, begining
with a new month. I have a great deal of correspondence on my
hands about this time, but manage to get a letter to you or Edward
about once a week. I now on Saturday night am answering yours in
my warm room. I enclose to you a dft on the Exchge Bank at Alex.a
for 1000$ endorsed to your use. You will please deposit it in the
Far. Bk. to my credit as usual, unless you may have use for any
part; then the bal. can be so deposited. I wish to send another in
a week or two, so as to have enough soon to pay the remainder of
the large note, uponwwhich we have already pd $4,575.00. There
remains 2000$ of the principal, with some 50$ or more int. Did
Mr. Higgenbotham authorize you to deposit the 3000$ to his credit?
or did you send him a check? You do not say, and as I keep no
record of my letters I have forgotten my specific instructions to
you. I wonder what Mr. Wood is doing. I do not expect to get out
to your court next week. There has been so much alarm of late in
our town on acct of several recent fires, the work of incendiaries
no doubt, that we do not like to be from home & Ellen objects to
my going. I need not say that I regret this, to me, disapointment,
but there is no real business necessity to call me there. I wrote
to Edward, & requeste him to act for me in certain contingencies,
which however are not, I think likely, to happen. He will advise
with you upon the subject. Mr. Wood informed me that the money for
those cattle he bo.t will be due at your Feb. court. Please pay it
about 40$ more or less.

You make our an indefinite allusion to a remark of Mr.
George Rives, the force of which I can not apprehend. While I confess
to a rather unsuspecting and confiding trust in my fellow men
I think I have sufficient penetration to prevent imposition. I can
not call to mind what act of mine Mr. R. could have had in view,
which would justify his remark. I shall however be thankful to
him or any other friend for timely hints, having for their object
my good, and so far as my acquaintance extends with Mr. R., I believe
him to be sincerely my friend, and for this high favour, I
feel indebted to you, my son. By your noble conduct you have shed
lasting honour upon your connexions. Of this I am proud.

I regard myself wholly a child of providence, and while
I may have been more prosperous in life than many of my compeers,
it has not been because of any innate, or acquired, wisdom or foresight
sight, but more by the impulsive prompting of that good overruling
& superintending providence which I always delight to acknowledge
and for which I constantly endeavour to cultivate the deepest feelings
of gratitude.

We are every day doing something having reference to our
expected move to Albe.e. I suppose we have not over 200 or 300$
worth of our store goods left on hand. Summy & How.d are delighte
at the prospect of a release from their clerking duties. H. is
now going to school. S. is looking rather thin & delicate, otherwise
w.d try & get him to school for a few months. I am the more
anxious to get on the farm on his acct where he may have the full
benefit of the free range of the country, & exercise to strengthe
him, before entering fully upon a course of study. He is growing
very fast.

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We may get out in April. I think we shall be able to
settle our accts & business in all of Feb. & Mar. We expect to
spend a week in Alex on our way to purchase furniture etc. We are
negotiating for a fine new carriage, which took the prem. at our
Ag.r exebition, (400$). I expect to send out some 6 horses, wagon,
with head of sundries etc etc in this month. I have ordered 4 tons
more of guano from Richm.d which will be in C. next week & I wish
Ed or you to buy my clover seed in C. Get some good farmer to judg
for you of the quality (15 Bus). Perhaps Mr. Wood is a good judge.
About the Housekeeper. Your Ma says she is not in haste, but you
can continue to make inquiries about one. I think it w.d be pleasant
to have a good matronly old lady, to give us company etc. The
boys will perhaps be off at school & we two old folks may be lonesome,
& perhaps be immercifully troublesome to you, for we should,
of the country is too lonely, call often to spend a few days by
way of variation.

Tell our dear Mary that we are feeling stronger attachments
for her daily, and her Ma here talks perhaps more about her than
any one else. We anticipate much comfort & enjoyment from her society.
Give her our best love, & accept for yourself a large share,
and to Edward not a small portion.