Brown-James_M.-Aug.11,1855

Samuel Jasper Marshall

Flat Creek, Pettis County, Missouri

August 11, 1855

This August 11th

1855

State of Texas

Titus County Mt. Pl.

Most affectionate cousin, it is with much pleasure that I resume the present opportunity to write you a few lines to let you now that I have not forgot you yet. You must excuse me for not writing sooner. I don't write much nohow and I have been waiting for you to write to me but I seen it wasn't worth while to wait any longer. This leaves me and the rest of the family well and connection withe the exception of John Cook's wife. She is sick at this time health has been good all this year so far. In fact we live in a healthy country anyhow. I hope these lines will come safe to hand and find you and all the rest of your father's family injoying the best of health. We have had a very dry summer this year but people in general will make plenty to live on and something to sell. Times is hard and dull. Provisions scarce as for grocerys such as sugar and coffee and molasses. They aren't to be had at anything like reasonably price. In any of our towns coffy is worth 25 cents per pound. In Jefferson molasses $1.00, sugar 10 cents. We started out to Houston this morning for groceries. There was three waggons in the crowd. Mr. Clounch, Uncle William Brown and Orphila and - - - (illegible) mee. Now stock is a good price from 10 to 12 dollars work steers from forty five to fifty dollars per yoke sheep 3 dollars horses from 80 to 100 dollars stock is generally high.

I want you to write to me and write to me about everything and write me a long letter to make up for lost time and if you are not married come to Texas and get you one of the nice kind of wife Wee have plenty of the first quality here and they are mostly handsome and all wants to marry and if you want to marry come here and if you are allreddy married tell me what her name is. I am not married yet but I am looking every day when I will bee. Tell Sarah Ann I would like to see here but she is married to Bill Anderson and I recon I will never see her unless they come to Texas. Tell Sara Ann to rite to me and all of you write. Tell Alexander if he is not married to come out here and perhaps he will have the pleasure of waiting on some of his cousins. I think John H will marry this fall or before fall. If you have any notion of marrying let me now in time to come to your wedding. Tell Walt to let Miss Hetty alone I want her myself. Tell her i love her as far from her as I am and i want to see her verry much but tell her that I am so instituted that I can't come to see her but tell her to write me a letter. As I have nothing of interest to write, I must come to a close Write too mee soon give my respects to all of the family and all inquiring friends if there bee any and accept a portion to yourself nothing more remains.

Your cousin untill death ascribed

by your friend

James M. Brown

Samuel J. Marshall